Some Essential Tools And Software For Product Managers In 2022

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Product management is an overwhelming job profile, requiring multi-tasking at every stage. They are at the core of processing a product from beginning to end. They face challenges but do not shy away from confrontation. For this, product managers need to be daring enough to confront a problem head-on. In the fast-paced world, finding solutions requires effective decision-making to switch from one role at a time to another. The varied roles for product managers are organizers, strategists, researchers, visioners, and many more.

Product managers face some common challenges that become a hurdle in generating a product.

Some Of The Challenges Faced By Product Managers Are Listed Below:

  • Communication

Product managers lead a diverse team of individuals, including researchers, designers, engineers, developers, and testers. This complex cross-functional team needs effective communication to leave no scope for misunderstanding and misinterpretation. To resolve these, product managers need to understand that- everyone is unique, the group involves two-way communication, and feedbacks are essential. Better communication allows the product management organization team to work towards desired goals without getting lost in team conflicts.

Group Discussion

  • Timelines And Deadlines

Finishing a product needs a roadmap to devote enough time for iteration and re-iteration until the product is final. Collaborating with all departments to achieve the short goals in desired time is a cumbersome task for product managers. Handling this pressure requires adequate planning and structuring. For ensuring cross-team alignment, scheduling tools are best.

  • Keeping Pace With Technology

Product managers are multi-taskers with diverse skillsets; however, expecting too much from a single human is extreme. Technology is changing every day, making it hard for product managers to catch up to the latest trends. Hence, including tech-savvy people in the product team is the best way to stay up-to-date.

These are a few common issues product managers face in their everyday work life. Technology paved the way for a simplified version of everything to address these and many other challenges. Knowing which tool or software is best for a specific problem is needed.

Tools and software

Before selecting any tools and software, it is crucial to understand the demands of your product management organization’s respective challenges and capacity. For instance, startups may not afford a high-efficiency expensive tool and prefer a free model or other options. Product managers thus, make decisions depending on the scale of their organizations. In general, product management involves-

  • Prototyping
  • Roadmapping
  • Prioritizing
  • Task management
  • Sprinting
  • Data management
  • User research

Depending On The Issue And Need, Here’s A List Of The Latest Tools To Make Product Management Easier:

Figma

It is a web-based graphics editor and prototyping tool used for wireframing, designing, prototyping, crafting, and everything in between. It is a fantastic solution for every product management team serving its multi-purpose needs like brainstorming, designing, and building a product. It allows real-time collaboration with features like a whiteboard, FIGJAM, real-time collaborations, dynamic overlays, to name a few.

Airfocus

It is a modern and modular product management platform used for roadmapping in product management. It enables product teams to build, run and scale their product workflows on one flexible platform. It allows accessible communication, leadership, collaboration, road mapping, and feedback.

Craft

Effective decision-making and vision are at every stage of the product life cycle. Craft.io is a product feature prioritization engine with workflow planning, feedback capturing, and road-mapping. It allows users to prioritize critical decisions, define product specs and manage workload capacity.

Jira

It is one of the leading software development tools for agile teams, allowing planning, monitoring, and building a product. It offers features like agile reporting, roadmaps, customizable workflow, and scrum boards. This prioritization tool helps the team get back on track and guide future tasks.

Mixpanel

Product managers need to justify their decisions for which experience alone does not work. The next important thing is the inclusion of analytics to explain choices, reasons for findings, and test hypothetical designs. For data management solutions, mostly use google analytics; however, to get more details, mixpanel can be used. Mixpanel is an analytics service provider where product managers can track user interactions and run A/B tests. It offers features like interactive reports, limitless segmentation, and group analytics.

Asana

Asana is an important step in building a product. It allows a team to share their views, iterate, and again prototype. It allows better planning, tracking, and managing team projects from start to finish. It offers a calendar, workflow builder, timelines, and kanban boards. It is a device-friendly tool to sync all tasks on different devices.

Wrapping Up!

The addition of one of the tools mentioned above will ease the burden on the shoulders of a product manager. There are other tools and software like Heap, Pendo, Sprig, Agilean, Binfire, to name a few. Product managers can select these tools based on their usability, features, functionality, and cost. It makes the task of the product management team flexibly easier, giving enough time for iterations to produce the best product.

Structuring Scaling Product Team To Prevent Silos

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Assume you’re the CEO of a fast-growing startup with three to five teams. You’re responsible for allocating tasks to the different members of your team. You provide them with metrics to keep track of their development. It is all routine procedure, but it’s also where the issue might start, according to Productboard’s SVP of Product. Before you know it, they’ve become so obsessed with particular areas and measurements that silos have formed. As a product management consultant, you must prevent these silos from forming. Let’s start with a few ideas that will make things easier.

