Explore the role of the product manager: from ideation to realization
Before we dive into the role of a product manager, we first need to clarify what a product is. A product is not just a physical item such as an apple, clothing or daily necessities, it can also be a service such as a consultation, door-to-door service or courier. The job of a product manager is not just about prototyping a product, but about going from planning to implementation.
A good product is well-planned and operated. If you don't do enough upfront preparation, even if you prototype beautifully, you won't be able to solve the problem and attract users. In the age of the internet, products are part of the solution that meets people's needs. As a key role in completing the entire closed loop from design, production, sales promotion to use, product managers need to consider and coordinate all aspects of each link.
Many product managers who are just starting out fall into the trap of thinking that their main job is to prototype interfaces. However, this is only a small part of the many responsibilities of a product manager. During the interview, I met a person who emphasized his proficiency in various drawing and design software. However, he doesn't seem to realize that the role of a product manager is much more than that.
A good product comes from a good design ability
Design capability is the core competency of product managers. Whether it is functional innovation, model innovation or business innovation, its essence is the embodiment of design ability. If there is a problem with the product design, it is difficult to succeed even if the team has strong R&D and marketing capabilities. Products in industries like Bruce Zhang's WeChat, Steve Jobs' Apple, and Elon Musk's Tesla owe their success not only to the introduction of new technologies, but more importantly, to their product design capabilities.
A good product manager can create a product with the best value and bring real value to users. This competency tests the overall strength of the product manager, including the breadth and depth of knowledge. WeChat, Douyin and other products that domestic users can't live without, it is precisely because of their in-depth research in the fields of psychology, economics and natural sciences that they have created such classic products. For C-end product managers, they need to deeply study business processes, find and solve user pain points, and improve user experience. B-end product managers, on the other hand, need to focus on optimizing business processes to help users improve efficiency and reduce costs.
The key to design capability is to enable the product to "communicate" with the user and put yourself in the user's shoes. However, many products on the current market have the problem of homogenization, resulting in fierce competition. Product managers should not be satisfied with just doing competitive product analysis and imitating others, but should focus on innovation. Only by constantly accumulating and taking each product seriously can you become a true product manager.
In addition to design skills, product managers need to master other skills. For example, stress resilience, empathy, emotional management, time management, logical thinking, and reflective review. These skills are essential for the growth of a product manager. In addition, as product managers move up the ranks, they also need to have advanced skills such as team management and leadership.
Design Capabilities and Product Implementation Skills
Among the core competencies of product managers, design ability and product implementation skills are two aspects that are crucial. Design ability belongs to the level of mental will, while product realization skills test the professional strength of the product manager.
Design capability is the competitiveness of the product manager, which determines the uniqueness and differentiation of the product. Whether it is functional innovation, model innovation or business innovation, its essence is the embodiment of design ability. If there is a problem with the product design, it is difficult to succeed even if the team has strong R&D and marketing capabilities. A good product manager can create a product with the best value and bring real value to users. This competency tests the overall strength of the product manager, including the breadth and depth of knowledge.
Product realization skills are the embodiment of the professional strength of product managers. These skills include requirements analysis, data analysis, competitor analysis, business analysis, industry analysis, requirements gathering, product design, version management, user research, etc. These skills are essential skills that product managers must master in their jobs. Business capabilities are especially important for product managers on the B-side, because understanding the business process is the key to making a good product. In addition, product fundamentals are also an important criterion to measure the professional level of a product manager. Basic skills such as being able to write PRD documents, draw product prototypes, and analyze product data are essential for product managers.
Data analysis is one of the skills that product managers often use in their day-to-day work. The idea of data analysis is to use data to test whether the product or service meets the needs of all target users from the perspective of user needs and decision-making paths, and to discover opportunities and problems related to users or needs. Data analysis skills can be developed through the accumulation of work experience and learning in the community** or data analysis courses.
In conclusion, design and product implementation skills are essential competencies for product managers. Continuously improving these capabilities will help product managers achieve better results in their work and create more value for users.
Professional Skills vs. Soft Skills
In addition to strong professional skills, product managers need to master a range of soft skills. These soft skills are common to everyone in the workplace and are especially important for product managers. As the number of years of work increases, the importance of soft skills becomes more and more prominent.
Communication skills are essential skills for product managers. Whether it's communicating with external users, internal partners, or partners, product managers need to have excellent communication skills. In addition, it is also very important to adjust your mindset and maintain clear judgment when facing pressure, doubts or hesitation.
Input and output capabilities are equally critical. This includes logical analysis, written expression, language expression, learning ability, summary ability and innovation. Product managers need to be able to learn new knowledge quickly, express their opinions clearly, and review the project. At the same time, staying curious is also a motivation for continuous improvement.
In terms of emotional attitudes, responsibility, resilience and emotional management are important qualities. A positive mindset, a sense of responsibility, and good emotional regulation will help product managers perform well in the workplace.
Teamwork skills are also indispensable. This includes project management, proactiveness, communication and coordination, feedback awareness, execution, and time management, among others. In a team, product managers need to work well with their colleagues to ensure that projects run smoothly and provide timely feedback to improve team effectiveness.
To become a good product manager, you need to accumulate both professional skills and soft skills. As work experience increases, continuous learning and growth is key. With hard work and continuous reflection, everyone can make greater progress on the path of product manager.