The A-Z of Product Management
Products need designing, building and managing. The best products add value and leave users delighted.
Some products are strictly functional and don’t require “delighted” users but must operate in an efficient and utility driven manner.
Whether it’s a productivity app designed to kill procrastination or an insurance app designed to give you a quote to help manage your risk or an app simply designed to kill time; all apps need effective and pragmatic product management.
Product Management isn’t new. In fact, where apps have been readily available there have been product managers. Yes, the role itself may be relatively new, but the functionality, responsibility and execution of effective product management is not new at all.
Despite this, the role of product manager has taken on a world of its own and now there’s plenty of resources out to help any newcomers to the field or seasoned vets, there’s plenty of information out there.
There’s actually a lot of crossover between product management and business analysis and many of the skills needed to be a good business analyst are welcomed in product management.
Basically, this list is a top to bottom look at the vast world of the concepts, ideas, methodologies, tools, and anything commonly associated with product management today.
Enjoy the list.
A
is for Agile… This word is emotive, conjures mixed feelings depending on the audience, some lambast this concept, some adore it. Whatever your personal disposition, Agile’s impact on product management and software development is without question.
In a nutshell Agile places emphasis on delivering working software in a collaborative and transparent manner. Focused on working iteratively, Agile is a staple methodology of product management and any PM worth their salt is well versed with this developmental framework.
B
is for Brainstorming… Whether you’re working solo, in a team or in groups, Brainstorming is an amazing, highly effective and natural way to process, analyze and convey information. Brainstorming is highly effective when starting from a high level, industry agnostic, easy to start and a great tool for product management for these reasons. Brainstorming brings order to chaos and still manages too not be rigid or too limiting. PMs love a good brainstorming session for a reason!
Image by fancycrave1 from Pixabay
C
is for Customer… We could have easily gone for Cagan as in Marty Cagan here because Marty’s contribution to the world of product is second to none. Cagan also highlights the importance of understanding your customer when developing products. Working on a product with all the bells and whistles might receive praise and acclaim from critics, the media, stakeholders and so on, but if this solution does not translate into sales and positive feedback then your product/solution hasn’t solved any problems.
Photo by Charisse Kenion on Unsplash
For every iPod there’s a Zune (remember that?) for every VHS there’s Betamax, from Clubhouse to Google +… Customers usually have the last laugh, so don’t forget to incorporate them into product development otherwise you could spend precious time, energy and effort iterating and developing something that’s going to stay on the shelf.
D
is for Design… Product, UX/UI and Web (Design) are just some of the skills, crafts and disciplines required to create a solution that enhances the product’s usability and this will add value to a customer’s life. Without careful and considerate design, within a cohesive team and environment, things quickly fall apart. A good PM knows how to keep the plates spinning!
Photo by Andrew Ridley on Unsplash
A PM often operates at the intersection of Product, Web and UX/UI design and must steer decisions, ensure consistency and establish alignment across all design functions. Think of a PM like a Conductor and the different design elements as different parts of one orchestra. Remember this analogy as it may come in handy…
E
is for Experiments… Experimentation is encouraged as much as it is expected in product management for several reasons. Without a willingness to try new things, methods and techniques you might fall short of meeting your customers’ needs and shipping products that actually delight. Experiments can go a very long way to helping product success.
Photo by Girl with red hat on Unsplash
Experiments within product management usually involve planning, implementation, monitoring and acting. Each phase is distinct and linear, but strategic and built upon the other. As these phases are quite self-explanatory, we won’t dive into detail here, but careful planning leads to smooth implementation, which leads to astute monitoring and a definitive set of rules and plans to act upon. Don’t be afraid to experiment with your product’s features!
F
is for Features… Huge features, small features, features that never see the light of day, features that flop, features that provide the base of your solution; whatever it is, product management is the art and science of effective feature management, enhancement, implementation and deployment.
Features require stakeholder involvement, user/customer involvement and striking the balance between commercial success, budgetary discipline, robust design and efficient development. Yes, you’ve implemented and shipped an infinite scroll on one of your pages, but now your app is 10x slower than before… Making these tradeoffs and ensuring effective and productive testing of features is what separates the good PMs from the great PMs. There must be a sense of balance when looking after features and deciding what to work on next. Use your tools, support your team and get building.
