The document discusses the roles and responsibilities of a product manager in contemporary companies, highlighting the evolving definition and scope of product management. It explores the variation in types of products and industries, the skills required for different types of product managers, and the ongoing debate on whether to redefine product management or the concept of a product itself. Additionally, it raises questions about the value of product management in relation to company tasks and objectives.

1. A discussion of a Product Manager’s tasks
and roles in today’s companies.
Jim Payne, CPM, PPM, CSPO
Product Manager

2. What is Product Management?
 What Can We Agree On?
 What is Not PM?
 Is There a Simple Definition?
 What’s a Product?
 Who Gets to Determine What’s PM and
What’s Not?

4. Functions / Tasks
 Can We Still Call It Product Management, If
the Tasks DON’T Include:
 Roadmapping
 Personas
 Launch Plans
 Use Cases
 Requirements
 Market Definitions
 Pricing
 Sales Training

5. A Simple Working Definition of
Product Management
 A role in the product lifecycle that takes
responsibility for the creation, promotion,
and support of a key company
capability.

6. Types of Products and
Industries
 What if the Product is a:
 Professional Service – Business Planning or
Solution Architecture
 CPG – Retail or Agronomy
 Financial Service – Banking or Insurance
 Not For Sale – Mobile App or a Website
 Infrastructure Supporting a Visible Product
 Commodity – Gasoline or Aluminum
 One of a Kind – Real Estate

7. Management –
Maybe They Decide?
 Upper Management or HR Decides on a
Job Title
 Increased Focus on Products?
 It Sounds Cool
 Its all the Rage
 It Describes What They Want
 The CEO went to a ProductCamp (?)

8. Are There Types of Product
Managers?
 Pragmatic Triad
 Strategic Product Manager
 Technical Product Manager
 Product Marketing Manager
 Internal Product Manager?
 Infrastructure Product Manager?
 Services Product Manager?
 Portfolio Product Manager?

9. The Value of Product
Management
 Do We Redefine Product Management
to Fit the Job or Redefine Product to Fit
the Tasks We Know Need to Get Done?
 Does this Still Add Value – or Not
 If We Can Define the “Product” Can We
Still Apply the Product Management
Tasks to the Company’s (or Product’s)
Benefit?

10. Is This a Subject That Interests
You?
 Jim Payne
 james.m.payne@comcast.net
 linkedin.com/in/jamesmatthewpayne/
 @jamesmpayne