→ Background

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2-Minute Project Overview:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5hClKggfEY&list=PL9-TDIaJxIM5Y89C79Az3jVsZU3m6BCa4

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Role:

Title: Product Management Apprentice, Microsoft
Dates: September 2023 - March 2024
Team: Cross-functional team of engineers, designers, and researchers.
Budget: Managed a $XXK budget for research, prototyping, and validation of a novel product for an emerging industry (AgriTech).
Core Responsibilities: Led product strategy, user research, feature prioritization, market validation, stakeholder engagement, and product roadmap execution. </aside>

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Mission:

Our goal was to develop FarmGazer, an AI-powered, low-cost, farm monitoring solution designed for small-to-large farm owners. To help center our product development, we:

→ 🛠️ Identified & validated target users, built a working prototype, and tested feasibility in an emerging market.

→ 🎯 Target goal: Position FarmGazer as a scalable, affordable alternative to expensive farm monitoring solutions (e.g. drones, satellite imaging).

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→ Major Achievements

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1️⃣ Defined user personas & market positioning based on 12+ farmer interviews (8 local, 4 large-scale).

Conducted in-depth field research and interviews to identify key pain points, behaviors, and adoption barriers, helping narrow our target market and messaging strategy.

2️⃣ Designed & built the first functional prototype within 3 months.

Led feature prioritization, hardware selection, and user interface development, ensuring the MVP addressed core user needs while remaining cost-effective.

3️⃣ Reduced farm monitoring costs by 50% compared to existing solutions.

Benchmarked FarmGazer against drones and satellite monitoring, demonstrating how our $200/unit system could cut operational costs by half or more.

4️⃣ Secured interest from 5 potential customers.

Engaged with farmers, AgriTech specialists, and local industry leaders, gathering early traction and market validation through direct interest and business card exchanges.

5️⃣ Presented to Microsoft funding managers & stakeholders for investment consideration.

Developed a business case and pitch deck that positioned FarmGazer as a viable AgTech solution, gaining stakeholder attention for potential funding and next-phase development. </aside>

→ Key Challenges

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1️⃣ Finding the Right Target Market

We had to determine whether to target small-scale farmers, large commercial farms, or tech-savvy experimental farmers, each with vastly different needs, budgets, and decision-making processes.

2️⃣ Prioritizing Features & Defining MVP Scope

With limited time and budget ($XXK), we needed to focus on essential product functionality while ensuring feasibility for real-world farm environments.

3️⃣ Developing a Clear Business Case

To secure stakeholder buy-in and potential investment, we had to justify FarmGazer’s market fit, revenue model, and differentiation from existing solutions.

4️⃣ Balancing Hardware, Software, and AI Integration

The product needed reliable hardware (camera, solar panels, waterproof casing), an intuitive software interface, and AI-driven insights while maintaining affordability and ease of use. </aside>

→ Case Studies

My Impact As a Product Management Apprentice @ a Microsoft-sponsored initiative… → Identifying the Market | → Building MVP | → Business Model | → Launching & Pitching

LinkedIn | Resume | Contact Me | @joshrafasan