Highlights

Novel .

Graphics

As Graphics Product Manager, I was responsible for full life-cycle management of four generations of high-performance 3D graphics subsystems in Digital Equipment Corporation's workstation group.

The products that I managed introduced Digital as a major player in the high performance 3D graphics workstation market.  During this time, the penetration of high performance 3D graphics on Digital workstations more than tripled, direct revenues from graphics subsystems exceeded $12 million, and leveraged revenue (revenue from the workstation/graphics combination) exceeded $80 million.

My Product Management responsibilities included:

  • Market research
  • Preparing the Product Requirements document
  • Preparing the Product Specification (including cross-functional coordination and negotiation)
  • Managing the product development process, including
    • Engineering
    • Manufacturing
    • Marketing
    • Sales
  • Coordinating and managing schedules
  • Preparing pricing proposals, including
    • Margin analysis
    • Competitive positioning
    • Volume forecasting
  • Managing the field test process
  • Product Release, including
    • Part numbers
    • Formal product specification document
    • Price file and activation
    • Product release to manufacturing (both hardware and software components)
  • Product Introduction
  • Problem reporting, tracking and resolution (after shipment)
  • Engineering Change Orders (ECOs)
  • Product retirement

In addition, I performed a wide range of marketing and sales support activities which were not necessarily considered part of the Product Manager's responsibilities:

  • Sales training
  • Technical training and seminars
  • Presentations at conferences and events
  • Collaterals and documentation
  • White papers, positioning papers, and presentations
  • Demonstration software and CDs
  • ISV (Independent Software Vendor) technical support

As Digital became a serious player in 3D graphics, training and education -- both internal and external -- were critical.  I developed and delivered a broad suite of training programs, ranging from broad based introductory sessions to in-depth sales and technical training.

I was frequently asked to speak at conferences and events.  These sessions were highly rated for both content and presentation -- feedback consistently provided very high marks and comments of "valuable, informative and educational."

A personal highlight was the technical training we delivered.  This consisted of three day in-depth technical seminars.  These typically included a day of combined sales/technical training and two days of in-depth technical information.  We delivered these sessions in the US, Europe and the Far East.  We were asked by the people who attended these sessions to provide further training, and ultimately delivered three rounds of seminars.

Developing these seminars proved to be some of the most intense learning sessions I have ever experienced.  For me, the highlight occurred during the second series of seminars in Germany where, two hours into a highly technical topic, one of the engineers asked "aren't you missing a term in the illumination equation?"  As a matter of fact, I was...  The highlight was that the people were following the material, understanding it, learning, and applying the information!

I was considered the "graphics guru" in the workstation group, and became involved with all graphics options offered by Digital.  I provided input, help and support to the other product managers, served as interim product manager for other programs, and developed integrated marketing programs that included the full range of graphics.  We had a close-knit team that accomplished far more than expected and was repeatedly recognized for going "beyond the call of duty."