I personally have been doing the product management for a little over a year now, and I have to say Matt’s book has validated a lot of my concerns with the clarity of the role. Looking at the various titles that are out there that contribute to the Product Team, or what the book describes as “pro*** ***er” roles, I would have to say that they are all just a breakdown of the original role of the product manager – which is to make sure that the product gets built, and achieve the vision of the company (monetary or otherwise).
The specific tasks or requirements that the product manager needs to fulfill is very very fluid, and it depends on what stage the company is in, how many people are in the team, what product is being developed, and even the aptitude of the individual in question. What resonated with me from the book is that, the role that I have assumed for myself is the junction of the various teams that are within the company – product, engineering, marketing, recruitment, customer success. Ultimately, being a generalist who has the conviction to learn and empathize with all internal and external stakeholders of the company is how I see a Product Manager’s job.
The question that I have for the author is:
Do you think the ambiguity that comes with the product manager’s role is a symptom of the field being new? or do you think that it will forever be in this state of fluidity? If the latter, should all roles in industry be like this?
