Have you ever used a product, and you were like, “Wow, this is exactly what I need and how I need it.”
Ever wondered who made that happen?
Behind those products that you love, that high-end tech product that just so help your workflow, the food delivery app that saves your time always come through, or even that streaming service that recommends your next favorite show, there’s someone that makes all that happen, and they do so, by asking the right questions like:
Why this feature?
Why now?
What problem are we really solving?
And the person who does that is called a product manager.
Today, we’ll answer the question: “What is product management?” We will break down what product managers do and how you can start your journey to becoming a product manager and secure job roles.
Let’s go.
What is Product Management?
Product management is a strategic business process that has to do with developing, positioning, and constantly improving a product throughout its life cycle.
To make this as effective as it seems in the books, a productive team collaboration is needed so as to ensure that the product being worked upon actually,:
- Solves problems
- Aligns with the vision of the business
- And ultimately stays valuable and competitive in the market.
Ultimately, the true product management meaning is in its uniqueness as it bridges purpose, plans, and execution.
It has to do with interpreting ideas, data, and user pain points, and then tailoring the product based on these.
Beyond the given product management meaning, product management drives ideas and structure into actual innovation.
This helps teams build fast, with increased clarity, confidence, and impact.
Finally, you might see people refer to product management as the art of balancing three forces:
- User needs
- Business objectives.
- Technical feasibility
And just as Marty Cagan, author of Inspired, said it: “The job of a product manager is to discover a product that is valuable, usable, and feasible.”
That’s the heart of product management.
Now that we’ve answered the question “What is product management?”, let’s dive into who a product manager really is.
Who is a Product Manager?
A product manager defines the direction of a product, prioritizes features, and works across various teams.
This is targeted at making sure the product delivers value to the targeted users as well as the company.
Product managers are like the central point of coordination, they make sure the company goals, customer needs perfectly align with the product.
If you think that’s a whole lot, you’re not wrong, because it is.
So, who is a product manager, really? without the technicalities.
They’re people who wake up each day asking questions like “What should we build next?” but also, “Why does doing it matter?”
And this is exactly why understanding what is product management is key, because the role itself is a living example of it in motion.
They do not need to write computer programs or design, but they own, plan, and determine the outcome.
They make sure the product performs well and also solves the right problem in the right way.
Based on a 2023 report made by Product School, 70% of product managers say they spend most of their time on strategy, prioritization, and communicating with necessary stakeholders.
So contrary to what you might have thought, they’re not lost in documentation or auditing codes; rather, they’re driving meaningful conversations, gathering insights, and making decisions that influence what users experience.
And this role is what makes them be referred to as the “Voice of the customer” inside a company.
They’re tasked with engaging the users, analyzing feedback, watching trends, and defining what success should look like.
In 2022, McKinsey conducted a study that revealed that companies with strong product management practices perform better than their peers by up to 50% in revenue growth.
This isn’t because of the great tech, but because their product decisions are sharper.
Finally, we’ll round this section off with a quote from Gibson Biddle, former VP of Product at Netflix, who said: “Great product managers don’t just execute, they lead with insight, empathy, and a clear sense of value.”
And those are the kind of qualities that drive results.
What Are Important Product Management Skills?
Product management skills are the must-have attributes a product manager needs to successfully guide a product from the idea stage to the execution stage.
If you truly understand what is product management, then you’ll know it goes beyond just overseeing product development, it’s more about making the right decisions at every stage. And that’s where strong, cross-functional skills come in.
Due to the importance of the role of a product manager, a product manager’s skills cut across several units like strategy, communication, analysis, and even leadership.
A product manager is expected to function at the intersection of various teams and expectations.
These are the non-contested product management skills you need to have to be a successful PM(Product Manager):
1. Strategic Thinking
Product managers have to see the big picture, even when it doesn’t seem like it.
This means a product manager must understand the market, identify opportunities, and decide which ideas to pursue.
Strategy helps them to “not” do things that are not the right fit, even when they seem tempting.
2. Communication
A product manager needs to be able to effectively communicate the product vision to stakeholders and accurately communicate the user’s feedback to the necessary development teams as well.
That’s why communication is non-negotiable.