 

product management consultant

How To Get Your Product Teams Organized?

Your product and engineering teams can be organized in a variety of ways. Web, mobile, and data platforms are examples of system component/product areas. It is a good fit for technical knowledge.

  • Onboarding, utilizing, and reporting are examples of user journeys.
  • Merchant, consumer, and operations are examples of personas (also known as verticals).
  • Growth, retention, scalability, and innovation are examples of goals/outcomes.
  • These structures offer advantages and disadvantages, especially if you stay in one form for an extended period. 

Here Is Some Factor To Look At While Scaling To Avoid Silos.

 

1. The Relevance Of A Well-Ordered Team

The structure necessitates teams dedicated to client integrations, configurations, reporting, and strong collaboration with the client success team. The AI engine is at the core of the product’s user experience, for those who are more concerned with internal processes. There are interdependencies amongst groups, but each has developed expertise in their fields.

It’s critical to consider the organization’s architecture to ensure that the underlying concepts of what you’re attempting to accomplish are mirrored in the structure. Companies must determine whether they are app-first, platform-first, or API-first businesses. And, based on that, what kind of experience do you need to provide? Try to think about org structures in that light, and make sure that the software you’re looking at is genuinely simulating the org structure, affecting the customer outcome.

2. Things That Should Not Overlook While Scaling Teams.

Always find that while traveling swiftly, it sounds like the essential thing in the world. If you alter organizational structures, you must ensure the team will successfully achieve your goals next year or next week. It may have a fantastic generalist, but as the organization expands, experts will be required. And to do so, you must demonstrate them: here is what the position looks like, this is the effect, and this is the decision-making area because everyone wants to succeed.

Maintaining culture and conventions is one area where individuals frequently underestimate the impact of scale. Because, as growing more extensive, we won’t be able to maintain the same connectivity or deep onboarding experience that we once had. Consider the systems and scalability to preserve the critical product concepts and philosophies that developed over the years.

As the firm grows, it can’t have too much communication. When the firm is small, an organic communication style might not work as the company grows. It’s also about communication within teams and communication with the rest of the company. The product has to be much more outspoken about what we’re doing and why we’re doing it.

Now that you know how to identify silos in-depth, we can move forward with the what to Consider in a Product-Oriented Organization section.

The Focus Of Product-Oriented Organization (POO) In Business 

Product-oriented companies approach scalability by deconstructing the product into meaningful pieces and forming cross-functional teams around those units. The teams might be organized on product SKUs. The outcome could organically break down into areas with enough gravity to deserve its team (and typically, a separate Product Manager). It’s critical to prevent structural complexity in product-oriented teams; therefore, seek strategies to keep them small and well-organized.

Product-oriented teams have the advantage of containing all of the components required to produce a product. They are capable of performing independently and making swift judgments regarding their task. They can concentrate on the client and the product as a unit, and collaboration comes effortlessly. Product-oriented teams are likely to develop faster and be more customer-focused than functionally organized teams.

To Sum It Up! 

The establishment of leadership roles inside the business is the last component contributing to my preference. With a functional hierarchy, leadership roles in functional groups are formed only when they reach a size that necessitates an additional layer of management. Because it’s uncommon to add newly available verticals after the organization has been completely realized, new leadership possibilities don’t regularly arise when new hierarchies are created. As the company and product offering develop, generating new products and product teams in a product-oriented organization is easy. Because each product team is fully formed, new leadership possibilities emerge across all areas as new teams develop. So, the points mentioned above are helpful to avoid the silos and make the perfect product team.

 

 

 

A Deep Insight On Career in Product Management

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Career in Product Management

The world is changing at a fast pace. Many different roles are gaining popularity. Likewise, the role that is gaining recognition is the product manager. You would be surprised to know that in the list of 50 best jobs in America for 2021, the rank of the role of a product manager is at number 3 as per Glassdoor. 

Here you will see who is a product manager, what their various roles are, and what skills will help you to set you apart from others in the field of product management.

Defining Product Management

Product management is a combination of design, strategy, marketing, and leadership to launch a successful product. That is why it is an interdisciplinary role. Some of the skills needed to be a successful product manager are – listening, collaboration, business mindset, technical proficiency, etc. Because of the interdisciplinary nature of product management, many individuals opt for this career path from another background. 

Product managers are sometimes called product management consultants. You can become a product manager whether you are from an engineering background, marketing background, Technology or IT background, etc. Your varied experiences with the combination of a few skills can give you an edge over others in the role of product management.

Few Skills to Get Ahead Of  Your Competitors in This Field Are –

Learn Coding – Knowing a bit of coding give you a competitive edge over other product managers. The product managers who are proficient in coding are known as technical product managers. Their demand is high nowadays because they are more efficient and capable of communicating their ideas to developers and engineers. 

