Product development experience prefered?

[Rohit Nath]

Is it an advantage to be comming from a product development background.
Would you be valued more in the job market if you are from product development company?
Also is it good idea to move from product development to services based?

Thanking you in advance!
Rohit
[ December 12, 2006: Message edited by: Rohit Nath ]

[ambar patil]

Originally posted by Rohit Nath:
So is it an advantage to be comming from a product development background.Would you be valued more in the job market if you are from product development company?]

generally product comapny prefers product company guys and service industry :skills.Also some of product company it is difficult to get.

Also is it good idea to move from product development to services based?

I have exp of product and thinking of move to service to
:write some fresh code and learn technology like hiberante,web services etc.
:to get onsite for client facing/interaction.
:to get to work to diff environment.
:I will not work on the same product for a year hopefully get diff projects.
What about the opinion of others about this ??

[Amit Saini]

It all depends on where you want to end up.
If you see yourself being a Technical Architect, I feel product development experience is preferred.
If you see yourself being an independent contractor/consulting manager, client facing experience is very important.

IMHO, these two roles differ widely in how they work even though they might work on the same technologies.

In product development, your focus is to develop an optimal solution to some problem (atleast if you're working in a big product based company like Adobe, Oracle etc). You follow processes all the time. You would typically be associated with a particular module/functionality of a product.

On the other hand, in consulting, your main job is to generate revenue for your company by billing the client on an hourly basis. Deadlines are stringent and at times, people give a damn about software engineering principles. In all big consulting companies like Deloitte, Accenture etc, the mindset is, as long as it works within acceptable parameters, the solution is good. I believe this tends to happen because of the way projects are staffed. They'll just pick you up one day and assign you to a SAS project, for example, with minimal training. After that you're on your own. Implement it - or get fired!

Get the point?
No role is better than the other, it all depends on where you want to end up. I respect the product development guys for their deep knowledge of technology, algorithms, best practices etc. I respect the consulting guys for ability to learn and implement at the same time right in front of the client, understanding of business domain, presentation skills etc.
Fact is - you need both to run a successful software business.

2 cents..
Amit

[ December 12, 2006: Message edited by: Amit Saini ]
[ December 12, 2006: Message edited by: Amit Saini ]

[Rohit Nath]

Some valid points being made here!
Only problem I face in product work is that it tends to get quite repetitive and boring especially if you are working on it for years together. Working on same modules and same code tends to frustrate you at times. But the focus on technical expertise and innovation is very stong in product based that is what I have learnt.
As far as following processes goes if you are working in a startup or midsized product organization there may be some serious compromises on processes and everyone would just be coding as you need some minimal product to be released by some deadline. That hurts too... big time!
But if you can go throught this I guess you can survive anything...

So 1 point for each product and services

cheers!

[Rohit Nath]

:write some fresh code and learn technology like hiberante,web services etc.
:to get onsite for client facing/interaction.
:to get to work to diff environment.
:I will not work on the same product for a year hopefully get diff projects.

How come we all product guyz have similar dreams...!! ha ha ha...

[Sameer Jamal]

Originally posted by Rohit Nath:


How come we all product guyz have similar dreams...!! ha ha ha...

I moved from a product based company to a service based organisation, first few months were really tough as I found difficult to adjust in a service based organisation who spend lot of time in meetings and discussion rather than doing technical stuff. IMHO consulting organisations are not good for people who like to do a good techical stuff.

[ambar patil]

Hi sameet & rohit,
I ahve some question.check your mail.

[Rohit Nath]

In product development, your focus is to develop an optimal solution to some problem (atleast if you're working in a big product based company like Adobe, Oracle etc). You follow processes all the time.

It varies at what stage the product company is.
If it is startup it will be 95% coding and 5% processes (or even less)! (I am proof to that )
The percentage starts reversing as the company grows.

Initiall the main objective for company is to get some working product on hand to release in the market before anyone else does. So initial days are really "tough" on all

As it approaches mid-size (100-150 employees) the process tend to fall in as there needs to be common protocol for communication and management of tasks/resources.

So in a very big company like Adobe / oracle who already have established the focus shifts towards maintaining consistancy and quality of the product hence there are more standards and processes. Typically that would be just opposite to a startup say 10% actual coding and 90% processes!
Same scenario for most established MNC's both product and services!

No points for guessing where is maximum apportunity to learn and growth professionally

Thanks!

[Rahul Bhattacharjee]

Originally posted by Rohit Nath:
Is it an advantage to be comming from a product development background.
Would you be valued more in the job market if you are from product development company?

I personally do not see any major advantage coming from a product based company to a service based company.Product based companies follow more of process and there is a good risk involved and equal amount of excitement during the relese of the product in the market.

Compared to this I feel that in service based companies there is a lot less risk involved.
[ December 14, 2006: Message edited by: Rahul Bhattacharjee ]

[Rohit Nath]

Originally posted by Rahul Bhattacharjee:


good risk involved

Risk will not be much once product is released as for most big product companies. As clients tend to be very loyal to the company as they have alread done huge investments in the product and therefor the company. It is not uncommon to see the major clients even market and publicise products of such companies! Once product company gets a client the risk is very low! But that is once they get the client delivered with the product. Once product is delivered then most development is on added featured and enhancements which is not much risks as the core product is already ready and running with the clients.

The phase when core product is being developed and when there are no clients is the most risks. Once product is in market risk goes down exponentially.

Thanks!
Rohit

[Jitendra Lulla]

My thoughts: specific to products involving rtos,embedded,networking,wireless kind of profile


1. The work environment in product based companies is better than it is in service based companies. People have a sense of belongingness to hte product in the product based companes and hence they feel dedicated. In service based companies, the engineers just complete the work as the relation or project with the client is not more than 1 year or so.
2. Product based companies offer less choice for changing the technology or kind of work. Service based companies are better as the client changes and so does the technology or product. SO people who wish to learn everything, service based companies are good. But ofcourse, one should work for at least 1.5 years on the same product or technology to say confidently that he has learnt it.
3. Product based companies give better salaries. But they dont invite to their headquarters [usually outside india] for longer periods. The max stay at the headquarters or main development center outside india usually is less than 3 months in 2 years. Service based companies are also the same (if you are into product development in a service based company)
4. In case of service based companies, all projects other than the ones that involve rtos/embedded/networking/wireless kind of profile, are good in terms of onsite assignments. Onsite options are there only in the projects involving specific software solutions to the clients and support of the same.
5. One should have experience in both [product based company+service based company]. One should preferably start with product based company as there he may get a strong/reliable and very good infrastructure ready for his engineering assignments [e.g. dedicated people for managing/monitoring the tools like CVS/Clearcase]. Proper help resources are also there in the product based company as your senior people have already been working on the same product since long. And the most important thing is the sense of belongingness found/tought to the engineers in a product company. In service based companies, usually, you lack the above mentioned good things.
So, work for a product based company first and then join a service based company to prove the you know a lot :-)


Will post more things later.. :-)
~Jitendra

[Rohit Nath]

work for a product based company first and then join a service based company to prove the you know a lot :-)

does it also apply in demanding higher package?

[Jitendra Lulla]

Originally posted by Rohit Nath:


does it also apply in demanding higher package?

yes it does if you are going for similar profile/project. For example if you have worked in a product company and then joining a service based company to work on outsourced work from your previous company's competetor company, you will be preferred and you may also may be able to demand a better salary.
[ December 15, 2006: Message edited by: Jitendra Lulla ]

[Rahul Bhattacharjee]

Originally posted by Rohit Nath:


Once product is in market risk goes down exponentially.

I fully agree to this.