Five Internet product managers need manager's stage of development

Everyone is talking about "product manager", but what we do is completely different.

So what does the word "Product manager" mean?

I think this topic is also fellow colleagues have been thinking, but also have been thinking about it, in fact, I am also.

Every time I see a variety of "Product Manager Competency Models", I feel a little bit of nonsense, because I always feel that there is something missing in the model, yes, I want to say is "Scope of application", that a beautiful picture, must be suitable for some people, then, in the end belong to which people? So, my idea is to forget all the models , and then go to all kinds of people who are in the position of "product manager" to find out what they are doing differently?

First thought down, and two factors--internal vs external, in line with the mece principle Oh.

Internal refers to the ability of the individual, can not be denied that a "product manager" of the university graduates and a similarly called "Product Manager", who has 3 years of work experience, do things, the ability to do is certainly different. So you think, what they're seeing is the same "competency model", which is based on the cheats.

For the outside, and divided into things and people, things refer to the industry, people refer to the team. Industry-determines the characteristics of the product, E-commerce product managers, mobile Internet product managers, extended to software, telecommunications, and even the traditional industry product managers, their respective ability models are necessarily different. Team--with Internet products, is the team of technical students strong? Is there a dedicated project manager, user researcher, or is there a strong team? It will also make a difference in the key responsibilities of the product manager.

It can be said that the ability model in my mind is a three-dimensional, the present competency model is a low dimensional "model slice", or even a point, given by the model author under the premise of his understanding of "intrinsic ability & External affairs and People", and often we can see some limitations of the industry, such as " Internet Product manager's competency model, but rarely sees a description of the team and individual competency stages. So who can give the whole model? With a wry smile, I thought of the only answer--everyone. Everyone gives their own slices, maybe I can try to do a jigsaw puzzle.

Recently I began to try to do some summary, can only be from point to face, first from the Ali Department, start, and then listen to everyone. First of all, I put Ali Department's product manager's ultimate goal positioning "business leader", or the head of the division. And all sorts of beginnings, anyway, are completely inexperienced people. Industry has, for the team, Ali internal team Although there are differences, but compared to the external total is similar, you can see my blog about the team's story. The following mainly from the personal ability of the dimension cut, I refer to the company's job Model, first divided into 2 layers, of which each layer is subdivided into 3 levels.

First look at the first 3 levels.

Product Manager-0.

Graduate from college, or other person with similar abilities. Can complete the clear function point, compiles the PRD, the follow-up implementation until on-line, at this time, the product manager is also a typical "needs analyst", also often called "the Product assistant". At this time the skill requirements also focus on "product design" for Internet products, do a lot of things, and ued team, especially interactive design, visual design level.

Product Manager-1.

About 2 years of work experience in undergraduate, or master's degree graduating students, can be independently responsible for a small product, or a large product of a complete functional module. The key difference with the previous level is not only the passive demand, the initiative here, the product manager to start with the user research capabilities, demand management capabilities. And, the product involved in the technology, need to have a certain understanding, at least, with the technical team to discuss the project.

Product Manager-2.

3-5 years of undergraduate work, or about 2 years of graduate students (specifically noted that education is not the key, the expression here is only for the sake of understanding, but also can be similar to the ability of people). The key skill is to be able to be independently responsible for a complete product, have the project management ability, derivative, is the unauthorized leadership team management ability, especially the Cross-functional team, so the communication of soft skills requirements, began to appear.

The first 3 levels can be grouped into one, which is characterized by--can be trained. All you need is some very clear and versatile skills. And the following level 3, the key to personal growth began to change from explicit knowledge to tacit knowledge, to rely on continuous combat, with a variety of senior exchanges, coupled with their own understanding to improve, reading books, look at the role of God horse gradually less.

Product Manager-3.

Starting at this level, no longer can be measured by the number of years worked. The key skill is the need to have planning ability. Be able to take charge of a product line, such as Taobao's trading line (including more complete products such as shopping cart, a variety of vertical market specific transaction flow ...). At this time the planning ability behind, requires product manager to the product in addition to the function of knowledge also have mastered, such as market operation level.

Product Manager-4.

The key difference is to have a well-known industry success stories to prove themselves, can be independently responsible for a complex complete product line, such as the entire Taobao mall. Obviously, the success of this case can only be achieved at least six months more than a full campaign, not everyone has such opportunities and luck. At this point, the product manager began to show the "business leader" temperament.

Product Manager-5.

The key difference is that there is cross-functional management experience, which means that at this level, you can go out and be the CEO of a small company, or the head of a major company's business, or start a business directly. This level of product managers, influence is not limited to the product team, the operational strategy, the direction of the company's top has a strong voice.

Individuals have just been in a specific industry, a specific team to cultivate to the middle position, but also to work hard, life is too short, I do not have the possibility to try all the industry and team, so, look forward to your share.