The document discusses myths surrounding product management, highlighting essential characteristics of good and bad product managers. It outlines the product cycle phases, emphasizing the importance of quick decisions, effective communication, and execution throughout the development process. Additionally, it addresses the interaction of cross-functional teams and the varying focus between strategy and execution at each stage of the product life cycle.

1. P R O D U C T M A N A G E M E N T
W I T H R O S E YA O
J U LY 2 0 1 5 | A X I O M Z E N | VA N C O U V E R , B C

2. P M C H E AT S H E E T

3. • They are the fast talking MBA type
• They all worship Steve Jobs and want to be him
• They are not technical, they just make gantt charts
• They love process and emails
• Everyone has to do what they say
T O P 5 M Y T H S A B O U T P M s

4. G o o d P M B a d P m
C E O o f t h e i r p ro d u c t M a k e s e x c u s e s a n d
a v o i d s t r u e o w n e r s h i p
R e s p o n s i b l e f o r d e c i s i o n s
o n w h a t t o b u i l d a n d
e x e c u t e
D o e s n ’t m a k e h a rd
d e c i s i o n s
C o m m u n i c a t e s e ff i c i e n t l y
a c ro s s a l l p a r t s o f t h e
c o m p a n y
A d h o c c o m m u n i c a t i o n s
s t y l e t h a t d o e s n ’t s c a l e
P e o p l e w a n t t o w o r k w i t h
t h e m
P e o p l e s t o p v a l u i n g t h e i r
i n p u t

5. G o o d P M B a d P m
C E O o f t h e i r p ro d u c t M a k e s e x c u s e s a n d
a v o i d s t r u e o w n e r s h i p

6. G o o d P M B a d P m
R e s p o n s i b l e f o r
d e c i s i o n s o n w h a t t o
b u i l d a n d e x e c u t e
D o e s n ’t m a k e h a rd
d e c i s i o n s

7. G o o d P M B a d P m
C o m m u n i c a t e s
e ff i c i e n t l y a c ro s s a l l
p a r t s o f t h e c o m p a n y
A d h o c
c o m m u n i c a t i o n s s t y l e
t h a t d o e s n ’t s c a l e

8. G o o d P M B a d P m
P e o p l e w a n t t o w o r k
w i t h t h e m
P e o p l e s t o p v a l u i n g
t h e i r i n p u t

9. Ty p e s o f P M s G o o d f o r B a d f o r
S c r a p p y Yo u n g
G e n e r a l i s t
S m a l l t e a m s n e e d i n g e x e c u t i o n
h e l p w i t h s t ro n g s e n i o r
m e n t o r s h i p
S m a l l t e a m s n e e d i n g e x e c u t i o n
h e l p w i t h s t ro n g s e n i o r
m e n t o r s h i p
B u s i n e s s P M B 2 B p ro d u c t s o r a n y t h i n g w i t h
s t ro n g p a r t n e r s h i p o r s a l e s
c o m p o n e n t
M a s s m a r k e t c o n s u m e r p ro d u c t s
i n f r a p ro d u c t s
D e s i g n e r P M
P ro d u c t s w i t h s t ro n g d e s i g n
c o m p o n e n t a n d h i g h q u a l i t y b a r
F a s t s c r a p p y a n d b re a k t h i n g s
p ro d u c t s
I l l d e f i n e d a m b i g u o u s p ro d u c t s
E x e c u t o r
R o u g h p ro d u c t s w i t h i n i t i a l
m a r k e t f i t d e f i n e d
g ro w t h o r i e n t e d p ro d u c t s
1 0 % B l u e s k y p ro j e c t s

10. Ty p e s o f P M s G o o d F o r B a d f o r
S c r a p p y Yo u n g
G e n e r a l i s t
S m a l l t e a m s
n e e d i n g
e x e c u t i o n h e l p
w i t h s t ro n g
s e n i o r
m e n t o r s h i p
S m a l l t e a m s
n e e d i n g
e x e c u t i o n h e l p
w i t h s t ro n g
s e n i o r
m e n t o r s h i p

11. Ty p e s o f P M s G o o d F o r B a d f o r
B u s i n e s s P M B 2 B p ro d u c t s o r
a n y t h i n g w i t h
s t ro n g
p a r t n e r s h i p o r
s a l e s c o m p o n e n t
M a s s m a r k e t
c o n s u m e r
p ro d u c t s
i n f r a p ro d u c t s

12. Ty p e s o f P M s G o o d F o r B a d f o r
D e s i g n e r P M P ro d u c t s w i t h
s t ro n g d e s i g n
c o m p o n e n t a n d
h i g h q u a l i t y b a r
F a s t s c r a p p y a n d
b re a k t h i n g s
p ro d u c t s
I l l d e f i n e d
a m b i g u o u s
p ro d u c t s

13. Ty p e s o f P M s G o o d F o r B a d f o r
E x e c u t o r R o u g h p ro d u c t s
w i t h i n i t i a l
m a r k e t f i t
d e f i n e d
g ro w t h o r i e n t e d
p ro d u c t s
1 0 % B l u e s k y
p ro j e c t s

14. W H AT D O E S A P M D O
A L L D AY ?

15. P R O D U C T C Y C L E - W H AT
• Goal: decide what to build as
quickly as possible.
• Most time spent in a small room with
design/engineering and user research
• Execution focused on quick
prototyping
• Communication to get quick
feedback on direction
20%
20%
60%
Communication
Execution
Product
Strategy

16. P R O D U C T C Y C L E - B U I L D
• Goal: let’s make the idea real
• The time shifts over time from
strategy to execution
• Dozens of small decisions made
everyday
• Start adding more XFN
communications and planning
30%
50%
20%
Communication
Execution
Product
Strategy

17. • Goal: launch!
• Communication responsibilities
goes up with XFN teams
• Product positioning and marketing/
PR work on strategy side
• Helping eng team prep for post
launch on execution side (polish,
dashboards, etc)
50%
30%
20%
P R O D U C T C Y C L E - L A U N C H
Communication
Execution Product
Strategy

18. Questions?