Getting Started as a PRODUCT MANAGER

Since you want to be a Product Manager, you know that…

…developers build products

Since you want to be a Product Manager, you know that…

should ∧

…developers build products because they like to solve problems.

…developers build products because they want to make an impact.

…developers build products because they are inspired.

…developers build products NOT because you said so.

Present the right problems Choose the most impactful work Inspire and enable your developers

Thus, as a PM you should ∧

1 2 3

Present the right problems Choose the most impactful work Inspire and enable your developers

Thus, as a PM you should ∧

1 2 3

IMAGE CREDIT: Dell Inc.

Know your customer

Watch your Net Promoter Score (NPS)

IMAGE CREDIT: Nicki Zita

Review customer ideas

Use data from Support

Track Usage

42%!

58%!

66%!72%!

77%!82%!

87%!92%!

27%!

40%!

49%!56%!

61%!66%!

72%!78%!

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

March! April! May! June! July! August! September! October!

Monitor Bugs

Watch Reliability

IMAGE CREDIT: Ben Terrett

Conduct User Tests

Present the right problems Choose the most impactful work Inspire and enable your developers

Thus, as a PM you should ∧

1 2 3

BEING A PM IS HECTIC. Organization helps you focus.

BEING A PM IS CREATIVE. Organization helps you explore.

IMAGE CREDIT: Giulio Zannol

BEING A PM IS INTERACTIVE. Organization helps you find patterns.

IMAGE CREDIT: Marc Wathieu

However you organize, use only one app to manage your roadmap.

Consider having a tool for:

•  Roadmap/project management •  Issue tracking •  Feedback •  Notebook •  To-do list •  Internal communication •  Knowledge sharing

A PM bridges the customer’s voice with the technically possible.

Know the stack your product is built

…if only conceptually

Start in your Chrome Developer Tools

Learn some

a great first language…

…and familiarize yourself with APIs using it.

THE GOLDEN RULE Don’t be afraid to ask one of your developers for help.

They’ll be psyched you are trying.

The First 8 Technical Things to Learn:

•  HTTP & REST •  Chrome Development tools •  HTML/CSS •  Using a Text Editor •  APIs •  JSON •  Python •  SQL

Present the right problems Choose the most impactful work Inspire and enable your developers

Thus, as a PM you should ∧

1 2 3

Reinforce the Vision

IMAGE CREDIT: Alan Levine

Gain Advocates Across Your Organization

IMAGE CREDIT: Scania Group

Demo with Passion

IMAGE CREDIT: Tom Coates

THANKS! Maggie Georgieva, @mgieva Matt Schnitt, @mattschnitt Angela DeFranco, @adefranco

Recommended Resources:

●  Intelligent.ly ●  Udemy ●  “The Innovator’s Dilemma” by by Clayton M. Christensen ●  Google Ventures product talks:

http://startuplab.googleventures.com/workshops#product ○  Dan Olsen’s talk on Lean Product Management is a must-watch

●  Product Demo guidelines ●  First Round Review - http://firstround.com/review ●  Intercom.io blog - intercom.io