It’s sometimes challenging to differentiate a Product Manager from a Project Manager because some tasks do overlap for both positions. However, the roles do have distinct differences in terms of their goals and focus, helping you to identify one from the other.
The job description of a Product Manager can vary from company to company. PMs have two core goals: one is to successfully lead product development to create a useful product, and two is to effectively work with cross-functional teams to ensure that the product direction is aligned with the objectives of the company.
Product Managers play a vital role in a company. Although each PM in various industries may have different daily tasks and means of completing the tasks, the main goal is the same: ship great products.
With a responsibility this great, how can a company attract capable Product Managers
Product Manager vs Product Owner – these two roles can be a bit of a challenge to understand and differentiate. Definitely, there is a bit of overlap between the two, especially in smaller companies and startups.
In the digital world, you would need a Digital Product Manager to take care of digital product development. But, in truth, a Digital PM is no different from a regular PM. The core function of the role is still the same, it’s just that the Digital PM caters more to online products like eBooks, apps, web applications, online courses and so on.
As someone with the career goal of becoming a Product Manager, it’s natural to have questions about the role’s day-to-day responsibilities. You probably already know that the position is cross-functional and complex so you may find yourself asking: How many hours do Product Managers work on an average day or week? How busy will I be if I become a Product Manager?
The role of a Data Product Manager (Data PM) is becoming increasingly important as data becomes more and more central to how organizations make decisions. Data is a major driver of success in any company so it’s likely why those that are more data-driven opt to hire a Data PM.
Do product managers need to code? The truth is, knowing how to code can help a PM communicate with the Engineering Team better. As someone who wants to break into Product Management, knowing how to code can help one land a tech role in the field, but it’s not always a requirement.
If you’re considering a career as a product manager, you might have noticed that many companies add the word “technical” to the job title. You’ve likely come away from that experience asking yourself, “Technical Product Manager vs Product Manager – what’s the difference?”
Did you know that there are different types of product managers? It’s clear what a PM’s key responsibilities are in a company but the scope of work for the role is vast. There’s no one-size-fits-all job description for a product manager.
As someone who has just or is about to start their PM career, knowing what is expected of you can be challenging.
What does the typical day in the life of a product manager entail?
While we answer this question below, there’s something you need to know. No two days are the same. Even if you have a basic structure to guide you, every day is different and every day is busy. And that’s why so many people love this career path.
If you’ve been reading my blogs or following me on Twitter, you know I love talking about what a product manager does (and what a product manager should do).
The one thing that is also very important – what to do at what point in your product management career.