In today's post, we decided to focus on the profession of a product manager. Many have surely heard of it, but not everyone understands what this person does.

Therefore, we created an introduction to the profession, detailing the necessary qualities and the tasks that a product manager addresses. Becoming a professional in this field is highly challenging. A potential product manager must embody a multitude of qualities typical of various professions.

Necessary Qualities

A product manager is, first and foremost, an effective leader. They must be able to bring together teams of very different specialists: managers, technical experts, and marketers. Their responsibilities include the full support of the product's production: from idea generation and hypothesis formulation to prototype creation and product launch.

They must be inventive and unafraid to take risks, proposing seemingly absurd ideas for implementation. Their communication skills need to be exceptional; otherwise, they won't be able to ensure effective interaction among team specialists. Managing a team, particularly in a matrix structure, is also a unique skill.

Most importantly, a product manager must be psychologically resilient and ready to work in stressful conditions. Why is this needed? As deadlines approach, the team's workload intensifies, and problems begin to pile up. In a short time, they can transition from being an ally to the enemy of the entire team. How else could it be? Their job is to ensure that all employees work efficiently on the project. Imagine the barrage of complaints they hear throughout the day. They not only have to listen to all of this but also analyze it while taking steps to resolve escalating conflicts that build up like a snowball. Additionally, the product manager becomes the arbitrator, addressing various grievances from team members. People will bring all their issues and complaints to them.

What Professions Are Similar to Product Management?

In our opinion, Dean Peters has made a great attempt to clarify who a modern product manager really is. Despite the humorous nature of these comparisons, his insights are worth considering, particularly because he has "battled on both sides of the barricade" due to his work experience. He was previously a programmer and is now a senior product manager.

Peters divided all the work of a product manager into 16 areas and briefly characterized each one. While this classification may seem unserious, it illustrates the vast knowledge and skills a product manager must possess.

• Investigator. Constantly analyzes and organizes circumstantial evidence. In this role, he will have to sift through a large amount of facts and data, searching for insignificant but important details that may be invisible to an inexperienced eye.
• Psychotherapist. Understands and values the capabilities of all team members. In case of problems within the team or with an individual employee, he must demonstrate effective solutions.
• Innovator. Boldly generates various ideas. Even the most outrageous ones should not be dismissed. Who knows, maybe they will help you create a unique and successful product!
• Lead Nurse. Effectively prioritizes tasks and participates in problem-solving when necessary. Unlike other employees, a product manager cannot simply sit back and wait for problems to resolve themselves without his involvement.
• Maestro. Just as a talented conductor creates a musical masterpiece on stage while managing the orchestra, a product manager, by building a team and uniting employees, must produce an excellent product.
• Midfielder. Starting the game and making plays (defining necessary features and services) must be done as effectively as possible. All players must precisely fulfill their tasks "on the field."
• Test Pilot. Like a test pilot, one must be willing and talented enough to work with new technology. However, unlike a pilot, a product manager does not physically suffer from a failure; although, they might face angry customers.
• Crisis NegotiatorA product manager, as a professional negotiator, needs to exercise special caution and diplomacy, navigating between the interests of the team and the client in order not to lose money or damage their professional reputation.
• Air Traffic ControllerProfessionally manages their aircraft and team, avoiding internal and external conflicts, overcoming turbulence without entering a tailspin.
• AmbassadorThe main task of the product mission is to achieve and maintain excellent relationships among all stakeholders: management, team members, and clients.
• WriterLike a good science fiction writer, a product manager must foresee the future and convey its bright ideals to all team members, inspiring them to move mountains.
• FanLike an enthusiastic fan, he constantly cheers on his team members while simultaneously inspiring sales and marketing specialists.
• MarketerOne must be able to showcase the advantages of the product favorably to all participants in the promotion and implementation chain.
• JugglerSkillfully juggling information, one must constantly stoke interest in the future product. But sometimes you may have to toss fire clubs or chainsaws. There's no victory without risk, just don't forget about safety!
• ScientistVarious experiments, including participation in focus groups, surveys, and testing, resemble the collection of scientific data and trials. However, they help make the work on the new product more qualitative and effective.
• SorterJust as Cinderella sorted scattered grains, a product manager must constantly highlight the most valuable information from the general information flow, discarding the extraneous.

Conclusion

As you can see, the work of a product manager can be described as extreme. If before reading this article you thought that a product manager only sees life from the window of their office or car, you were mistaken.

We launched a new series of free educational projects called MADE. The first to be trained will be product managers. The entire training program is designed for two months. Applications for training are currently being accepted. and until April 26, 2019. Potential course listeners will have to undergo entrance examinations: a test and an in-person interview.

Source: habr.com