Case Study: Analyzing LinkedIn's Product Management and Strategy

This case study examines LinkedIn's product management, focusing on its strategic partnership with Microsoft to address challenges like lack of innovation. The analysis covers methods used for ranking and prioritization, highlighting the benefits of integrating Microsoft technologies like Dynamics CRM, Azure analytics, and SQL Server for scalability and performance. It delves into improvements in desktop and mobile design, features to enhance job placement and recruitment metrics, and security enhancements. The study also includes an overview of an Agile format information security improvement program, emphasizing user stories and objectives. The conclusion underscores the advantages of the Microsoft partnership for LinkedIn, emphasizing the importance of prioritization, technology adoption, and user-centric design.

PRODUCT MANAGEMENT
(CASE STUDY)

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY ..................................................................................................................................1
1) Methods used for ranking.......................................................................................................1
Integration with Dynamic to improve CRM ..............................................................................1
Scalability and performance improvement.................................................................................2
Premium Feature of MS azure analytics ....................................................................................2
Desktop and mobile redesign......................................................................................................2
Feature to improve job placement and recruitment metrics........................................................2
Security improvement.................................................................................................................3
2) Agile format Information security improvement programme................................................3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................5

INDEX OF TABLES
Table 1: improvement programme for Agile format.......................................................................3

