Product Management

Definition of Product Management

Product Management comprises all university, state, federal and church policies and regulations that govern the work done in the Warehouse Inventory Management Community. It informs our tasks and conversations with customers and suppliers. Not all regulations will apply to the responsibilities of all community members, but every member should be knowledgeable of the regulations applicable to their assigned responsibilities.

These policies and regulations are meant to guard against risk to the University and its people. They also guide ethical decision-making and communication during the planning, transaction, and follow-up phases of projects, contracts, and transactions. The community members have a responsibility to guide and enforce compliance as far as possible during day-to-day interactions.

Specialist: Familiarity with the type of inventory stored within the warehouse/stockroom. Ability to read and understand information on a purchase order. Basic understanding of warehouse layout (how to get around the warehouse/stockroom). Trained on a specific warehouse or inventory product management process (i.e. purchasing, put-away, receiving, fulfillment, billing, shipping, etc.). Basic understanding of how to run computer hardware and software to perform the job. Understands how to recognize a product problem and how to report the problem. Understanding of how to pick product from a bin and put product away. Ability to recognize and scan a barcode.

Sr. Specialist: Knowledge of who purchases product to be stored in a warehouse and how to request product if needed. Understands how to organize and store product in a warehouse/stockroom. Directly trains Specialists on specific warehouse & inventory product management processes & procedures (i.e. purchasing, receiving, put-away, fulfillment, billing, shipping, etc.). Knowledge of how to bill a sales order. Takes problems from Specialists and performs research to understand the underlying issue(s). Reports warehouse and inventory product problems beyond their scope of authority to the Professional. Understands and reports specific KPI’s and metrics to Specialists. Recommends bin or zone changes to the Professional.

Professional: Understands how to create purchase orders and PO best practices. Strong understanding of space management and space allocation logistic needs of a warehouse and aids in design or redesign of space utilization (i.e layout, flow). Helps define and create SOPs, policies, and training manuals needed to achieve efficiency, accuracy, and quality throughput. Understands how to run and analyze queries, searches, and reports. Ability to create and analyze KPIs needed to manage product and inventory in the warehouse/stockroom areas. Troubleshoot and solve billing problems (i.e. Online order payment fail). Ability to solve and/or correct warehouse and inventory problems. Helps design and improve the process for product binning and zoning.

Sr. Professional: Oversees all warehouse and inventory product management/logistics (i.e layout, flow, policies, processes). Leads and directs projects related to warehouse product management (such as full or partial warehouse space management/design, software enhancements/improvements, etc). Leads out in creating, defining, and managing SOPs to create operational efficiencies, accuracy, and quality output/throughput. Directs Senior Specialists and Professionals in their responsibilities. Directs Professionals in the process of determining, defining, creating, and reporting KPIs needed within each area of the warehouse. Knowledge of and/or ability to learn how to create complicated queries, searches, and reports using mathematical functions and equations. Knowledge of and ability to create forecasting and demand planning models. Works with IT Professionals and Business Analysts to determine, select, and/or create new innovative software to manage the warehouse/stockroom products and processes.

How to Develop Product Management

University Courses: (Examples)

· Bachelor’s degree in related field

· Master’s degree in related field

· Relevant courses at BYU

Training / Other Courses: (Examples)

· Become aware of policies and compliance issues that apply to area of responsibility

· Review and study policies and procedures pertaining to area of responsibility

· Direct supervisor training on regulations, policy and compliance

· Y-Train modules for systems within responsibility, focusing on compliance issues

· Relevant communications training through HRD courses

· Develop and practice role play responses to policy and compliance questions with a peer or supervisor

· Search out and find other relevant courses, training (ex: LinkedIn, Lynda.com, etc.)

Professional Associations / Certifications: (Examples)

· Professional certification (ISM, CTA, etc.)

· Conferences, workshops, or other professional associations

Books / Publications: (Examples)

· University, state, federal and church documentation on regulations, policy and compliance

· Business publications related to area of policy and compliance

· Search for other applicable resources and publications to share with work group/community

Experiences: (Examples)

· Review policy information located on the relevant university websites

· Conduct a serious review of university policies and compliance procedures

· Locate other relevant regulatory, policy and compliance resources

· Problem-solving discussions with senior leaders regarding policy/compliance in area of responsibility

· Present on a regulatory topic(s) at a professional meeting

· Participate in a policy creation, update, or revision

· Write an article on policy and compliance for community, newsletter, or other publication

· Create an experience of your own pertaining to policy and compliance

How to Demonstrate Product Management

In working with and reporting back to the CDC, it is strongly recommended that specific documentation and progress examples be provided by sharing final work products, presentations, assessment results, etc. giving a clear, tangible illustration of academic and practical rigor demonstrating what was accomplished and learned during the regulatory, policy & compliance journey/experience. The following are examples of what can be shared to demonstrate the development efforts made and learning results achieved.

Do: Describe what you did in completing / achieving your development plan.

· Describe your mutually agreed upon assignment or other chosen but related activity and why you chose it.

· Share other activities or opportunities that surfaced while engaged in your chosen approach and how they captured your attention in support of your chosen direction.

· Share experiential discoveries using “before and after” comparisons describing what you learned and how it has changed your approach to life and business.

Assess: Share, if applicable, any assessments that were taken / provided related to your journey

· Describe formal assessments you chose and participated in along with their results. Why did you choose them? What were the take-a-ways? How did they affect change in your behaviors and/or approach?

· If no formal assessment is available, be prepared to explain your own assessment of your journey in this area and any results coming from your efforts.

· Report feedback from others you interact with that authenticates claimed positive change or progress.

Learn: Explain what you felt that you were able to learn during your journey / experiences.

· Discuss your developmental learning experience. Specifically include new knowledge acquired, changes in outlook resulting from the learning, and any ah-ha experiences that have permanently altered your approach going forward.

· Articulate learned principles, practice, and new awareness incorporated as a result of new learning.

Apply: Give specific examples where you have, or plan to make direct changes to your work.

· Explain revelatory experiences you encountered or other practical knowledge you have incorporated into your work that has changed your approach to your current responsibilities or that you expect to help you as you move forward.

· Share how any new approaches to your work impact specific work and relationship outcomes.

Reflect: Review / consider things you would have done differently had you learned these things earlier.

· Think back on your approach to work before your recent learning and progress in your current selected journey. Identify any weaknesses that held you back from progressing.

· Share specific experiences where past outcomes could have been different if you knew then what you know now. Project possible future experience examples where you may be able to predict positive outcomes directly related to your recent learning.