If you ever wondered about the parameters of your product management position or pondered how to best describe what you do each day, this blog post, based on my experiences working with product managers around the country, will provide some new perspective.
Product Management is an Equal Opportunity Profession
Product managers are born out of many different disciplines. Some come from a research background. Others come from operations, sales, marketing or engineering. The point is there is no set career path that leads directly to a product manager position. For this reason, many who accept this role find themselves scratching their heads about what exactly product management entails.
Boiled down to the basics, a product managers responsibilities encompass everything involved with the strategic planning and tactical execution of specific company products. This can be a new product or an existing line of business.
In a very real sense, when you accept a product manager position, your coworkers and senior management will expect to be able to look to you as the central hub of knowledge about the products under your domain.
They’ll also rightly expect you to know your market, your customers and how your products stack up to their competition in the marketplace.
You will be expected to be the guy or gal with the vision for where your product has come from and where you plan to take it. You chart the course for your product’s success. You are the person who creates the plans that will allow your company to achieve its strategic and financial objectives regarding the product or products under your jurisdiction.
Product Managers Are Not Alone
There’s no doubt, product management can be a daunting assignment. But, the good news is you also have a full array of resources to call upon for support and help, including coworkers who have goals similar to your own for achieving market success. In addition, we’re here to help you fulfill every aspect of your position. The information you will find in this weekly Actuation Consulting blog is a good place to turn for the latest and best research into successful product management practices.
Advancing the Profession of Product Management™
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