Oh boy! I have been a Product Manager for 2 years now! When I first started working as a Product Manager, I didn’t know anything about product manager. I had just found out about this job a few months ago, and I thought it would be cool to be PM.
During the last 2 years, I worked on several products in different stages of development, from ideas to products already being used. I learned to write User story, how to do a discovery session, how to do user interviews, prioritising a backlog, how to do a roadmap, how to work alongside engineers, designers, data scientists, product analytics. I am no longer that naive intern who did not know what a product manager was and my responsibilities. While I know that I still have a lot to learn, here is what I already know:
It takes a village to build a product
Products have different angles: Business, Users, Data, Engineering, Design. As a product manager, you have to ensure that all are taken into consideration when defining what is going to be built. The best way I found the best way is to put everyone in the same room, to discuss a topic. We end up discussing more options and the solutions is idealize by everyone. In the end, we are all aligned and there are best chances the product evolves in the right direction.
If you do not have a question, ask Why
Questions will be your best friend. Product Managers have to question everything and understand the why behind it. From asking engineering why something happen or questions why you need to develop something. People usually come to you with solutions, and asking questions will allow you to understand why they are asking for it.
Data, data, data
Everyone will have an opinion about the direction of your product, but data will be the one right. Research, data from usage, or business metrics will help you make the right decision. So make sure your products are done so that you can collect data that you can use to give your product a direction.
There isn’t such a thing as Overcommunication.
Being aligned with the different areas is super important for a product manager. Knowing what others are developing or discovering, and talk about the things that can affect your problem is a must. So never be afraid to go and slack a fellow product manager, engineers or designers.
The products you are working will have their own life
Products will have bugs. Users will use the products for things that they are not supposed to be used. Sometimes you will find out new opportunities that can make your product grow and evolve. Other times it will be just a pain. You will have to deal with unexpected behaviours. Just embrace these times to learn more about the product and discover new ways to improve.
Do not forget to evaluate the new features after they are launch
Features are not done once they are live. You need to uderstand if they helped improved your metrics, or if they are affecting the metrics in a negative way, and you shouldn’t be affraid to rollback something. Sometimes we get stuck in delivery mode, and we don’t analyse what is the impact of what we are launching. Analysizing the impact of a new feature, it will allow you to understand if the product is going in right direction and will surface new opportunities.
It has been an adventure, and I can’t wait to see what is going to happen in the next 2 years.
