How to become a Product Manager
Product
We have been talking about Product management and Product managers but what is a product?
A product is anything that helps solve a problem which in turn makes a process easier. A product can be anything from a keyboard to a shirt, an app or a website all lies in the category of products and a PM is in charge of an entire device or a piece of a product.
In startups or large companies A PM is in charge of what normal consumers think of as a product for example facebook is a group of multiple features and each feature is so complex and vital that it is usually assigned to a group of people called a product team or a feature team.
Photos, news feed, profile, messaging all are a few of the features and various PM’s are assigned and are responsible for the success of the features. Some times before launching a new feature it is first gone through all of the teams so that it doesn’t conflict with any of their work.
In some cases the PM’s are not split by features but by platforms such as some are in charge of android apps, some IOS and some on the website it all depends on different models of a product or a company.
Types of Product Managers
– Internal PM’s
– Consumer PM’s
– Business to Business PM’s
Stakeholders
Stakeholders is a term for people who you are building for or who have input to what you are building.
For example users, executives, lawyers, marketing teams.
Internal PM’s
Internal PM’s are responsible for internal tools, they build tools for people within the company or organisation as opposed to building for general users or customers.
For example: You need a software to keep track of the issues faced by the customer support team.
Consumer PM’s
Consumer PM’s build products for consumers
This requires a lot of creativity and vision compared to B2B where sales team tells you what to do as on consumer side no one is there to tell us what to do.
So, a PM has to come up with ideas, prototypes, user testing, AB testing, analysing data etc
For example: FB, Twitter, Instagram.
Business to Business PM’s
The PM’s who build products for other companies, they design solutions to problems for other companies over here stakeholders are other companies. PM here interacts a lot with sales people at their own company to make sure what they build meets the business requirements of businesses they are selling to.
For example: oracle and salesforce.
How to develop good products
So, now I think you have a basic idea about what Product Management is, what Product Managers are, their types but how does all this collaborate with each other to make good products?
What are the phases, the steps to come up with a great product?
This article explains How to develop good products?
Minimum Viable Product (MVP)
An MVP, or Minimum Viable Product, is a stripped-down version of a product that contains only the core features necessary to address the primary needs of early adopters. It serves as a starting point for product development, allowing teams to validate assumptions, gather feedback, and iterate based on real-world usage. The MVP focuses on delivering value to users quickly and efficiently, enabling rapid experimentation and learning while minimizing development time and resources. Ultimately, the MVP serves as a foundation for building a successful and scalable product over time, guided by insights gained from user feedback and market validation.
MVP Creation Explained
Test Cases
Test cases are detailed scenarios or conditions that are systematically designed to validate the functionality, performance, and usability of a product. They serve as a roadmap for testing various aspects of the product to ensure that it meets specified requirements and objectives. Test cases outline step-by-step instructions, including preconditions, actions, expected results, and any relevant data, to guide testers in executing tests effectively. By meticulously crafting test cases, product managers can identify defects, bugs, and inconsistencies early in the development process, ultimately enhancing the quality, reliability, and user satisfaction of the product.
Does PM’s need to have a little knowledge about programming languages?
As a product manager, learning programming languages provides invaluable insights into the technical aspects of product development, fostering better collaboration with engineering teams, improved decision-making, and a deeper understanding of product capabilities and limitations.
What languages do PM’s need to know
Do PM’s need to learn Designing
As a product manager, learning design principles and techniques enables you to better understand user needs, visualize product concepts, and effectively communicate with design teams. This enhances your ability to drive user-centric product development, ensure cohesive user experiences, and make informed decisions that positively impact product usability and aesthetics.
How much design knowledge does a PM need?
Metrics and KPI’s
As a product manager, understanding metrics and KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) is essential for tracking the success and impact of your product. Metrics are quantifiable measures that provide insights into various aspects of product performance, such as user engagement, revenue, and customer satisfaction. KPIs, on the other hand, are specific metrics that are directly tied to business objectives and goals. By leveraging metrics and KPIs effectively, product managers can make data-driven decisions, monitor progress, and optimize strategies to drive the success of their products.
Prototypes and Wireframing
Prototypes and wireframes are essential tools in the product development process. Wireframes provide a skeletal blueprint of a product’s user interface, focusing on layout and functionality without design elements. Prototypes, on the other hand, are interactive models that simulate the user experience, allowing stakeholders to test functionality and gather feedback. Both wireframes and prototypes enable product managers to visualize ideas, iterate on designs, and ensure alignment with user needs before investing in full-scale development, ultimately leading to more successful and user-centric products.
Prototypes and Wireframes explained
Importance of Documentation for a PM
Documentation is essential for product managers as it ensures alignment, facilitates decision-making, enables knowledge transfer, mitigates risks, ensures compliance, supports onboarding, training, and enhances the user experience. It serves as a comprehensive record of product specifications, requirements, decisions, and processes, contributing to the success of the product and the team.
Writing Case Studies
Writing case studies is an essential skill for product managers to effectively showcase the value, impact, and success of their products. Case studies provide real-world examples of how products solve problems, meet objectives, and deliver tangible results for customers and businesses. They follow a structured format, typically including an introduction, background information, solution, implementation details, results, and testimonials. By crafting compelling case studies, product managers can illustrate the practical application of their products, build credibility, and inspire confidence among potential customers and stakeholders.
Summary
There is so much that goes into Product Management everyday, for a PM every day is a new day because you learn something new each day. All you need is to start and go with the flow and there is no full stop to your potential.
I wish you all the best in creating Magical Products.