Hi Rob:
I think you raise a very valid concern. Companies like hw need talented
product managers who know how to listen to customers and articulate there
concerns to the company. These people also need to be able to relate the
company's products to customers. Most of all, customers need a strong
advocate within the company that can work with the top management. That's
not as easy as it sounds!
There is another side though; companies need a product manager who
understands the technology; but who also knows how to find the sweet spot
between real value for the customer and a reasonable profit for the company.
Often customers have a tough time recognizing that if a company like HW
isn't profitable it can't be a strong force to serve us. In fact, I would
argue that looking after the long term health of the company is the most
important job for a blindness product manager. That is no excuse for
intentionally releasing a product long before it's time though.
Unfortunately, the blindness product manager job is
not a solo, it's a trio or a quartet. Top management and the customers and
the sales channel have to be well balanced or the results will be less then
pleasing. One of the biggest challenges for a blind person as a product
manager for blindness products but reporting to sighted people who don't use
the products is representing the needs of all customers without relying
totally on his or her biases oar opinions. Even when the individual does
that it's easy for top managers to accuse the blind product manager of being
a premadonna. We are such a small group and traditional data gathering
techniques such as customer surveys can be twisted to show what a given
researcher wants to know. Experience, common sense, good human relations,
but most of all a deep knowledge of how the products are used and what is
practical are all needed qualities in a blindness product manager. I have
great respect for HW's management as I haven't seen them publicly say
anything negative about Jonathan; but I am certain there is more to the
story and the less both sides say about it the better.
All of that being said, I can assure you that Human Ware's long term
commitment to it's customers is much more significant than any one person.
I can tell you that
I am a long time observer and participant in this industry and I have much
more confidence in HW then FS. That is significant as when you buy one of
these products you are entering a long term relationship.
I can also tell you that there is a lot more to a great product manager then
PR. Think of it this way, just because a doctor has a great bed side manner
(perhaps better than any other in the hospital) that doesn't mean he is the
most skilled physician. That isn't meant as a dig against Jonathan,it's
just meant to help you look at the issue differently.
Alan Holst
___
Replies to this message will go directly to the sender.
If your reply would be useful to the list, please send a
copy to the list as well.
To leave the BrailleNote list, send a blank message to
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
To view the list archives or change your preferences, visit
http://list.humanware.com/mailman/listinfo/braillenote
