Cyber markets can be treacherous and unforgiving so I thought I'd share a "survival guide" of sorts to help fellow PMMs navigate complex situations. My vantage point comes from the experience of navigating various product markets across the Security Operations Hype Cycle. Each experience has been a unique chapter in my career. Reflecting on the situations I've been in, I realize the profound impact they've had not only on my professional growth but also on my understanding of the cybersecurity market ecosystem. This post aims to share what I've learned to help you as you enter the market coaster.

Markets Are Cyclical

The first key to market survival is understanding that markets are cyclical by nature. The best way to illustrate this is by referring to Gartner's Hype Cycle visualizations. My favorite of these is the Security Operations Hype Cycle because this is where I've "lived" as a Cyber PMM. Looking at the key market technologies as situated within a cycle between phases is a very useful way to understand the technology progression in your market.

For example, some technologies fit within the "Trough of Disillusionment". I have various experiences with technologies in this category (MDR, SOAR, Managed SIEM). I've also looked after products in the Peak of Inflated Expectations. For example, I briefly had responsibility for an XDR "product" at one point, and it was clear to me that XDR had a long way to go before gaining adoption or even being taken seriously. This was frustrating as a PMM, but when I put it into the perspective of this Hype Cycle, it alleviated my agony. It's all about "zooming out" to gain a better perspective.

One thing to note is that it is possible for technologies to not make it past the Trough of Disillusionment to the Slope of Enlightenment. These situations are where the technology had inflated expectations for a long time, and buyers struggle to implement it. When a technology overcomes these initial barriers to adoption to continue its progression, it will survive either as standalone technology or bolted into broader platforms.