Main Takeaways: - The day-to-day challenges faced by a PM - Tools to mitigate/overcome challenges - Myths about product management

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Challenges of a Product Manager by eBay
Sr PM

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5. “Myths and Challenges of Product Management"
by eBay Sr. Product Manager
www.productschool.com

6. Astika Gupta
S P E A K E R

7. A B O U T M E
2016
2017
Product
Manager intern
Product
Manager
2018
2021
Product
Manager
Sr. Product
Manger
2011
Systems
Engineer
University of Mumbai
Bachelors - Electronics and Telecommunication Engg.
University of California, Berkeley
Masters - Information Management and Systems

8. Brush
Stroke List
01
02
03
Myths
Challenges
Tips
Agenda
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9. Myths
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10. #Myth PMs need technical degrees
PMs need technical foundation and experience.
What PMs need is…
… to have a deep
curiosity about the
underlying technology
behind their projects.
… to be detail-oriented,
and possess the ability to
develop strong partnerships
with engineering.
What PMs need is…
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11. #Myth The PM-as-CEO analogy
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12. PMs are the ultimate facilitators.
#Myth PMs are the idea generators and decision makers
Idea 1
Idea 1
Idea 4
Idea 3
idea 1
Idea 5
Idea 3
Idea 3
Idea 4
Idea 4
Idea 2
Idea 2
Idea 2
Idea 3
Idea 2
Idea 1
Tom
Linh
Steve
Karyn
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13. #Myth PMs have to be great at company politics
PMs have to be great at managing stakeholders.
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14. #Myth Product manager and Product owner are the same
Their responsibilities are different. PM can be a PO.
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15. www.productschool.com
Challenges

16. Product execution
Documentation
Engineering buy-in
Influencing people
Customer interaction
Goals setting and Metrics
Stakeholder management
Wearer of multiple hats
Experimentation and Data
analysis
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17. A day in a PM’s life
✔ Core product activities (e.g., writing specs/PRDs
or tickets)
✔ Interacting with customers or customer-facing
teams
✔ Working with engineering (e.g., stand-ups)
✔ Collaborating with the design team (e.g.,
reviewing wireframes)
✔ Updating executives (e.g., product reviews)
✔ Other miscellaneous meetings (e.g., weekly
team meetings, all-hands)
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18. #Challenge Managing upwards and stakeholders
Stakeholders are not approvers, they are advisors.
How do you manage your managers, senior managers and on up the ladder?
How do you manage your stakeholders?
www.productschool.com

19. #Challenge Prioritizing Roadmap without real market feedback
Ask the market directly for feedback. Generate actionable insights.
Product leaders need real feedback to set priorities and create a product strategy.
But a lot of them don’t conduct market validation at all.
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20. #Challenge Dealing with feature/product failure
Understand the “Who” and “Why” of it, but focus on the “What”
Failing is part of the process.
Have a greater impact by turning those failures into opportunities for the broader company.
www.productschool.com

21. #Challenge Change coming in from all angles
Measure and plan for “churn”
PMs work on abstract problems with change as the only constant.
How do we deal with constant change?
www.productschool.com

22. Grow others
around you
Tips
Be
detail-obsessed
Learn to say
“No”
Become an
expert in
your
domain
Be
Far-Sighte
d
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23. Great PMs live in the future
and work backwards, focus on
customer and business impact,
and amplify their teams.
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24. Thank
You!
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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/astikagupta/

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