Category Archives: independent

Week 6: Day 1 – Product or Project Management

I had previously shared my thoughts around the differences between Product Management and Project Management; yet, life moves on, and we learn more (hopefully) and our perspectives may change as a result of that learning. At least, we’d hope it would.

I have recently embarked on this new adventure, of which I am collecting my random thoughts and idealistic diatribes on this very blog here. As part of that journey, I felt compelled to revisit the thoughts and definitions around product management and project management.

My current thought process defines those two terms as follows:

Product Management – conceive and nurture ongoing the greater idea of a product or service, its value proposition and idealistic goal

Project Management – implement the vision via smaller, logically sequenced incremental iterations (projects) that range end-to end (scope, development, test, communicate, deploy, teach)

Reflecting on those two high level definitions today, I still arrive at the conclusion that both are intricately connected, dependent on each other for insight and progress alike. As such, attempting to draw a dividing line between the two definitions would inherently cut off a vital component of each concept’s very nature, without which neither can succeed.

Which school of thought do you align with more closely? I would love to hear about it!

Week 5: Day 1 – The Hoxby Collective

Previously known as the Huckleberry Partners, the Hoxby Collective is a community based approach to the new concept of individual workflow. It is a collective of freelancers and solopreneurs at varying stages of their own adventure of going it alone.

What makes this model unique, thrilling, successful and growing, is the core concept of “give and get“. While everyone in the collective is independent, everyone makes a commitment to come together on a project by project basis to collaborate for a better, higher quality output for the client. Everyone pitches in their respective talent, experience and skill set, and then delivers exceptional results!

The concept of ‘give and get’ is that everyone can benefit from working together. A particular member may be successful at landing a brief or project, yet, cannot deliver on certain aspects. Rather than losing the project, the need is brought to the collective to complement the missing pieces at an increased level of quality, professionalism and delivery – together.

Because everyone is both contributing (give) as well as delivering (get), the sum total for the individual as well as the community, is a higher rate of value that can be won, accepted, developed and delivered.

Another core concept of the Hoxby Collective by virtue of the community aspect is the realization and evangelizing the idea of the individual workstyle. Everyone has an individual style of working, when and how one’s best work is being delivered – entirely independent of a particular location or time window in any given day. The movement embraces productivity before all else.

You should absolutely head on over to The Hoxby Collective and experience it for yourself!