G
is for Growth Stage… At whatever phase of your business or product development, PMs and effective product management forms the basis of growth. Let’s face it, we all want to see what we work on grow.
In the typical product lifecycle, there are four distinct phases: Product Introduction, Growth, Maturity and Decline. During the growth phase you’re beginning to reap the benefits of product market fit, your sales rise, you start iterating the product to protect your brand and you’ve left behind some if not all of the copy-cats you came across at the start of this journey. Growth is the aim and quality PMs aim for this whether it’s for a feature, product or company.
H
is for Human Centered Design (HCD)… Like UX, but not quite the same. The main and most noticeable difference stems from the notion that UX is widely considered a methodology whilst HCD is considered an overarching framework. Let’s explain the difference.
Whilst the difference is subtle, UX is mainly task and deliverable based, think lo-fi/hi-fi wireframes, user personas and so on. HCD however, is more of a mindset that strides to guide thinking and focus when designing, iterating, testing and so on. Because design is generally blurry in terms of strict definitions comprehensive literature on HCD isn’t the easiest to find. But having an awareness of HCD as a PM will ensure more empathy in your work and creations and will enable you to relate to your customer a lot more.
I
is for Iterate… Just keep going. As a PM it can feel like a never-ending hamster wheel. Many PMs work in a CI/CD environment, so after a deployment you’re straight back in with more to build and more to develop; it can be so intense!
Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash
Therefore, being able to iterate a build is tantamount to product market fit and therefore success and your own personal health/wellbeing. Iterations are also the subject to methodologies such as Scrum, Lean, RAD, Agile and others. No matter the underlying framework, the ability to iterate product is the bread and butter of product management; whether you’re improving during those iterations is another subject all together but breaking down the complex is 100% essential. Use your iterations wisely.
J
is for Jake Knapp… This was the last letter we found and a special thanks to Jake Knapp for the wonderful book titled “Sprint.” Ev Williams of Twitter and Medium suggests that you should “read this book and do what it says if you want to build better products faster…”
What is wonderful for PMs in this essential text is relatable examples, actionable and applicable recommendations and the fact it’s written by folk who’ve earned their stripes within the technology/product world. Sprint is an essential text for aspiring and experienced PMs because at the very least acts as a great refresher on domain knowledge you’re likely to have if you’re more experienced and a clear and wonderful preliminary text if you’re a novice. Read this book. Check Jake’s profile by clicking here.
K
is for Key Performance Indicators… KPIs are synonymous with many modern professions and product management is no different. When you need to keep a pulse on critical success factors for your product, understanding and utilizing a handful of the right KPIs can be the difference between good product management and great product management.
Lukas from Pexels
Besides keeping you informed and ensuring product direction, KPIs can reassure your stakeholders too. You can use KPIs as justification for your next build or the basis of why you wish to reject an idea from a developer. Knowing how your product is performing keeps you ahead of the curve and will pay off once the correct information is fully assimilated. We could write an entire book on the criticality of understanding and using KPIs effectively, for now, ensure KPIs are close if not at the heart of your data-driven decision-making process.
L
is for Lean… Continuous improvement and respect are the pillars in which Lean principals are built. Similar but not the same Agile, Lean attempts to reduce waste, inefficiencies in development and foster a culture of mutual respect within the professional environment.
Companies of all sizes often look for a silver bullet, whether it’s Agile, Scrum, Kanban or Lean. These theories face a plethora of difficulties during application in the real world and Lean is no different. In principle however, there’s a lot to gain from this methodology.
M
is for Minimum Viable Product… A widely contested, highly emotive term within product development and management is the MVP. Attributed to Paul Graham for first coining the term during his time at Y-Combinator, MVP certainly still has a lot of use within product today. Yes, this term evokes a plethora of emotions, but the value in the concept is undeniable.
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Product market fit and high product uptake is essential to the success of your product. Developing and most crucially deploying an MVP allows you to move away from concept into market. Dealing with real customers with real feedback, generating or losing real money will make or break you and your team as a PM. Iterate quality and deploy with pace and an MVP in its truest sense does just that.
