The Evolving Definition of Product Management
While trading emails with someone in my network (I was asking what is interesting but missing content for PM learning) I was presented with this gem:
“I think that product management remains one of the key mysteries of building a great tech company.”
This person is a C-level exec (not bragging, just context on how this person thinks) and it was enlightening and refreshing to hear their expectations of PMs. Here is the rest of the quote:
“Generally I think there is an important trend going on, where a product is no longer just software. SaaS products consist of software, data, human input, APIs, integrations, etc. So the definition of ‘product’ is changing. Product managers need to see this. They need to think broadly about the product although they are in their work trying to define it narrowly.”
I love this line of thinking, because it jives with many of my biases about the craft of product management.
iteration » ideation
bias for action over talking
system » sections
end-to-end experience understanding
foundation » features
building blocks vs shiny objects
synthesis » status
give me insights vs updates
outcomes » output
move the needle vs a needle
sustainable » sporadic
unpopular, but I don’t think you should “do things that don’t scale” - you should do the bare minimum now to scale properly later
fluidity » firmness
strong opinions weakly held
planning » plans
it’s the habit vs the actual plans that matter long term
quality » quickness
like planning for scale, quality (usability, performance, cost) can’t be a bolt on after shipping
proxies » process
form a point of view on the market any way you can vs sticking to structured feedback / input rituals that don’t provide value
direction » data
love data, but it’s purpose is to provide direction, so worry about the higher order bit
loops » leaps
one-offs are exactly that, moonshots don’t happen by accident, luck is manufactured by being 1% better every day
writing » winging
if you can’t articulate it via an n-page doc, you haven’t thought it through deeply and are just winging it
As always, I’d also love to hear from readers about their leanings when it comes to product building - please chime in via comments👇. And if you enjoyed this post, please consider subscribing.
further reading / references
I’ve laid out the 2 primary PM archetypes before in PM purists vs tweeners
I’ve talked before about the shifting nature of PMs in The Product Paradox
If you liked this post you might enjoy my thoughts on transitioning to PM
I hit on ideas on how to develop these skills in PM onboarding practices
CX loops are a favorite topic of mine: post + webinar + slides here
Some audio thoughts on functional fluidity, which is a trait I admire
childish drawing / interpretation
Ibrahim: This nice condensed view of a broad discipline does two things at once; cuts through the noise to try and bring the core principles around this profession to the reader's attention, and looking a bit above the 'definition' it presents the real opportunity to show empathy for hiring managers, HR, engineering and design -- and especially the PM candidates they are sourcing, interviewing, hiring -- when they are all collaboratively trying to hire for a PM (no matter the level).
Since the definition of this role is so ambiguous, and it changes as fast as the tech / software industry is changing, empathy for each function's struggle, and for the candidates trying to fit into different definitions of a PM, should encourage and drive greater clarity around that definition -- at least within one organization.
Excellent maxims and modes of thinking to keep in mind and to use as 'checks' when making decisions.