Build Analytical Skills – Collection of data and then identifying the patterns of problems are the key role of a product manager. After identifying the problems, they develop a strategy to beat the problems. It shows that you need to have stronger analytical skills to succeed in this field.

Understand the User Experience – Successful product managers know the tastes and preferences of their customers very well. Giving importance to the user experience is like an asset for aspiring product managers. Building the skills to know the customers and ask them the right questions helps develop a stronger product line. 

Let’s know about various product management roles that you can find in different organizations. The specific roles can vary from company to company, but the basic ones are – 

Associate Product Manager – It is an entry-level role where the associate product manager report to a product manager. An associate product manager is not given the authority to choose his own assignments, but he has ownership over those projects. His responsibilities revolve around data analysis, making recommendations, and UI design. 

Product Manager – It is a mid-level position. You should have some professional experience in communication and leadership to be a product manager. They determine the roadmap and features of the product. You have to communicate with the cross-functional teams so that you can conduct accurate data analysis. It further helps you in forecasting and market research. The role of a product manager is tactical and strong leadership plus product knowledge is the key requirement for it.

Senior Product Manager – Similar to the responsibilities of the product manager, a senior product manager is a step ahead of the product manager. They act as a medium between business leaders and product management teams.

Director – The director of the product management ensures that the whole team is running effectively. To progress as a director, you must have a strong management background. You should work cordially with seniors and executives as a director to take the organization to success.

Vice President – Now comes the executive-level position that is the vice president. He is the one who takes big initiatives in building and promoting products. His strategies can largely influence business operations. The vice president works on strategic alignment and budgeting.

Chief Product Officer – Many large organizations have the chief product officer position. This role is the largest of all the product management roles where the chief product officer reports to the company’s chief executive officer. He keeps a check on all the product activities going on in the company and sets long-term goals for it.

To sum it up!

If you want to have the best product managers for your organization, look no further than PALARINO PARTNERS. We ensure to take your organization to a higher level with our impeccable product management strategies. You can get in touch with us for more information.  

Furthermore, in this dynamic world of career advancement, it is very important to be analytical and hold a bunch of skills. And if you are one of those who is a problem solver with creative ideas and leadership qualities, product management is the right field for you. So, step into this field and make yourself successful. Don’t forget to reach out to PALARINO PARTNERS for further assistance. 

Product Manager Hire: A Classic Article Defining the role of a Product Manager

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hire product managers

Many say that Visionaries are the best product managers. They are in charge of a product’s success and the cross-functional team to improve it. It is a critical organizational job, particularly in technology firms. You define the strategy, plan, and features for a product or a product line. The Product marketing, forecasting, and profit and loss (P&L) tasks may also be part of a product manager’s job description.

What Is The Job Of A Product Manager?

Product managers are responsible for leading and making strategic product choices. While product managers have been referred to as “mini-CEOs,” it is more accurate to describe you as the product leaders at the crossroads of business, technology, and user experience (UX). The role encompasses a wide range of operations, from strategic to tactical, and it provides critical cross-functional leadership, particularly amongst engineering, marketing, sales, and support teams. 

You examine market and competition situations before sketching out a distinct product vision and provide distinctive value in response to client needs. It’s energizing to work on a new product. You will build with conviction and find profound satisfaction in your position as a product manager if you feel a genuine sense of duty and devotion to your project.

Product Managers Can Be Of Various Types

Product management jobs come in a variety of forms. Each company will define positions differently, depending on its offers, clients, and product strategy. The bigger the firm and the more products it has, the more product leaders it will need.

Product managers are frequently promoted from marketing, sales, engineering, and project management jobs. What you did before will provide you with some of the most helpful experiences as a product manager. An engineer who transitions to the post of technical product manager, for example, brings a thorough understanding of the product development process. Your previous experience will aid you in efficiently communicating with the development team and writing precise product requirements.

A Product Manager’s Responsibilities

Let’s focus on the essential responsibilities of a product manager. Despite the broad nature of your job, your daily responsibilities can usually be divided into six categories:

1. Develop A Strategy

You are in charge of defining your product’s vision and strategic direction at the highest level. It would help if you adequately described the business case for a particular program or feature so that your team understands why it is being developed. Strategic planning puts out significant investment areas to prioritize what matters most to meet your product’s objectives. You’re also in charge of the product roadmap, visually representing what you’ll produce and when.

2. Identifying And Defining Releases

Product managers integrate product strategy into work plans, determining what will be built and when it will be released. It is true regardless of the development process employed by your technical team. You’re in charge of the release process and cross-functional dependencies, as well as all of the actions that go into bringing new products, features, and functionality to market. It entails bridging gaps across various firm departments and synchronizing necessary personnel, such as marketing, sales, and customer service.