N
is for Networking… “It’s who you know…” During this pandemic riddled world of late socializing has had to adapt to the pressures of lockdown living. Apps like Clubhouse have gatecrashed the staple of apps we tend to use and more than ever we feel compelled to network.
Long before the pandemic however most PMs understood and understand they are a conduit resource. Responsible for fostering alignment between technology and business, championing the product and its features, digesting customer/user feedback and so much more; all of this works better if you are comfortable networking and have high interpersonal awareness. This isn’t going out and sending hollow requests on LinkedIn, this is building meaningful relationships with the entities you come into contact with for your work. Without a strong network and excellent interpersonal skills, you’re pretty much toast and won’t last as a PM.
O
is for Objectives… Being in a position of authority and responsibility empowers the typical PM. With all power is of course responsibility. Therefore, getting your product objectives correct is tantamount to your success.
Having clear, ordered objectives allows you to maintain control of the product regardless of where it is in its lifespan. This isn’t always easy. Yes, there are a plethora of apps/guides/materials out there that help you order your objectives, but it really boils down to a clear understanding of your business goals, your user/customer needs, resources available and your own personal wellbeing. These are broad, high level summaries, but they capture all the essential ingredients to understanding your objectives as a PM.
P
is for Personas… The consolidation of archetypal descriptions of user behavior patterns in representational profiles, to humanize design focus is a Persona. By making characteristics and traits more realistic you can really drill down on your niche with effective and considerate personas. This will help create more empathy and increase your understanding of the problem you’re solving with the solution you’re making.
Personas not only aid design of a product solution, but they also help testing product too. If you don’t use personas, you’re in danger of creating a very broad, “bit of everything solution” that ironically solves nothing. A good PM understands the importance of carefully researched personas as this information can be used to help make better design decisions, which will probably lead to a better product.
Q
is for Questionnaires… As a research method the questionnaire is highly valuable, relatively cheap to organize and operate and if deployed effectively, can be extremely useful.
Photo by Alex Green from Pexels
A good questionnaire collects carefully articulated information and can reveal priceless data in relation users/customers thoughts, characteristics, feelings, perceptions, behaviors, attitudes and so on. Again, a great PM understands how important it is to assimilate this information, turn the data into insights and steer decision making in a well-thought-out way. Questionnaires have been around for a very long time and still have a place in today’s data driven world.
R
is for Roadmaps… This word conjures mixed feelings within the product world. Some are blasé and think there should be as little structure as possible as too many layers prohibit productivity and does not aid it. Others feel a stringent roadmap must be defined before anything gets done…
Photo by Estée Janssens on Unsplash
Naturally, a healthy blend of both is highly advised. A well designed, articulated and discussed roadmap provides the PM and the whole product team with a focal point. This clear vision promotes clarity, consistency and competence within a build, regardless of whatever stage the product is in. Whether you work at a true startup, scale-up or enterprise organization, product roadmaps are virtually essential if you wish to work and operate at an optimal level.
S
is for Scrum… This entry was contentious. Having just completed Scrum Master training many myths were corrected/dismissed. Scrum as a methodology has transformed the professional workplace since it’s formulation in 1995. Not actually designed for software development, but heavily used within this domain, Scrum is a methodology used to solve complex problems.
The main artifacts of Scrum are Planning, Standups, Sprints and Retrospectives. A PM should be aware of this. Officially there is no “PM” within Scrum, only Product Owners, Scrum Masters and Developers. As a result, you might officially be a Product Owner if your organization elects to adopt Scrum.
Photo by cottonbro from Pexels
Implementing Scrum within organizations, mainly larger ones remains a challenge, due to the stringent nature of Scrum’s rules. The Scrum guide is an excellent resource and every PM should have read it at least once in their career. If you haven’t, you’ve got some reading to do straight after you’ve finished this!
T
is for Testing… From smoke tests, to UAT, to sanity, to unit, to regression tests, to relatively obscure tests like MAT or monkey tests and all the other variations of tests in software and product development; testing is essential to product success.
