Chaitra Somasundar
I’m a Product Manager at Autodesk supporting Digital Workplace, a cloud solution that allows our customers to run high-performance Autodesk desktop applications in the cloud. In my role, I work on our product roadmap, sales enablement, and business models. I often work with different teams that have different areas of expertise and get to learn from them.
In addition to my day-to-day role, I am also part of Autodesk’s Product Management Guild (PMG), a volunteer group representing product management (PM) professionals and employees working with or interested in becoming product managers, providing the product community with opportunities to learn, grow, and connect at Autodesk.
Re-launched in May 2018, the Product Management Guild is focused on fostering excellence in product management across Autodesk and raising the bar of our current product management practice while inspiring future product leaders. The PMG is organized into three workstreams:
1. Learn and Grow
The Learn and Grow workstream provides the PM community with opportunities and programs to help them successfully grow their skills and careers. This includes offering half to full-day-long skill-building workshops, reviewing PM training offerings, and hosting exhibits and workshops.
The PMG also curated a product-focused track at this year’s internal TechX conference, with eight sessions offering valuable insights into current trends in product management from experienced practitioners within their respective fields for aspiring and experienced product managers.
2. Connect
This workstream – which I co-lead with my colleague, friend, and mentor, Aliza Carpio – fosters a thriving and connected product community at Autodesk to connect with others. This involves hosting “product salons,” where product managers come together virtually to participate in hour-long workshops coordinated by the PMG and hosted by different product managers each quarter. The goal is to connect and meet PMs across the organization, engage in facilitated conversations, and have fun! We also spotlight various product managers by sharing bite-sized interviews where they can share their work and engage with the community.
In addition to regular virtual gatherings, there are also opportunities to meet in person. This past year, the PMG hosted a face-to-face PM breakfast at Autodesk University in New Orleans, as well as a lunch at TechX in Dallas, TX. The PMG also presented the Customer Advocacy Award at the 2023 TechX Awards, recognizing an employee for delighting Autodesk customers by championing their requirements and delivering compelling solutions.
“I enjoy participating in these activities because I can get to know other PMs and share knowledge, tips, and experiences,” says Irvin Hayes, Sr. Product Manager, Vault. “Sharing your knowledge and experience with others is a key part of building a healthy community. Not only are you sharing information that could help others, but you might also learn something new.”
3. Organize
This workstream organizes the PMG strategically and operationally and manages the run and maintenance work involved cohesively. This includes updating resources to show the latest information on PMG leadership, members, and events, as well as making it easier for members to volunteer and engage in the community. The Organize stream also evaluates diversity of representation, tools/technology used by PMs at Autodesk, and opportunities to standardize across the company.
“Having a group like the PMG serves as a valuable catalyst for advancing the practice of product management at Autodesk. We hear from our product managers that they desire to be connected to a strong community and want guidance to continuously improve their skills,” says Thomas Heermann, VP of Product Development Manufacturing Solutions and Executive sponsor of the PMG. “Whether you are a new product manager at Autodesk seeking to expand your network or an experienced director sharing best practices and coaching others, the Guild offers a supportive platform. From bringing the entire product management community together across different levels and departments in social gatherings to defining job expectations and the ways we (PM) work with our culture framework, coaching, and training, the PMG raises the bar at Autodesk.”
Harnessing collective wisdom
A couple years ago, my manager and I discussed the time commitment and benefits of joining the PMG. Culturally, my team is like an innovative startup within a large organization that has well-established thought leadership around product management. We both felt that by volunteering a few hours each month, I could establish practices recommended by the PMG within our team and product. And, in turn, I could introduce some of the innovative practices we have on our team to the broader organization.
When it comes to the future of the PMG, I’m most excited to bring external inspiration to Autodesk through some of the events we have planned over the next few months. I’m also excited to see Autodesk’s thought leadership and expertise in product management being spotlighted across industries.
“I love how Autodesk looks for PMs who don’t just check the boxes – we’re looking for individuals with diverse experiences who can bring those perspectives to the product management role,” says Lilie Fine, Sr Product Manager, Privacy, who also co-leads the Organize workstream. “The experience we co-create as a community brings in a support system for PMs instead of being siloed to their respective groups.”
Interested in a product management role at Autodesk? Check out our current openings!