September 18

Tips on Using Product Tools

Product management tools can introduce some interesting dilemmas. Sometimes the best thing to do is to go buy that shiny new tool. Sometimes, you get that nagging feeling that you may be able to solve your problem with a tool you already have – if you would just try something a little differently. These resources may jump-start some thoughts on how to make the best use of the tools you already have, saving some money and reducing your anxiety in the process.

Tutorial: How to build a ‘Now, Next, Later’ roadmap in Jira with just 3 easy steps. Jira is probably not the first tool you think of when it’s time to create a roadmap. However, if you use Jira to manage your backlog and would like to keep the number of tools you use to a minimum, you may find this tip from Maarten Dalmijn helpful. Martin shows how you can build a decent roadmap in Jira with some configuration magic on a plain Kanban board. Follow these steps to get your roadmap up and running in around half an hour.

(via @mdalmijn)

The top 10 Jira tips & tricks. You may feel like using Jira to do something it originally wasn’t built to do (like make roadmaps). If, however, you’d like to know some tips for using Jira for what it was intended for, you may find some tips from Atlassian dev teams helpful. Phillip Suchan asked his teammates what their favorite Jira Software Cloud tips and tricks are. Here are the top 10.

(via @atlassian)

Tips and tricks for prototyping in Figma. If you find yourself prototyping on a regular basis, you may want to take a look at these tips and tricks for prototyping in Figma from Aleksei Kipin. You, like Aleksei, may find prototyping in Figma is pure joy, but you can always find room for improvement.

(via @aleksei_kipin)

Product management tools for remote working (recommended by product managers). If you’re used to working remotely, you’ll already have processes, rules, and tools in place that work for your team. If you suddenly found yourself working from home, you may still be trying to figure some things out. The folks at Feature Upvote asked product managers what tools they use and how they use them in a remote setting. Here’s what they found out.

(via @featureupvote)

How 7 news organizations use Slack to work better and differently.  In the media industry, product and editorial teams have traditionally been siloed. Slack finally broke down the boundaries between people who need to work together closely but, in more formal meetings, they might feel as if they speak different languages. Understanding how news organizations use Slack to encourage communication between product and editorial may give you some insight into how you can collaborate better with your stakeholders. Laura Hazard Owen explains what she heard when she asked several news organizations to explain how they approach Slack.

(via @laurahazardowen)

Kent J McDonald

About the author

Kent J McDonald writes about and practices software product management. He has product development experience in a variety of industries including financial services, health insurance, nonprofit, and automotive. Kent practices his craft with a variety of product teams and provides just in time resources for product people at KBP.media and Product Collective. When not writing or product managing, Kent is his family’s #ubersherpa, listens to jazz and podcasts (but not necessarily podcasts about jazz), and collects national parks.


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