Depending on where your team and you as a PM, without proper, effective, well documented, well-articulated and relevant tests, your product isn’t fit for purpose. You see, even with a well-tested product you can’t promise success, so without it, you may as well forget about releasing. Some PMs will actively get their hands dirty and test with the developers or even specialist testers, whilst others might oversee how things go, either way, an astute understanding of the different types of tests, when they should be used, why and what they are testing is essential.
U
is for Users… Are users your bread and butter as a PM? Ponder this. There’s so much to be written for this one that keeping it brief was the real challenge…
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You see, there’s no crystal ball, nor silver bullet for pleasing users. Without pleasing them and keeping them onboard by consistently adding value and improving some aspect of their lives, they will take their attention elsewhere. Keep users engaged with a user friendly, valuable tool that solves their problem is at the heart of this profession. Keep this at the heart of your product management and you’ll do well.
V
is for Value… Adding value is your job. Simple. Add value to your customers/users by taking regular stock with your clientele and removing their pain points over time through features and other tools at your disposal. We all use apps we deem valuable. The ones we love have a connection to us that’s deeper than a mere software/web application.
Adding value really does boil down to a simple before and after. What was my hour, day, week, year, life before I used this? If it is positive, you’re now a part of my life, if not, delete! Every good PM knows that they’re paid to find these windows and these opportunities they can capitalize on and ensure to add value and boost their product, app, feature and so on. Adding value is your job as a PM.
W
is for Wireframes… It’s likely you’ll work with designers as a PM. Wireframing, once enough data and information has been gathered, analyzed, assimilated, and articulated is a step that comes soon after. Modern UX/UI breaks this process down into “low and high fidelity,” low being simple, black and white, conceptual and high being a working prototype that developers can actually play with prior to coding.
Wireframes can also present great discussion points for all stakeholders as there is something for everyone to gather around and see. It’s amazing how quickly everybody turns into a designer all of a sudden! Still, wireframes done by a designer help you as a PM as they help turn ideas into something tangible and relatable and will accelerate your build and can even circumvent issues in the medium-long run. Wireframes work for any organization at any level of a product build.
X
is for… X-factor! Easily the most challenging letter for this book! Releasing a product with simple, small quirks or “x-factor” can make a big difference. It’s worth a small risk taking a bit more development time and doing something for fun. It might not go down well or even be noticed, but if it does work that could be the difference between why your customers pick you over your rival. Think small and detailed, it isn’t always grand gestures that win. Small quirks when a page is loading or the cursor changing or some motion graphics on your website can be the x-factor your product has that makes it stick out vs its rivals. Sometimes, the small details go a long way.
Y
is for YouTube… Clearly clutching at straws in terms of letters… The mammoth that is YouTube can teach us a lot about product, YouTube is the number one video search engine on the planet…
In terms of product management if we look at YouTube you can see how the platform has evolved over years. From a simple video hosting site to a full video search engine powered by the mighty Google. YouTube is on Smart TVs, iOS, Android and the classic webapp. Over years they have iterated, polished and expanded their product portfolio to attract new users and keep the old ones too. In terms of product trajectory, YouTube is one of the strongest case studies you can find.
Z
is for John Zeratsky… John is a contributor to the PM bible that is “Sprint.” Besides that, Mr Zeratsky has a distinguished career within product, design and development. Working at YouTube, Google Ventures and writing for The Wall Street Journal, Zerasky understands the importance of productivity and how that helps fuel successful product builds. Zeratsky’s site can be accessed right here
Here’s the list again:
A = Agile
B = Brainstorming
C = Customer
D = Design
E = Experiments
F = Features
G = Growth Stage
H = Human Centered Design (HCD)
I = Iterate
J = Jake Knapp
K = Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
L = Lean
M = MVP
N = Networking
O = Objectives
P = Personas
Q = Quality Control/Assurance
R = Roadmaps/Requirements
S = Scrum
T = Testing
U = User
V = Value
W = Wireframes
X = X-Factor
Y = You Tube
Z = Zeratsky John
There is it. Your A-Z in Product Management! I hope you’ve enjoyed this. Thanks for reading.