PMs need to understand and speak multiple “languages”, from business to tech to design, so as to keep everyone aligned.
3. Prioritization
You cannot do everything at once.
Product managers must be able to decide what comes first and what can wait.
This will help them to balance the needs of the user, the business value, and other technical efforts.
4. User Empathy
A product manager cannot fully understand the users by reading just data.
A good product manager must be able to put themselves in the user’s shoes, must be able to feel their frustration, find what excites them, and then use this to design the product as needed.
5. Analytical Skills
Of course, product managers don’t need to be data analysts, but even at that, they should be able to read and understand the metrics, interpret results, and use insights gained from these to make decisions.
Data is what determines what to do next and what not to, it will help you make informed decisions.
6. Leadership
The truth is, product managers rarely have direct control over the teams they work with.
Their power lies in influencing and inspiring designers, engineers, marketers, and other stakeholders to work toward a shared vision, so everyone moves in the same direction.
This requires trust, strong communication, and the ability to align different priorities without stepping on toes, because at the end of the day, progress happens through collaboration, not command.
7. Adaptability
Nothing is constant, everything changes, including users, roadmaps, and even marketers.
A product manager who’s adaptable will stay calm, even when it feels like everything is falling apart.
They must know how to reset and readjust when needed, without losing focus.
Product Management Tools
Product management tools are software applications that product managers use to plan, track, and even execute tasks.
These tools support collaboration, streamline workflows, and they also provide clarity across various departments.
Product management has to do with structure, as no product manager can function alone.
So product management tools help to collect feedback, it helps to manage roadmaps, and always make sure different teams are all in sync.
These are some of the top product management tools you’ll be needing to use:
1. ClickUp
ClickUp stands out among other project management tools for its flexibility. It allows product managers to customize dashboards, task views, and workflows to match exactly how their team works.
From setting priorities to managing roadmaps, it brings docs, tasks, goals, and timelines into one simple interface that’s easy to adapt for any product team.
2. Jira
Jira is commonly used by product and even development teams to track issues, manage tasks and schedules, and also to organize and deliver on backlogs.
It’s especially helpful for intensely propelled environments and as it helps PMs stay up-to-date on top of what’s being built and when it’s being built.
3. Trello
Trello uses a system of boards and cards to organize tasks in a visually appealing way.
It’s a simple tool and it’s very powerful, it is especially great for organizing workflows, feature requests, and even content pipelines.
This can be very helpful for teams that are not very big or for individual projects.
4. Productboard
Productboard enables teams to prioritize strategic goals and feature-based customer feedback.
It’s especially useful for translating users’ needs into user-driven product decisions.
5. Asana
Asana is a very versatile project management tool, and it helps to keep track and follow through on tasks, goal settings, and managing deliverables.
Product teams can easily use this to plan roadmaps and align tasks with realistic deadlines.
6. Notion
Notion gives you a flexible workspace, and it’s perfect for creating documentation, designing roadmaps, databases, and team wikis.
This product management tool is used to bring together everything from meeting notes to feature specs in one central place.
7. Miro
Miro is in the form of a digital whiteboard; it’s good for brainstorming, mapping out the journey of users, and even collaborating visually with other team members.
It’s a great tool, especially in remote-first work environments.
8. Confluence
This is often paired with Jira, it is used for internal documentation, meeting notes, and sharing knowledge.
This product management tool helps teams to stay organized, and it makes sure that everyone is working in sync.
Ultimately, the best product management tools are those that fit well into your business goals and team needs.
How to Become a Product Manager
Becoming a product manager doesn’t necessarily follow a conventional must-do rule like other digital skills niches.
There’s no single degree, or single certification, or job path that guarantees the needed expertise in the role.
The important thing is knowing and mastering several needed skills, the right experience, and, similarly, the right mindset, and of course, knowing when and how to position yourself for opportunities.
Whether you’re just starting afresh or pivoting from a new career, below is a practical and step-by-step guide to starting your career as a product manager and also positioning yourself for opportunities.
Learn What Product Management Is (really)
Before you even decide whether this path is right for you, you must have found a clear and satisfying answer to the question “What is product management?”
You need to understand what product management is and what it’s not.