3. Putting Ideas To The Test

For a successful product, every company wants improved ideas. Product managers are in charge of gathering, creating, and curating ideas that will benefit customers. You control the company’s idea management process and decide which pictures should be added to your backlog to advance the product plan. Product owners also ensure that customer input and requests are factored into the product planning and development processes. You update your clients, partners, and internal teammates on the status of ideas they contributed.

4. Setting Attributes In Order Of Importance

Product managers rank features against strategic goals and initiatives to determine their priority. You’ll have to make difficult trade-offs based on the value a new feature will bring to your customers and your company. You’re also in charge of setting feature needs and the user experience you want to achieve. You collaborate closely with engineering on technical specifications and ensure that teams have all they need to deliver a complete product to market.

5. Creating And Disseminating Strategic Plans

As a product manager, you should create and update one of your product roadmap’s most powerful communication tools. A product roadmap depicts how your product will fulfill your business goals and aids in project management. You can make various roadmaps based on who you’re presenting to and what you’re trying to say. Executives are more interested in high-level planning, whereas engineers and designers need to know the exact scheduling and sequencing of critical tasks.

6. Progress Analysis And Reporting

Great product managers are obsessed with outcomes, both for consumers and the company as a whole. To understand how your product functions, you need a complete picture of progress toward goals.

Advice For Aspiring Product Managers

The scope of your responsibilities is intimidating, starting as a product manager or having moved into a new role. There’s a lot to do, so relax and enjoy it. Here are some pointers to help you succeed as a product manager.

  • Begin With A Strategy

Every product decision should be based on a strategy early in the development process. As a result, avoid making snap decisions. Examine the current product goals to ensure you understand what you’re attempting to accomplish. A product management consultant will help to make the strategy.

  • Understand About Your Customers

Successful product managers must have empathy. Spend time obtaining to know the issues that you help consumers with. Attend sales calls, schedule time to meet with genuine customers, and examine all the data and information accessible to you. You can make a lot of progress in the first month by being curious.

  • Make Connections With Your Coworkers

You won’t be able to attain victory on your own. Product managers rely on the development team and product designers to construct the right product. And you rely on marketing and sales to bring it to market successfully. So make genuine ties with your coworkers; solid relationships generate trust and improve communication.

Finally! Please Take Your Time

Growing into a new role and finding long-term success takes time and patience. Be prepared to repeat the same lectures and ask a lot of questions. Allow yourself the time you need to establish yourself as your company’s go-to product expert. PALARINO PARTNERS helps to provide product managers with the chance to make significant contributions to your organization and customers. Pick the PALARINO PARTNERS for product managers to plan the strategy, specify features, and create attractive roadmaps.

List of Product Management Roles and Hierarchy

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Job titles, seniority, and hierarchy in product management are all a bit hazy. It makes it challenging to compare jobs, plan your career, and hire the best people. In this blog, we will go through the product management levels, giving you an overview of each product job and some valuable resources.

Product Management Roles

Levels Of Product Managers

Most successful product teams and organizations have developed a standard that can be used as a blueprint for your own. Let’s have a look at some examples:

1. Associate Product Manager

It is an entry-level product position for someone who has never worked in the industry before. It also has a different meaning in the context of an Associate Product Manager (APM) program. A recent graduate is the typical APM. The goal is to grow these applicants into full-time employment through a combination of training and hands-on experience with real projects, similar to most apprenticeships.

2. Junior Product Manager

Although a Junior Product Manager is new to the profession, they do not need as much hands-on experience as an Associate Product Manager needs. They operate with a product development team on their own, sometimes on a smaller product or area, and are led and mentored by a Senior Product Manager. A Junior Product Manager often has some previous job experience and can come from any background. The most prevalent backgrounds are engineering, design, and business. Some of the top product managers have come from customer service, quality assurance, or business analyst positions.

3. Product Manager

A product manager’s most popular job title can cover a wide range of experience, responsibilities, and talents. In general, this works alone, manages a product development team, and is in charge of a product or customer journey. Because it’s the most prevalent title, it’s crucial to think about what product they’re in control of. For example, a product manager for Facebook’s news feed, which affects billions of people, is likely to be more senior and experienced than a product manager jobs for a startup.

4. Senior Product Manager

A Senior Product Manager performs the same roles and responsibilities as a Product Manager, but with an old title to represent their contributions, the relative importance of their product, or the fact that they mentor junior product managers. It is a hybrid function in some organizations. The Senior Product Manager works directly with a product and is also responsible for line management.

5. Product Lead / Lead Product Manager

It is a newer position, usually held by a Senior Product Manager in charge of its most important product. It might range from a Senior Product Manager to a Vice President of Product. The difference is that they are not in charge of different product managers; instead, they are excellent product managers who want to remain hands-on and delegate people management to others. Recognizing who excels at leadership and creating incredible goods is equally vital and beneficial to a company.

