Product Management

Life Cycle Engineering and Product Management for a More Sustainable Future

emdecker — Fri, 11 Apr 2025 14:04:59 +0000

Life Cycle Engineering and Product Management for a More Sustainable Future emdecker April 11, 2025

Think back to the last electronic device that you threw away; that cracked smartphone or those damaged earbuds, where did they go? Chances are, they became part of the tens of millions of metric tons of e-waste the world generates every year. Less than 20% of this type of waste gets properly recycled, with much of it ending up in landfills and contaminating the environment.

But what if products were designed to last longer, be easier to repair, and—when they reached the end of their usefulness—were fully recyclable? Life cycle engineers and product managers are working to answer these questions, playing an important role in helping companies think differently about product sustainability and environmentally responsible tech.

What is Life Cycle Engineering?

Life cycle engineering focuses on a product's entire journey—from raw materials to manufacturing, use, and end-of-life disposal. To minimize waste and maximize efficiency, these engineers aim to make products more sustainable by using recyclable or biodegradable materials that reduce long-term environmental impact. They also aim to optimize production methods to cut emissions and conserve resources. Ultimately, they seek to create products that are durable, repairable, and easily broken down for reuse or proper disposal.

Some major tech companies are beginning to focus on sustainability in their product development. For example, Apple reports that 59% of the aluminum used in their products comes from recycled sources, and Dell and Samsung have extensive recycling and refurbishing programs for their used and damaged products. These companies also publish regular, publicly available sustainability reports for transparency and accountability.

Where Product Management Meets Life Cycle Engineering

Product managers oversee products on the whole span of the life cycle journey. They may have life cycle engineers on their team to help with the design of eco-friendly products, depending on the objectives of the company, or they may possess life cycle engineering skills themselves. They balance business goals and user needs to create products that make sense economically, and often, environmentally.

Product managers and lifecycle engineers are increasingly integrating sustainability into this process by advocating for eco-friendly design choices in early development, such as ensuring materials come from ethical and sustainable sources. They may also have the ability to advocate for products that are upgradable, repairable, and compatible with future tech.

Tackling the E-Waste Crisis through Product Management

Tech waste is one of the biggest environmental challenges of our time. In 2022 alone, the world generated 62 million metric tons of e-waste. Without intervention, this number could reach a staggering 78 million metric tons by 2050.

But the future isn’t entirely bleak. Thanks to life cycle engineering and product management, more tech companies are adopting modular design systems, which allow consumers to swap out broken parts instead of replacing an entire device. Hewlett Packard (HP) is using recycled plastics in their laptops and printers, and Apple uses its Daisy robot to disassemble iPhones and recover valuable materials for reuse in future products. Further, Right to Repair laws are gaining traction, giving consumers more options to fix their devices instead of discarding them and buying new.

The collaboration between life cycle engineers and product managers is crucial for industries like green energy, where long-term sustainability is a key aspect of their mission. Wind turbines, for example, can last 20–25 years, and over that lifespan, use millions of blades. Companies like Veolia are turning these old turbine blades into materials for bridges and other innovative infrastructure projects. By exploring new options, prioritizing sustainable efforts, and fostering creativity and partnerships in product management, we can hope to reduce e-waste and look towards a brighter, environmentally friendly future.

Engineering and Product Management at Capitol Tech

Life cycle engineering and product management are critical to the creation and adoption of sustainable tech. Whether it’s reducing e-waste, making renewable energy more accessible, or promoting circular economy practices, these disciplines are shaping a world where technology and sustainability go hand in hand.

Capitol Technology University offers programs in management of technology and engineering that provide you with the knowledge and skills to address the complex issues surrounding sustainability.

Join us for our live Cap Tech Talk on Thursday, April 17 at noon (EST) for a presentation on sustainability efforts around the world.

To learn more about our academic programs, contact our Admissions team or request more information.

Edited by Erica Decker

Categories: Product Management

Product Management Trends: Adjusting the Project-Focused Mindset

emdecker — Sun, 29 Sep 2024 15:38:51 +0000

Product Management Trends: Adjusting the Project-Focused Mindset emdecker September 29, 2024

Product development is becoming increasingly complex due to the introduction of new technologies and the global distribution of teams. To create the best products, it is essential to manage various components across the development pipeline and support innovative ideas. This evolution has introduced a shift from a project-based to a product-based approach that is ushering in a new wave of innovative product development.

Project Management vs. Product Management

Project management focuses on completing specific tasks within a defined timeframe and budget. It is often temporary, with a clear beginning and end. Project managers are responsible for planning, executing, and closing projects, ensuring that goals are met and resources are used efficiently. Project managers focus on ensuring the completion of specific tasks on time and in budget, all within a finite timeline

Conversely, product management is an ongoing process that involves the entire lifecycle of a product, from ideation to development, launch, and beyond. Product managers are responsible for the vision, strategy, and roadmap of a product. They work closely with cross-functional teams to ensure that the product meets customer needs and business goals. Product managers focus on continuous improvement to achieve a desired outcome that delivers value to both the business and its customers.

Emerging Trends in Product Management

Innovative product management is being driven by several emerging trends in technology and beyond. Here are some of the most impactful:

Product-Led Growth (PLG): PLG is a strategy where the product itself drives user acquisition, expansion, and retention. This approach focuses on creating products that are so valuable and easy to use that they naturally attract and retain customers.

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning: AI and ML are transforming product management by providing insights into customer behavior, automating repetitive tasks, and enhancing decision-making processes. For example, sentiment analysis algorithms can sift through social media posts and reviews to understand customer sentiments.

