Defining a product vision

For [target customer], Who [customer needs to be solved], The [product name] Is a [product category] That [benefits, unique selling points], Unlike [competitor product], our product [main difference].

Key Aspects of the PM function

• Working with stakeholders
• Planning a strategic roadmap
• Building a backlog
• Feature prioritization
• Planning a release roadmap
• Understanding an end-user’s pain points and solving them through product features
• Balancing out the conflicting product expectations of stakeholders
• Creating a product roadmap
• Maximizing the overall business value, given the constraints
• Getting buy-in, and creating and inhouse (and outside) market for the product

Prioritization Matrix

Measurement of user impact

• Analytics in product
• Surveys, interviews, AB testing
• Usage of related artifacts (complaints, downloads, reads of documentation etc.)
• Input from other stakeholders (sales, customer success)

Pitfalls for the first-time PM

• Not fully engaged with team
• No details on stories and acceptance tests
• Backlog items stale
• Team not motivated
• Multiple backlogs

Advice for the first-time PM

• Listen well
• Prioritize consistently
• Summarize and share user/customer interactions
• Measure progress and make it visible