Coming into the class I thought I would learn about what it is like to be a product manager at a big tech company. However, reflecting back on the experience resemble what it is like being a co-founder and product manager at a start-up in the early stage. I found many similarities between this class and CS147 but with less emphasis on the development of the project. I really enjoyed the concepts we talk about in class and the homework reading. I felt like the project element of the class did not give me much insight into product management. This was perhaps due to constant role switching and the short timeline to actually get a feel of what it’s like being a product manager.
In addition, even though the roles were changing, looking back I naturally take on the position of the designer or user researcher. These two roles were most intuitive to me. In my opinion, I contributed most to the production of slides, look-and-feel prototypes, and user research synthesis.
Our team worked on BoBo, a hitchhiking mobile application aiming to make getting off campus affordable and convenient for all Stanford students. We had a great team dynamic that allowed us to efficiently overcome all the disagreements and conflicts we had. All of us upheld the norms we had set up at the beginning of the quarter and each of us used our strong points to benefit the team as a whole.
However, the project felt rushed and I wish we had more time to test our prototype before needing to start building the final prototype. Due to time constraints, we were unable to test out many aspects of the app and made decisions based on our assumptions. Therefore, If I had more time I would love to run more iterations of our prototype through user feedback. In addition, eventually, we want to expand the app beyond the Stanford campus. With more time I would love to interview students from other campuses to see if BoBo can make their lives easier as well.
Overall, I enjoyed my time in CS 177 and have learned a great deal about product management. I have learned a lot about the principles and practices of managing a product from idea to launch and beyond. The class has provided me with a strong foundation in areas such as market research, product development, and project management. I am grateful for my team where we had a common goal of making the life of Stanford students easier and a teaching team that was helpful, supportive, and understanding.
