Introduction to Product Management: What it is and What Product Managers Do (Series 1; Ep 1)
Welcome to my daily series on product management! If you are new to the field or just curious about what product management is, this post is for you. I wish you can see my expression while reading this daily lol!!! Take a sticky note and follow me on this journey daily…
Product management is the process of planning, developing, and marketing a product or product line. The role of a product manager is to oversee this process and ensure that the product meets customer needs, aligns with company goals, and generates revenue.
This is just a summary of what you will be doing, let me put it out in bullet points, it will define it better. I want this to be beginner-friendly as possible.
Product managers are responsible for a wide range of tasks, including:
- Conducting market research to identify customer needs and trends
- Defining product requirements and features
- Collaborating with cross-functional teams such as engineering, design, and marketing
- Developing product roadmaps and prioritizing features based on business value and customer impact
- Monitoring product performance and making data-driven decisions to improve the product
Product management is a critical function in many industries, from technology and software to consumer goods and healthcare. Without product management, companies would struggle to create successful products that meet customer needs and generate revenue. Just imagine building a skyscraper without testing the soil or a proper survey or without any architectural design, should I keep going or do you get it now?
To learn more about product management, check out these resources:
- “Inspired: How to Create Products Customers Love” by Marty Cagan. This book provides a comprehensive guide to building successful products and includes insights from some of the top product managers in the industry.
- “Cracking the PM Interview” by Gayle McDowell and Jackie Bavaro. This book offers tips on how to prepare for a product management interview and provides an overview of product management. You can get the book summary here
- Product School. This online course covers the fundamentals of product management and includes lessons on product strategy, customer research, and data analysis. I took this course in 2020 and it has helped me a lot in my journey as a PM it has a large community that can help you grow as a PM as well.
Can you see my face, you wish you can because I don’t know how I feel doing this, though I am a technical PM, and I have a software engineering background before switching paths. I hope this post has provided a helpful introduction to product management. Stay tuned for more tips and insights throughout the week! Don’t go away because I’m not even done with my series. I will also be writing about UX Design, which is something you will want to read about, I am a community advocate for Figma, and you should know I will share a lot of free resources. I lead this community Friends of Figma PH See you tomorrow. I’m writing about “a key skill for product managers.”
