The role and its purpose.
WHAT IT DOES
Decides what gets built, for whom, and why.
WHAT IT IS NOT
Project management applied to software Writing specifications to order Deciding features by preference
WHY THE DISTINCTION MATTERS
Project management asks whether the work was delivered; product management asks whether it should have been.
WHAT THE CORE QUESTION IS
Are we building something people want, that the business benefits from, that we can actually build?
WHAT THAT BREAKS INTO
- Desirability: do people want it
- Viability: does it make business sense
- Feasibility: can it be built
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN ONE IS MISSING
- Desirable but not viable: loved and unprofitable
- Viable but not desirable: built and ignored
- Desirable and viable but not feasible: promised and never delivered
WHAT THE WORK CONSISTS OF
Understanding customers and their problems Deciding what to do and what not to do Explaining why, repeatedly Working with those who build it Measuring whether it worked
WHAT AUTHORITY THE ROLE HAS
Usually little formal authority and substantial influence.
WHAT THAT REQUIRES
Reasoning people accept, rather than instruction.
WHAT DISTINGUISHES GOOD PRACTICE
Saying no more often than yes, with reasons.
WHAT MOST PRODUCTS SUFFER FROM
Too many features, none of them excellent.