Data-Driven Decision Making: Product managers are leveraging data to understand user interactions, identify market trends, and make informed decisions about product features and improvements.

Customer-Centricity: Modern product management must emphasize a deep understanding of customer needs and preferences. This involves continuous user research, feedback loops, and the use of customer insights to guide product development.

Agile and Hybrid Methodologies: Agile methodologies, which focus on iterative development and continuous improvement, are widely adopted in product management. Additionally, hybrid approaches that combine elements of Agile, Waterfall, and other methodologies are gaining popularity for their flexibility.

Remote and Distributed Teams: With the rise of remote work, product managers must navigate the challenges of managing globally distributed teams. This requires effective communication, collaboration tools, and strategies to maintain team cohesion and productivity.

Ethical Considerations: As products become more data-driven, ethical considerations such as data privacy and AI bias are becoming critical. Product managers must ensure that their products are designed and used responsibly.

Focusing on Products vs. Project Ideation

In a product-based approach, the focus shifts from completing individual projects to creating and improving products that deliver long-term value. Instead of viewing product development as a series of discrete projects, product teams should adopt a mindset of continuous improvement. Product managers must facilitate collaboration and alignment among engineering, design, marketing, and sales teams to ensure that everyone is working towards the same goals.

Similarly, product managers must regularly gather and analyze customer feedback to better understand user needs and improve the product. This feedback informs a clear product roadmap, which outlines the product’s vision, strategy, and key milestones. It helps align the team and stakeholders on the product's direction and priorities.

Succeeding in Product Management

Given the unique demands of product management, success involves developing a specific set of skills and characteristics.

Product managers must have a deep understanding of customers’ needs, pain points, and preferences. They must embrace a growth mindset, meaning that they are continuously learning and adapting to stay updated on industry trends, seek feedback, and be open to new ideas and approaches.

Effective product management involves working closely with cross-functional teams and stakeholders, so it’s critical to build strong relationships based on trust, communication, and collaboration. Product managers must use the latest tools and technologies to streamline workflows, gather insights, and enhance decision-making. Finally, product managers can succeed when they shift their focus from completing tasks to achieving desired outcomes. Success depends heavily on defining clear goals and metrics for success, and continuously measuring and iterating to ensure that value is delivered to customers and the business.

Management Programs at Capitol Tech

As a leader in technology education, Capitol Technology University offers an array of Management of Technology programs to fit your needs and prepare you to make transformative contributions in today's complex and dynamic market.

To learn more, contact our admissions team or request more information.

Categories: Product Management

Pressures Ratchet Upward as Demand for Product Managers in Aerospace, Defense Grows

edragisic — Wed, 29 Mar 2023 19:34:14 +0000

Pressures Ratchet Upward as Demand for Product Managers in Aerospace, Defense Grows edragisic March 29, 2023

Product management in the aerospace and defense industries was already a challenging enterprise. Competition is global. The entire world needs to be outmaneuvered, not just a single market. Stakes are the highest imaginable -- potentially, life and death. And yet, the current drive for greater customization, innovation and digitization of new products has shortened lifecycles and piled on even more pressures for overburdened product managers.

How is this class of professionals responding? And how, in turn, is this response driving the industries they serve?

Product management is an essential role in all industries. Like the managers in other fields, aerospace and defense product managers must support their firm’s strategic goals while developing new products that target specific market niches likely to prove profitable. This one individual is responsible for a new invention’s entire lifecycle — from conception through delivery to the end user. A thorough knowledge of both the needs of potential customers and the capabilities of the business involved is obviously critical.

Increasing Stakes and Demand for Product Managers in Aerospace

The aerospace industry is currently growing, attracting new players as well as expanding manufacturing operations into countries without such previous development. As it does, buyers are creating demands on this new capability. They want:

more fuel-efficient aircraft including the use of advanced materials to achieve this aim
more emphasis on security (including cybersecurity) at all stages of production
increased digital innovation, with the ability to track components and processes throughout fabrication and service use
stronger supply chains, with less risk of interruption
support for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) systems to assure growth in emerging markets

These competitive demands are requiring aerospace product managers to rely more strongly on advanced planning and production methodologies. These include virtual reality (VR) technology, which has proven especially valuable at the prototype stage. Inefficiencies can be eliminated during pre-production, saving time and money and improving problem solving along the way.

Additionally, the use of Internet of Things (IoT) automation is speeding improvements in aircraft engine technology as it collects and reports data in real time. Machine learning, an aspect of artificial intelligence (AI), is providing new ways of analyzing the data that is collected in this way. Together these two innovations allow testing and development of components and processes much faster than could be achieved previously.

Demand for Product Managers in Defense Grows Amid Challenges

The defense industry faces many of the same demands from buyers as those experienced by aerospace. These demands are expressed even more urgently, as they derive from national security concerns.

Cybersecurity concerns are more pronounced, for example, both because of the relative risks related to intrusion, and because the defense industry itself is a magnet for attracting malevolent attention.

Supply chain concerns require incorporating redundancies into all product lines. The recent explosion in prices for raw materials, which has reduced profitability of products already under development and forced re-configuration of those still in planning, has only increased the focus on this aim.

But the largest challenge facing defense product managers is one common across multiple technical industries -- sourcing the talent to manage the advanced technology required to profitably produce and market product innovations in this sphere. Technical prowess cannot trump leadership skills for any product manager, not in these industries, and not in 2023.

Capitol Technology University sees the demand for professionals in this field and offers several programs to train and prepare these individuals for advancement of their career in the product management industry. Our Masters in Product Management degree turns workers into leaders, and equips them with the knowledge needed to make significant improvements to the field.

Categories: Product Management