Product Management is a necessary organizational tool. Some people refer to Product Managers as the mini-CEO of products. However, Aha defines Product Managers as product leaders within their organizations who excel at bringing teams together around a shared understanding of customer problems and how the team will solve them.
In our previous blog post, we have looked at the various skills needed to be a Social Media Manager. This article points to the skills needed as a Product Manager.
These skills ensure efficiency, effectiveness, and maximum optimization in tasks. A great characteristic of a product manager is the willingness to learn about new methodologies that would aid in more effective products.
Below are the necessary skills:
- Technical Understanding
As a product manager, you do not require coding. But, you need a good understanding of the technical side of product management. You must have a good understanding of the technology behind your product and even the web development process.
You will work with the developers to bring to fruition the product so desired according to the specifications you have designed.
You also need an understanding of UX (User Experience). Your task as a product manager is to birth products that generate value for the business and at the same time serve customers’ needs.
You must not be a professional in the tech field to perform your role actively as a product manager. All you need is an understanding of these technical sides. This will enable you not to get lost while working with your team.
2. Critical/ Strategic Thinking
Every product manager is a decision-maker. Decision making requires careful and critical thinking. You make decisions and strike a balance between what is best for the business and the consumers.
In critical thinking, you analyze facts, evidence, observation, and arguments before arriving at a judgment. In strategic thinking, you define the product’s vision and set goals to make the vision a reality. As a strategic thinker, your eye is on the bigger goal.
3. Problem Solving Skill
Product managers are problem solvers. They create products that solve user problems. This problem-solving skill is not limited to only new products. You can make several improvements and changes to the old products the company have.
Problem-solving skills are transferable skills. It is not needed only for product management. Asides from the product, you also need to come up with techniques and methodologies to solve work challenges and improve processes.
4. Communication Skill
In Product Management, there’s an amalgamation of several individuals from various units and departments. There are developers, designers, and other experts.
Your job demands that you are the centerpiece of everyone. If there’s no effective communication amongst the diverse unit, achieving the company’s goal becomes an uphill task.
As a product manager, you are answering questions about the products from various units, holding meetings, assessing tasks and others. If you can’t communicate properly with your team, everything dissolves into shambles.
Remember, communication is a two-way street. It’s not all about doing the talking, are you an active and engaged listener.
5. Market Research Skills
You must possess the ability to carry out in-depth research concerning the products and the consumers.
You must ask questions and have answers to questions like:
Who are your customers?
Why do they use the product?
What do they think about your product?
You need to gather experience in conducting market research. In market research, you assess and discover your customer’s needs, gather and evaluate customer feedback.
Conclusion
Having known all the basic skills, you need to make a deliberate effort to grow in these skills. You can use productivity tools to help yourself out and also avoid procrastination to achieve your goals.
Get your hands on our product management course and start your journey today.
You can as well take part in our Talent Accelerator Program, where you have the opportunity to grow your already-acquired Product Management skills.