Presentation 1 of 2: Ditch the Proxies, Embrace the Real Deal (in-person)
Abstract: Proxies are everywhere! In the fast-paced world of product management, the temptation to rely on proxies as a shortcut to assess and measure success is often strong. However, this over-reliance on indirect proxies can lead to misaligned priorities, unintended consequences, and an incomplete understanding of a product’s true performance.
The key takeaways from this session will be:
- Understanding Proxies: Clearly define what proxies are in the context of product management. Discuss some common examples of proxies in product management.
- Explore the problems and limitations of using proxies.
- Help identify proxies in real-life scenarios.
- Recommend solutions to kill various types of proxies.
- Resources to continue their learning.
PMI Talent Triangle: Ways of Working
Presentation 2 of 2: Project Harmony: Empowering Project Managers and Developers to Play in Perfect Sync (on-demand)
Abstract: In today’s fast-paced, agile-driven world of project delivery, the relationship between project managers and software development teams has never been more crucial. Yet all too often, these two critical groups find themselves at odds – plagued by miscommunication, conflicting priorities, and a lack of mutual trust.
This disconnect comes at a heavy cost. According to a recent study by the Project Management Institute, lack of trust between PMs and technical teams was a primary contributor to project failure in 38% of cases. And Gallup research has shown that teams with low trust in their manager’s leadership demonstrate 50% lower productivity compared to high-trust environments.
This interactive session will introduce a proven Servant Leadership framework to help project managers cultivate more collaborative, trust-based partnerships with their engineering counterparts. Through a step-by-step process in the framework, attendees will learn how to effectively build trust with engineering teams through-out the project life cycle from inception through delivery and sustain trust-based partnerships over long-term.
By fostering a culture of mutual understanding, shared accountability, and frictionless collaboration, project managers will unlock the true potential of their PM-developer relationships – driving successful, innovative project delivery that delights customers and stakeholders alike.
PMI Talent Triangle: Power Skills
Biography: Lakshmi Sowjanya is a Senior Technical Program Manager in Amazon. She is a product and program management professional with over 12 years of experience across multiple Fortune 500 companies spanning multiple industries.
Over the last 7 years, she led the launch of a multi-device OTT product, from scratch, for the biggest content provider in Asia, which now boasts of over 50 million subscribers worldwide. She spearheaded the development of large AI-based solutions to solve the Tax classification problem impacting millions of transactions done on Amazon daily. She also drove the simplification of Amazon’s fulfillment network in India which resulted in saving of billions of dollars for Amazon in the shipping cost.
Outside of work, Lakshmi is a board member of the Women@Amazon DMV chapter and a board member of CarolinaWomenInTechnology, Raleigh chapter. She is also an avid writer on LinkedIn and shares her insights primarily on product/program management and leading with empathy and inclusion. In 2024, Lakshmi was presented the Diversity Ally award within the annual Amazon Women In Engineering event, recognizing her efforts to promote inclusion and diversity in her team and contributing towards making Amazon, a great place to work.
Lakshmi is also a product/program management speaker. In 2024, she was selected as a speaker at the PM symposium, held by the University of Maryland and in Agile 2024, an annual event organized by the Agile Alliance group.
On a personal front, Lakshmi has an 11-year-old daughter and they enjoy challenging each other on who can solve Sudoku the fastest and who can click and pose for photographs the best.