INTRODUCTION
LinkedIn is a social networking service that operate via mobile apps or social networking
services. This site mainly focuses on business and employment and is mainly used for
professional networking. LinkedIn generally include employers posting jobs and seeking job,
person also get chance to post their CV. The main source of its revenue comes through selling
informational to sales professional and recruiters. The firm has more than 106 million of active
member. In current time firm is suffering from crisis because of not having enough innovation
and great ideas. In order to overcome this issue firm has decided to from a partnership with
Microsoft. The firm is sure that this partnership will not only will be in the befits of firm but will
also add value to both firm. In current report different method of ranking and prioritization will
be discussed along with different benefit the partnership will bring for LinkedIn.
MAIN BODY
1) Methods used for ranking
Before moving forward its necessary to set a priority of project and divide them into
higher priority and lower priority so that balance can be made and each work can be carried out
in more efficient and effective way. Prioritization Matrix is a simple tool where activity order are
set according to their importance. Its an important method that help in ranking of project so that
time and work can be manage (Dekker and et.al., 2013). The method include for Prioritization
include seven steps or method. First the objectives are decided, the goal is decided by whole
team. The next step include criteria require ensuring that the goals are met. Comparison between
relative importance of criteria are made. This comparison is made between different criteria so
that priority can be set. Then the proper evaluation are made against the criteria that are
important and is set by firm whether there are chances of any changes or not. In next step
evaluation of every criteria against each other is conducted. The next stage focuses on the
choices that firm has whether they can make any necessary changes for the remaining criteria.
The last step include compiling or coming together of all this so that proper ranking can be made.
Prioritising Matrix
Requirement Description Critically effectiveness Notes
Innovation Modernization
redesigning of
Very High Quite effective.
Simple to use
Its necessary to
solve the problem
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combined desktop
and mobile app
attract more
customers.
of lack of
innovation.
Features Importance on
core business,
LinkedIn is
known for its job
placement,
information it
provides for
recruiters.
High Its also effective
and necessary that
with the
innovation, the
basic business of
firm can also be
enhanced so that
effectiveness can
be bought.
Essential for
enhancement of
overall
performance.
Enhancement Premium feature
like MS azure
Medium Medium, Added
feature provide
smoothness in
app it comes with
many features
which make
whole process
easy.
Bring efficiency
in working.
Provide a choice
to choose own
language.
Scalability Ms cloud
services, app like
Microsoft SQL
Medium Low, Quite
effective in
handling big files.
Will be quite
useful for future
development.
Make storing data
more easy focuses
on metadata
instead of folder.
Security
improvement
Security
improvement plan
Medium High, Important
in keeping data
safe. Application
like password,
face recognition
Only password is
not enough, face
recognition and
thumbprint login
are quite
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etc. effective.
Integration with
share point.
Integration of
share point with
CRM to enhance
its performance.
low N/A Direct saving
of data in
metadata make
whole process
easy.
Effective in the
management of
website make
whole process
smoother and
easier to work .
Integration with Dynamic to improve CRM
CRM is Microsoft application that is very useful for the organisation in the management
of their clients and various contact they have. It also helps in marketing and also enhance the
firm customer service process (Maglyas, Andrey and Samuel,2014). There has been integration
of Share point and dynamic CRM which has caused few problems. To improve this integration
the new features are added share point organiser. The documents uploaded for share points from
CRM are designed to save the content directly in CRM record along with the records that are
uploaded as metadata columns (Chataway and et.al., 2014). The more focus is laid on megadata
instead of folder so that whole process can become less confusing.
Scalability and performance improvement
Microsoft SQL server 2016 help in performance improvement and scalability. It has been
very effective for the firm user as its quite effective in handling rapid growth and also reduce
response time for 1-2 second instead of 30, Ms Cloud has been such case nGenc was in crisis
with increase demand of Ms cloud to overcome this problem firm adapted Cisco UCS solutions
virtualised with Microsoft hyper V this help firm in reducing the time by half which help in
smother working of firm (Schwalbe, 2015).
Premium Feature of MS azure analytics
The premier feature of azure analytics to choose one own language, operating system and
workload has make it favourable for many firms. Azure Virtual Machines are supported by
Linux, window server, SQL server, oracle etc., which give user a flexibility of virtualisation and
wide range to choose from (Laudon and Laudon, 2015). It has many solutions such as running
application, development and testing etc. It works as another rack of data centre and freedom of
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open source software. It helps in deploying application in second instead of wasting whole
weeks.
Desktop and mobile redesign
The web has become powerful tool along with new design of mixing mobile and desktop
help in creating better online environment for all users (Bloom, Garicano and Van, 2014). With
the increase development in mobile the new application and webpages are made while keeping
this mobile device in mind it has become one of the biggest change in web designed world.
Feature to improve job placement and recruitment metrics
The feature that can improve the job placement are
Candidate per hire: Tracking candidate per hire help in evaluating whether the recruiter
is effective or not. Candidate interviews weekly instead of varies shows that firm is not aware of
what they are needed for (Chen and et.al., 2015).
Email conversation rate: Using sight like LinkedIn help firm in collecting data of
achiever based people by this they can send them personal mail especially for position like VP or
HR it has been observed its quiet cost efficient and provide better results (Product Management,
2016).
Hiring source: Having a proper source help firm in hiring right people and directing the
resources in right direction (Pfister, West and Noah, 2014). Application like LinkedIn maker it
easier for firm to find appropriate candidate furthermore, there are many features that firm can
use and find appropriate candidate
Time to hire: Hiring process is important and it also reflects how a firm work. Every firm
want to have a nimble process that can help them in smoother working (Brown and et.al., 2014).
Knowing the days the position was open before the hiring shows that how effective you're hiring
process is.
Security improvement
Technology sector of nation is developing at fast rate but with its development the major
question has been raised on the security and privacy of people to improve security improvement
plan has been adopted which focuses on objectives like password, id facial recognising etc.
installing this application provide user with greater security and also help them from any type of
risk. The plan is the result of both risk management activities and gap analysis which help in the
mitigation action required to improve the risk posture of organisation as well as different way
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through which it can manage (Chataway and et.al., 2014). Risk assessment plan include
necessary risk mitigation activity so that overall risk can be decreased. Application like
passwords are not enough though it provides security. Face recognition and thumb impression
has come as the new way through which security of important documents and privacy of person
can be maintained.
2) Agile format Information security improvement programme
Table 1: improvement programme for Agile format
User story ID As a I want to So that I can
1 organisation and
governance
Provides funds and
facilitate improvement
activities.
So that awareness and
role and
responsibilities require
for the development
can be taken care of.
2 It security Assess existing
structure identifying
the area where it lacks
Take necessary step
for its enhancement
and ensure that
security are met.
3) Policy and education Implementation of
information security
policy all over the firm
Have better control all
over the firm
furthermore it ensures
consistent control.
CONCLUSION
From the above report it can be concluded that LinkedIn can be in benefits if the firm
form partnership with Microsoft. Prioritising things help in management of work also saves time.
Microsoft offers many applications which make whole process of management much simpler.
Adopting this changes in feature in their work will be in the benefit of LinkedIn only. Desktop
and mobile design is the new future of IT and many new application and web design are based
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on these two model. Ms Azure and CRM has make everything more simple and favourable for
user.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Bloom, N., Garicano, L. and Van Reenen, J., 2014. The distinct effects of information
technology and communication technology on firm organization. Management Science.
89(12). pp.2859-2885.
Brown, S. and et.al., 2014. A Microsoft-Excel-based tool for running and critically appraising
network meta-analyses—an overview and application of NetMetaXL. Systematic
reviews. 87(1). pp.110.
Chataway, J. and et.al., 2014. Effect of high-dose simvastatin on brain atrophy and disability in
secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (MS-STAT): a randomised, placebo-controlled,
phase 2 trial. The Lancet. 67(9). pp.2213-2221.
Chen, X. and et.al., 2015. Microsoft COCO captions: Data collection and evaluation server.
arXiv preprint arXiv:1504.00325. 9(6). pp.90-99.
Dekker and et.al., 2013. Reverse logistics: quantitative models for closed-loop supply chains.
Springer Science & Business Media.
Laudon, K.C. and Laudon, J.P., 2015. Management Information Systems: Managing the Digital
Firm Plus MyMISLab with Pearson eText--Access Card Package. Prentice Hall Press.
Maglyas, Andrey, and Samuel A. Fricker. 2014. "The preliminary results from the software
product management state-of-practice survey." In International Conference of Software
Business. 78(5). pp. 295-300.
Pfister, A., West and Noah, J.A., 2014. Comparative abilities of Microsoft Kinect and Vicon 3D
motion capture for gait analysis. Journal of medical engineering & technology. 89(5).
pp.274-280.
Schwalbe, K., 2015. Information technology project management. Cengage Learning.
Online
Product Management. 2016. [Online]. Available through:
<http://www.dfkompetens.se/webroot/documents/25/Product%20%20Management
%20Framework%20White%20Paper.pdf>.
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