6. Product Director / Group Product Manager

The position of a Product Director or Group Product Manager begins to shift. It progresses from an individual contributor who owns a product and works directly with engineering and design teams to someone who has taken a step back from the day-to-day to lead other product managers and align the company. People management soft skills become a vital element of the work – managing people is even more difficult than managing products!

7. VP Product / Head of Product

It is similar to a Director, although it is more typical in larger organizations with multiple products and management layers or startups as the most senior product person. This position entails overseeing the work of other product managers. It is known as a Head of Product in many firms, but I’m not a fan of that title because there’s no way to elevate a Head of Product because they’re already the Head!

8. CPO / Chief Product Officer

A Chief Product Officer (CPO) is an organization’s most senior product executive. They frequently oversee many product management teams and represent products in the C-suite or management team. They’re in charge of overall product strategy and alignment both inside their teams and throughout the company.

The VP Product is in charge of the team, processes, and getting things done, whereas the CPO is in order of the organization’s product vision, architecture, and overall alignment.

There Is No Such Thing As A One-Size-Fits-All Solution

Of course, most businesses do not require all of these stages, how this will fit into your business. A single Product Manager may be assigned to a startup. A handful of Product Managers might report to a Head of Product/VP of Product as your company grows. Only when the firm and its product line expand, you will need to consider adding more levels. Like everything else in the product, these team structures and groups should be aligned with consumer demands. You may then incentivize and organize teams under your company’s objectives.

To Sum It Up!.

The whole structure should allow you and your teams to explore the following questions: Do your team’s titles appropriately represent their jobs? Are they clear enough, so job seekers looking at your open positions understand what you’re looking for and if the work is right for them? PALARINO PARTNERS, having clear and consistent job titles for product management will help all better understand the professions, responsibilities, and groups. Think free to reach us via visiting our website.

What Makes a Good Product Manager: Must-Have Qualities In Any Shortlisted Candidate

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Product management is a widely growing field. Many candidates are finding this field appealing. If your organization has shortlisted the candidates to be great product managers, it is important for you to know the must-have qualities of a good product manager.  

Here are the must-have qualities to look for in a good product manager, as per the product management consultants. Let’s find out.

product management consultants

Passionate for Products

Product managers must be in love with the products. They should have the ability to recognize outstanding products and admire them. They should be able to tell you about the product, why some customers love it, and why some are not giving good reviews.  

It is essential for a product manager to look at what needs of the customers are still not fulfilled and how they can take steps to improve the product. Depicting passion about the products always results in the development of something great.

Strategic Thinker

A product manager is also sometimes called mini-CEO. He should be able to understand the current product strategy to see how it aligns with the overall strategy of the company. Additionally, understanding the product vision and knowing how it will generate value for the customers is also important. 

The shortlisted candidate for a great product manager must know the unique selling proposition of the company to clearly articulate the strategies. In short, your company needs a long-term roadmap to build good products. This all will help in creating a winning product that will surely delight the customers. 

Build Excellent User Experience

In the competitive world, building an excellent user experience is the need of the hour, and the product managers hold a key part in it. They should know to design interaction diagrams and test them to build emotive visual designs to fulfill this. Many of the teams don’t have the comfort of having a visual designer and interaction designer. But the product manager fulfills the responsibilities of an interaction designer and appoints someone else to do visual design. 

Even with the presence of an interaction designer, a product manager should perform to the top of his ability to demand the very best. He should hold the skill of telling when the design is good and when it is bad. Having the ability to see if the product is meeting the demands of the customers in the most efficient way and if all the interactions are going well together in a logical manner is what makes a good product manager.

Empathize With The Customers

It is very difficult to find a product manager who has relevant experience in your industry. But always hire the one who deeply empathizes with your target audience. You have to pay extra attention if you are developing a consumer product. Check whether the product manager knows who the target market of the product is or not. Therefore, a candidate should empathize with the customers and respect them. 

Ability to Prioritize

Being able to prioritize which work to do first is one of the vital qualities of a product manager. Once the product manager knows the art of prioritization, your company can make a good mark in the market. The product manager should form the product strategy with the individual features and prioritize them accordingly to acquire the maximum returns. 

Leadership Qualities

Building and developing a product is a collaborative process, so a product manager should be of a collaborative nature. No wonder the product manager is the leader of the product, but still, most people in the development team do not report directly to him. Furthermore, various functional groups and consumers show product requirements, and these all requirements are equally important. Therefore, a product manager should hold power to inspire others rather than be dictatorial. 

