From lightweight product design to heavyweight product manager

People have always been the responsibility of product managers to distinguish, or have some questions, or controversial. In fact, this is the company's position for the product manager is directly related. simply put:

The company gives you the job of product manager

2. The company gives you the power of this product manager

3. The company gives you the product manager's resources

Throw out the above-level company-level positioning, we, as product managers, to clearly understand their own position. As we all know, product managers can be basically divided into two types:

1. Lightweight product manager

Lightweight product managers are generally product planners, designers. Product manager of technology background, under normal circumstances is to report to the boss of the technical department. Product manager of a brand or marketing origin, under normal circumstances is reporting to the boss of the sales department. Slightly explained, if you are looking for a job, if you find that the job requires technical skills, most of them belong to the technical department; if you need marketing experience, then most of them belong to the sales department.

For a lightweight product manager, his job is mostly supportive, ie non-dominant. In general, product managers with 1-5 years of working experience fall into this category. Having completed your own roles and responsibilities beyond the expected completion has proven itself.

Heavyweight product manager

Heavyweight product manager, is the product leader, in fact, is the product's general manager. Sometimes, we like to use Steve Jobs as product manager example, Oh, I admit he is a product manager, but he is also general manager of products can not match the product manager. As the total responsibility of the product, they already have the personnel and financial rights. This means that all the people involved in the product report to them and are accountable to them. This product manager, is a real cross team, that is, cross-team work strong.

Yes, he may not be a technical background, but he understands the liquidity of technology;

Yes, he may not be a brand origin, but he understands the brand building process;

Yes, he may not be a sales origin, but he is able to sell his products;

For the heavyweight product manager, his job is planning, planning, and executing all of his team members. He will make product requirements, just as Steve Jobs proposed a book like a notebook; he will propose marketing programs, such as Shi Yuzhu Melatonin marketing;

For product managers, his work history, or direction of work is actually from the lightweight design manager, the process of moving to a heavyweight product manager. Li Mingyuan of Baidu Electronics is an example, or is Baidu's trust in its capabilities.

Finally, a controversial area surrounding product managers is whether a small company wants a product manager. In fact, my personal opinion is that 2,000 percent need it.

1. Although the founder of a small company is the product's general manager, but he is more demand, rather than to design, operation and maintenance, to achieve

So small companies need to design the product manager, operation and maintenance of product manager, product manager

3. Small companies can not support the product manager, most of the reasons for positioning problems, the boss himself is the product manager, and then the whole one, do not fight, the conflict strange. If you think you are a salesperson, you are not that Steve Jobs can, simply decentralization, if you do not let go, give the hiring of product managers to a clear positioning, and then choose to use.