To do this, you can:
- Read books like:
- Inspired by Marty Cagan,
- The Lean Product Playbook by Dan Olsen
- Escaping the Build Trap by Melissa Perri
- Hooked by Nir Eyal
- The Making of a Manager by Julie Zhuo
- Follow PM blogs
- Or study real product case studies.
The essence of this is to know how great product managers think, communicate, and actually provide solutions to real-life problems.
Because, ultimately, product management goes beyond just building things, it revolves heavily around making designs that bring value to both the business and the customers.
You need to have a good understanding of this dynamics, or else you’ll find yourself just buried in running tasks even when what you need is to think strategically.
Identify Transferable Skills
When it comes to product management, you don’t always need to start from scratch.
In fact, several product managers initially were in niches like business analysis, customer support, marketing, and software engineering.
Ask yourself these:
- Were you the one always suggesting product improvements in your last job?
- Have you ever worked cross-functionally or led small projects to success?
- Can you analyze user feedback and then turn it into an actionable plan?
Product managers must be good communicators, must be good at problem-solving, must have good time management, and impactful leadership attributes.
And just as you might have guessed, these are all skills that exist in a lot of roles outside tech.
Build Technical and Business Understanding
You don’t need to be a guru in web development, but to be good at this product management space, you need to have a good understanding of how products are built.
So, what do you want to do?
- First thing is to learn the basics of agile, scrum, APIs, databases, and development cycles.
- Also, you need to understand how businesses make money, different profit models, customer acquisition, and market fit are also important.
To master these, you may need to take short courses on platforms like Coursera, Creaitz, or Product School.
Create or Join a Real Project
Another thing you need to do is to join a real project or create one yourself.
The best way to master product management isn’t necessarily by taking thousand-dollar courses but by getting your hands on practical experiences.
You can:
- Build a small digital product with your friends.
- Find and contribute to open-source projects, especially if you can shape the user experience
This isn’t just passing time, it shows initiative and gives you real, measurable stories to share when interviewing for product management roles.
Learn to Use Product Management Tools
Master product management tools, e.g.:
- Jira for issue tracking
- Trello or Notion for roadmapping
- Figma for design collaboration
- Productboard for feature prioritization
- Google Analytics or Mixpanel for user data insights
Familiarize yourself with these product management tools and get yourself ready for real-life product executions.
Build a Portfolio (Even If You’re a Beginner)
Now, this is very important, it shows your potential employees that you indeed have the needed experience and exposure for the job role.
You can do this by showcasing appropriate case studies from side projects you’re doing, schoolwork, or even mock product challenges.
These are the things your portfolio needs to feature:
- Identified a user problem
- Designed a solution
- Worked through feedback
- Made data-driven decisions
Check out our detailed guide here on how to create a portfolio.
Start Applying for Jobs(You can start small)
After you’ve done the above and garnered the necessary experience and expertise, you can start applying for product manager (APM) roles, product analyst positions, or plan for an internal transfer at your current company.
According to a Survey made by Festival’s global survey, 69% of PMs did not begin their careers in product management, they pivoted from a different field.
You don’t need to be desperate about getting fixed up with a company as big as Amazon for a start, in fact, a small product startup may teach you more than a bigger company with a big name.
8: Keep Learning and Networking
Just like other digital skills niches, product management is constantly evolving.
You can join communities like Mind the Product, Women in Product, or Product-Led Alliance.
Similarly, you can follow thought leaders on LinkedIn and stay curious and up-to-date on industry trends.
When you understand how PMs think, strategize, and operate, it becomes easier for you to be able to speak the language of product management and also position yourself for opportunities.
In Conclusion
Product management goes beyond just building things, it focuses more on providing solutions to real-life problems, making productive decisions, and driving real value that can be quantified in sales or profits.
If you’ve ever asked yourself what is product management and found yourself drawn to understanding people, working with teams, and bringing ideas to life, then this might just be the path for you.
But to grow, to become an expert, attract jobs and opportunities, you need more than passion; you need a network and, more importantly, you need a community that understands you and that has what you need to grow.
If that resonates, join us today at Creaitz to get access to free learning sessions, product challenges, mentorship, real-life projects, and a network of people who are just as eager to grow as you are.
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