He should be able to tell why he is choosing a particular feature over others for any product. He should be confident and assertive while stating his reasons for choosing a particular thing. 

Leadership qualities

Execution

Product managers should know how to execute the plan. In other words, they need to get things done. There are a million things to do before shipping a product, and the product manager should be an expert in doing all those things. He needs to write marketing copies, edit HTMLs, to name a few. Many times, he is the one who has to do PR also. Thus, he should go beyond his limits to make the product a grand success. 

To Sum It Up!

It is needless to say that a good product manager must have the above-mentioned qualities. At the end of the day, the responsibility of making things happen relies on him. 

PALARINO PARTNERS believe in building world-class product management teams. This will not only reduce the cost of mis-hire but also makes your product a grand success in your organization. So, without ado, contact for further assistance, and they will march your organization towards victory. 

Important Product Management Skills To Look For In A Candidate

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A product manager is the one who is responsible for every stage of a product’s life cycle. The stages include pricing, sales, and analysis. No wonder this is an important position that requires a unique set of skills. Moreover, a career in this field is also scaling high. Now companies look for good product managers for a good business.

Product Management Skills

If any company has openings for product manager jobs, here are some important product Management skills to look for in a candidate.

Broad Business Knowledge

Having the perfect knowledge of business fundamentals is necessary to be great at product management. If you want the best fit for your organization, see whether a candidate is good in consumer research, budgeting, cash flow, and competitive intelligence. Understanding of business case development is also important.

Market Research and Analysis

General market metrics and the product implications must be taken into account before presenting the product to the customers. Product managers play a vital role in this process. They ensure the correctness of the product roadmap and accurate market data. They cannot rely on their intuition only. Successful product managers do thorough market research and consumer surveys. They draw a competitive analysis as per the market trends and tell you about the potential threats if any.

Development

The most important stage in the lifecycle of the product is development. For instance – if you are developing a product that requires technical know-how, a manager with the knowledge of electronics and engineering might be of great help to you. But it is still important to strike the right balance between technical knowledge and business concepts to ensure that your product will go a long way. 

Prioritization

Successful product managers know very well to prioritize which work first. That is why they are said to be diligent prioritizers. Maintaining the balance between task-level and product-level while emphasizing strategic priorities is very necessary. Additionally, product managers must be well-versed with budget issues and human error and maintain the essential order of tasks.

Design knowledge

The usability of the product determines the longevity of the product’s life. By going in-depth into understanding the customer requirements and then performing market research, product managers come to know about the design elements. They ensure that these design elements provide ease to the customers to solve their problems and create a valuable experience for them. 

For instance – A company is designing a slow cooker for the ones who have never used it. So the product managers of the company may suggest a user interface that will give a more comfortable experience to the users. The product manager can also suggest including a unique feature that users can use to check the slow cooker’s progress with the help of their smartphones.

Pricing And Revenue Modeling

Product management gives utmost attention to forecasting and planning. Pricing and revenue models are important subsets of this attention. Product managers try to develop the communicated value of the product. The cross-functional team then considers this communicated value to decide on the set price and revenue source of the product. This information is then used in the revenue model. 

The responsibility of bringing a great product to market relies on product managers, but it is the cross-functional team that decides the final price of the product. Therefore, product managers need to have a good set of soft skills to ensure a smooth product lifecycle; coordinating well with all the stakeholders to bring a profitable product to market. 

Undoubtedly, technical skills are a must if you hire a product manager, but soft skills are also required. It includes communication, creativity, adaptability, and problem-solving abilities. A combination of good technical skills and soft skills increases your value in front of the employer. Let us put light on some of the soft skills.

Communication Skills

Different people work on the product at different production phases. It is important to develop strong coordination and communication among them. A great product manager must know how to develop transparency in verbal and written communication to keep all the members aware. This will help the product to launch on time and within the budget. 

Analytical Thinking

Development, longevity, and release of the product – all depend on critical and analytical thinking. As market trends and consumer expectations change, components of a product’s life cycle also witness changes. Thus, it is necessary for a product manager to be vigilant to understand the market trends effectively.

To Sum It Up!

It is no wonder that the industry of product management will continue to change in the coming time with respect to business and technology. Therefore, hone your skills to be a great product manager.

You can reach PALARINO PARTNERS for any assistance. We build World-class product management teams so that your organization would not face any mis-hire. Hence, give wings to your product with the PALARINO PARTNERS and read the higher returns.

Should You be a Product Management Consultant or a Product Manager?

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Product Management is a difficult job. It’s more than just managing the product; it’s about building relationships with stakeholders, conducting research on the market, and figuring out how to get buy-in for new products. And that’s on top of all the other work you do as a Product Manager! If you’re feeling frazzled from your current role or looking for a change in direction, should you be a Product Management Consultant or Product Manager? That depends upon what type of person you are. In this blog, we will explore both options and advice to help make your decision easier. 

