In IT which is good choice to shape a good career is it in Product based company or Service based company? Please give the pro's of each and also con's (if any!) :)
Good Answers (5)
It varies from person to a person. What i can share with you is how life in one differs from another:
1. Product Based Companies
You spend a lot more time with the same technologies, same code base, and often the same set of features.
You can never know your customer too well - remember, a product is ultimately an attemp to fit the same shoe to feet of all shapes and sizes (but the alternative is the software industry is - people would need to walk barefeet because turnkey projects are too expensive)
If you work on a successful product for a long period of time, the sense of achievement can be tremendous
Seeing a lot of happy customers is thrilling indeed
There are often comparitively long periods of lull - when the product strategy team is trying to figure out the future roadmap, and the latest release is already out
Often you will end up working on a codebase that noone owns - becuase the product is very old, and none of the original code authors are around. Also, the technology the product is based on could be nearing its death
2. Projects
Often developed from scratch - so you start with a clean slate
You get to know your customer very closely
Fast movement across domains, and often technologies
Direct appreciation by the customer
Often more time pressure compared to product cos
The best example I came across is:
"If a company makes and sells bread, its product based company, since 'bead' is their product.
When you go to the dental office and have your teeth cleaned, thats a service."
To shape a good career in IT depends not only on person, but also on his area of expertise, area of interests, experience, work time preferences, and of course the risk as ROI.
Work environment in product companies are mostly cool, and requires good level of technical expertise. From the work culture perspective, it depends on the company. Innovative work results from product companies.
Work environment in service based companies depends on the client, if client changes, they have to adopt the client's culture for better results. Mostly deadline based work, doesn't require indepth technical expertise, expertise with set of tools/programming languages are required. One adv/disadv is we could learn many technologies in short span, but nothing in-depth. Limited innovation involved in the work.
Jay S
Technical Trainer and Documentation Specialist
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In IT, or any field - the choice is easy: a "Product" is a thing, and "Service" involves people! We must always promote people over things! I know this sounds very simple, but bread, computers, widgets, maps, all things are INANIMATE and are NOTHING without a person to conceive, plan, create, document (I had to throw that one in there!), improve, promote and distribute it (CPCDIPD).
Also worth mentioning: all non-natural products began as a thought in a person's head. Look around at the products surrounding you right now: flat panel computer monitor, phone, cup, BlackBerry, pencil, highlighter, window, desk, anti-bacterial hand sanitizer (that's another topic!), etc. First a "thought", then the reality. What amazing things are lurking in peoples' minds right now that are yet to be CPCDIPD?
My two cents. Don't think too much about what is best as a career as I do not think that will matter much in the long run. Fokus in what do you like to do most; think up new or improved software/hardware or helping other people with hardware/software problems. If the first alternative, go product, there will be other people and a budget that will keep you in touch with reality (human needs) anyway... if the second, go service, there will be other people and budget (sorry!) that will keep you in touch with reality (product possibilities) anyway...
I've been a product manager and I've been working at support organizations so I've seen both sides. And you do spend a lot of time creating services for your products and you would not believe how many time I've heard someone say 'we need to productify our services'.
As for technology, some companies follow state-of-the-art technology and some sits still, either find a company in the right niche or move around.
Finally, just a comment to the more philosophical discussions in the other answers.. there can be no product 'bread' if there is no service 'baking' and there is no service 'cleaning teeth' without the product 'teeth' .. also without new products I will not get new inspirations to new thoughts that will create new products. Yin and Yang if you like..
Alan H
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Why not gain experience in both?
There are pros and cons of each, learn them both and you will be able to cross the lessons between them.
As a corporate and executive coach, I ask my clients to learn from all aspects. I hope this answer was helpful. Please feel free to contact me at http://actioncoach.com/alanhill
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Bill N
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1.) It may depend more on the quality and attributes of the company.
2.) Why not go between both types? You would bring additional perspective to each in turn.
Laura (
Information Technology and Services Consultant
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Personally, I think that service based companies are a better option. As market conditions change, service based companies can adapt quicker.
As for product-based - For example, if you develop an application based on a certain architectural standard and then newer (Web 2.0) methods become popular, to keep up, you may have to rewrite your application to the new standard (for example, Service Oriented Architecture - i.e. SOA). As for hardware, continuous investment in R&D is required.