1. Product Management Consultant

The Product Management Consultant role is very new. Product Managers are still struggling to figure out what Product Management really is, so Product Management consultants are even more of a mystery. Product Managers are hoping for help on projects but are wary of consulting firms who might take their position in the market too seriously and try to poach their employees. Product managers also know that they’re not experts at everything. They’re experts at Product Management, but maybe not marketing or design or business development. What happens if you bring someone in who tries to tell them how it’s done? Product Management Consultants can offer an external point-of-view which can be valuable, especially when working with smaller teams or inexperienced Product Managers. Product Management Consultants can also help Product Managers with the Product Marketing aspect of the role (and Product Marketers will often need help, too!)

Paulina Sliwa is Product Management Director at SAS Global services and leads client-facing Product Management consulting engagements in New York City. Product Management clients hire Product Management consultants when they are in a bottleneck,  when there’s not enough capacity to do everything that needs to get done, or when their employees are inexperienced in Product Management. Paulina grew her Product Management consulting practice by bringing in experts on specific topics like UX Design, Mobile Advertising, Quantitative Analysis, etc., so that her clients wouldn’t have to go outside of their company for Product Management expertise. Product management consultants specialize in Product Management and Product Marketing, but Product Managers often need help with other business areas too. Product Managers are currently responsible for all aspects of Product Management, so it makes sense that they would eventually reach a bottleneck where they cannot do everything themselves.

“As Product Management becomes more specialized, product managers will need to lean on outside resources, including Product Management Consultants.” – Paulina Sliwa, Product Management Director SAS Global services.

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2. Skills Needed To Be A Successful Product Management Consultant

Product Management Consulting is still new enough that there aren’t many guidelines on who the best candidates are or what qualifications you should have to get started. One consulting firm requires Product Management consultants to have at least three years of Product Management experience, and at least five years in Product Management is preferred. Product Management Consulting is a great way to develop your Product Management skills and expertise as well as build relationships with Product Managers across different industries.

Patti Johnson, President ProductCamp DC and Product Marketing Manager for Loudoun County Public Schools, has been a Product Management Consultant since 2013. Her first client was the Director of Product at a major social network — someone she had previously worked under. She continued her work there because she really enjoyed the product strategy work and wanted to shape the company’s direction. It also allowed her to develop her personal brand. When you’re starting out, you need to be thinking about how Product Management consulting can help your career. Product Management consultants are hired for their expertise, which means they have a responsibility to share what they know with Product Managers. Product Management Consulting has the potential to open doors to higher-level Product Management roles at any company you’re consulting for.

“As Product Management increasingly becomes more specialized, Product Managers will need access to subject matter experts outside of their organization.” – Patti Johnson, ProductManager Loudoun County Public Schools

3. How To Get Started As A Product Management Consultant

One of the best ways to start learning about Product Management is to spend some time as an intern or entry-level employee at a technology startup. You can learn about Product Management consulting by working as a Product Marketing Manager at a larger company. Product Management Consultants need to be independent and self-sufficient; they’ve got to know how to manage their own time and show clients what they can do for them. Product Management Consultants are hired because of their expertise, so the best way to get started is through your personal network

4. Why Becoming A Product Management Consultant Could Make Your Career More Flexible

Becoming a Product Management Consultant has allowed Patti Johnson to travel more freely between IBM (where she now works) and Loudoun County Public Schools  (her client). Being an independent Product Management Consultant gives you the flexibility to work with multiple companies, which could help you decide where you want your Product Management career to take you next. Product management consulting offers the flexibility to work with companies in different types of Product Management — Product Managers at one company may do market research, and Product Managers at another may focus on building product features, for example.

The world is still adjusting to Product Management Consultants, but this doesn’t mean there aren’t opportunities for Product Management Consultants. Every time a company decides that they need Product Management Consulting, that’s an opportunity for Product Management Consultants. It just requires that you prove yourself, which can be tough when you’re new to Product Management Consulting.

5. Why Being A Product Manager Might Be The Better Choice For You

When it comes down to it, if you are passionate about Product Management, Product Management Consulting is probably not the best choice for you. Product Management Consultants work on Product Management tasks at any company that hires them, but Product Managers are responsible for Product Management day-to-day. Product Managers may always be managing Product Managers and Product Marketing Managers, but Product Management Consultants can’t just hope to waltz into a company and start making product decisions. Product Management Consulting requires extensive Business Analysis skills (which Patti Johnson had already developed) as well as an understanding of how to sell Product Management services to clients. If you’re looking for more of a business career, becoming a Product Manager might be the better choice for you.

6. Pros And Cons Of Being A Product Manager/Product Management Consultant

Product Managers are Product Management professionals, and Product Management Consultants may be Product Management experts. Product Managers and Product Management Consultants need different skills and experiences to meet their needs. Product Managers should take care of Product Management day-to-day; Product Management Consultants can help Product Managers by doing the Product Management tasks that Product Managers don’t have time for or aren’t as familiar with. However, like all careers, there are good reasons to become either a Product Manager or a Product Management Consultant (or both!).

Being both a Product Manager and a Product Management Consultant can help you see your product from two completely different angles. The ability to see your own career from multiple perspectives can make you more successful in all Product Management fields. Product Managers and Product Management Consultants both need Product Marketing skills to succeed, so building those Product Marketing skills can help you transition between the two careers without any hesitation. Product Managers work with Product marketing professionals regularly, so understanding Product Marketing as a Product Management Consultant will help you understand what they’re doing and why.

A career as a Product Manager or Product Management Consultant is going to be hard work. If making tough decisions, managing people, and using your expertise wasn’t hard enough, becoming a Product Manager or Product Management Consultant requires even more dedication. However, for those willing to put in the time and effort to become either a Product Manager or Product Management Consultant, there are significant opportunities for Product Management jobs and Product Management careers.

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Conclusion

As you can see, there are pros and cons to each career path. Ultimately, it comes down to what is best for your lifestyle and work-life balance. But the one commonality between both careers? You’ll be making an impact on a company that will affect many lives! The question isn’t whether or not you should become a Product Management Consultant or Product Manager; instead, it’s which of these paths offers the most benefits for you right now at this moment in time.

What Do Product Management Consultants Do?

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Product Management Consulting is a lucrative field, and not one to be taken lightly. Product Management Consultants are the bridge between the needs of clients and the capabilities of companies. They can help you find new ways to sell your product or service, restructure your team, develop a new strategy for growth, or create an entirely new product that better meets customer demands.  The Product Managers who need help with their projects should consider reaching out to a consultant for guidance and advice on how best to proceed in order to achieve desired outcomes. These professionals can also serve as mentors by providing valuable information about trends in business and insights into what works and what doesn’t work in this industry. Consulting firms offer competitive rates with high-quality deliverables tailored specifically for each client’s product.

Product Manager Vs. Product Management Consultant

A Product Management Consultant is a product consultant who works with Product Managers and Product Owners to build products or help them do what they need to do. Product Management Consultants typically work in product consulting companies, though there are also individual Product Management Consultants. Product Management Consultants help Product Managers with product requirements, product roadmaps, product release schedules, and product estimates.

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Product Management Consultants work with Product Managers to define their vision for a product, identify the Product Manager’s strategy from the vision statement, and then confirm that there is clarity in how that strategy is going to be executed. Product Management Consultants help Product Managers plan for product release, work with Product Managers to build product requirements, develop product roadmaps, and ensure that the steps are in place to get products out. Product Management Consultants are responsible for making sure that the Product Manager has all of the tools and information necessary to do their job well

What Product Management Consultants Do Day to Day?

Product Management Consulting companies may be a Product Manager’s best friend. Product Managers typically have a full plate, which Product Management Consultants can help with by freeing up some of the Product Manager’s time for things that Product Managers need to do from their job description, such as product discovery meetings and product backlog prioritization. Product Management Consultants can also help Product Managers by doing product requirements, product roadmap development, and product release estimation. Product Management Consulting companies typically have Product Management Consultants that work on product discovery meetings with Product Managers to map out the vision for a product or product line, then determine the best strategy for executing that vision. 

The Product Management Consultant will help confirm if what Product Managers are planning is feasible and doable within the specified time frame. Product Management Consultants also perform product estimation, which helps determine if Product Managers will be able to accomplish product tasks within the product release schedule.

Why Hire A Product Management Consultant?

The Product Managers themselves might have years of Product Management experience under their belt but often lack the experience working with a product management consulting company. This is where Product Management Consultants come in! They bring leadership skills as well as creativity, analytical thinking for problem-solving or decision making, understanding trends within their industry (or field) that pertain specifically towards marketing aspects depending on what type of business they work with. Ecommerce companies might need more customer-focused advice when it comes down to how much money should be spent advertising online versus offline. Lastly, Product Management Consultants must have some technical know-how, including knowledge about various software packages used today like Jira(TM), Trello®, or Google Drive™.

The Product Management Consultants must bring a unique set of skills to the Product Manager consulting table and have to be able to effectively communicate their suggestions with Product Managers to get things done.   

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Conclusion

Product Managers looking for the best results should find a good Product Management Consultant at their company. The skills that make up a successful partnership between these two parties depend on what’s going to work well with both individuals and how they will achieve business goals together in order not only to produce but also market products from start to finish!

 
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