The ability of a product manager

with the development of the industry, product Manager This group also in the IT industry more and more attention, and a variety of product Exchange Learning organization is also booming, I as one of the members, Always wanted to write some of their own understanding of the product manager.

As the saying goes, behind a successful man there will be a silent woman, then in a product behind is not also a dedicated study of the product manager? I think the answer is yes, and, more often than not, only one product manager is supporting a successful product.

Industry for the product manager capability model is not uncommon, so I just from the level of personal understanding to tell these abilities, and I am mainly inclined to the product manager capacity into two major parts: A, product capacity; B, management capacity.

A, product capabilities

First, tool capabilities

Product Manager is responsible for the product, the corresponding product ability must be the primary ability, and in these specific qualities, the tool ability is also called the basic ability, in a product planning life cycle, the most common tools are: Word, ppt, MindManager, Visio , Axure, Excel.

1, Word, Excel, and PPT, product Manager in the process of planning a product, often need to communicate and coordinate with many departments, so writing documents to improve communication efficiency becomes an important ability, whether it is to write product requirements documents or market requirements documents, You need to be proficient with Office family files to analyze post statistics.

2, MindManager, as a commonly used brainstorming software, MindManager to facilitate product managers to better comb product management and logic, for the clarity of product thinking is of great significance, Especially in the rendering of products roadmap its convenient and efficient operation allows the product manager to draw the structure and logic are better display charts.

3, Visio,visio as an excellent process software, for product managers to comb the product inherent logic and user operation process is of great significance, especially in the process of product documentation, Visio drawing user Action flow chart can help engineers better understand the product logic to implement product development. Visio Rich Plug-ins also allow users to draw Ueser case, to facilitate the product project team to better understand the user, thus guiding the product design.

4, Axure, in recent years Axure with its excellent and interactive ability and good operability began to graduallyInstead of Visio for prototyping, prototyping is an important part of product design, making Axure's ability to use as a standard for product managers.

Second, product sense

"Product sense", a word from the predecessor Guo Ziwei, the first time I saw this word when my eyes a bright, then see the idea is: bingo, this word is my Heart Product manager needs the core competencies, a good product manager must be sensitive to products, This sensitivity comes from a good sense of product. Product Manager is a comprehensive role, that is, need to have a broad vision, and must always pay attention to the details, and these are included in the product sense.

A, planning power this is a product manager at a higher level of ability, and the product manager with this ability, usually have a lot of thinkers characteristics. From the product External system, the planning force represents the product manager's approval of the whole value market, the layout of the product line, the positioning of its products and the development of each product. Of course, for most product managers, the strategic dimension may still be out of reach, especially for large companies, where policymakers have much more strategic considerations than product managers, and product managers have more to do with strategy than thinking about strategy.

B, design power the design capabilities described here refer not only to the design of product prototypes, but to the greater part of the ability to find the best fit according to the company's strategy and user needs, and to meet the company's business needs and market positioning and user needs. Including product vision planning and short-term functional planning are the scope of the design force.

Third, business sense

An excellent product manager must have the vision and ability to focus on the overall macro-market environment, although in reality most product managers are still doing a lot of executive-level issues, and the focus on the environment may be at the product director or higher level of leadership. But for the long-term growth of a product manager, the concern for the overall market environment can not only make product managers have a better product vision, but also let product managers in the process of product design more sensitive, can better the product vision planning to make the right judgments.

B, management capabilities

First, self-management capabilities

If you use football as a metaphor for all aspects of the job role, the product manager should be the most appropriate midfielder in a game where the midfield plays a central role in organizing the offense and coordinating the defense. Product Manager as a coordinating role for the front needs of coordination, including BD, marketing, sales, and other roles, for the rear to organize and coordinate good ued, procedures, and also must bear from the user's accusations and doubts, the pressure can be imagined. BecauseThis from the personal quality of a good adjust mood, can release the product manager can be tested.

Second, time management capabilities

Product managers play a central role throughout the product lifecycle, and because of the need to coordinate different departments for different needs at all times, product managers are always the most active product roles, dealing both with external issues and at the same time focusing on product design, Good working arrangement and coordination ability is very important for product manager to finish the work normally, and the product manager is afraid to fall into endless wrangling with all departments and be tired of taking into account the core design work of the product.

Third, knowledge management capabilities

Rapid change is the best description of the Internet industry, if you do not focus on the market and focus on new technologies, you may wake up one day and you will find that you have not been able to keep up with the needs of the times. and good learning ability for product managers will be to maintain the vitality of the basis of innovation, in the face of continuous new technology, new product manager can not be stunned, but should take it for granted; Secondly, the product manager itself is a comprehensive role for market research, user research, product planning, development technology, brand management, project management, psychology , design science must be covered. Only with a comprehensive ability to be able to stand in various departments of communication.

Iv. Product Management capabilities

Product Manager must be responsible for the whole product lifecycle, coordinate all kinds of resources to develop and design, follow up the product on line from the Prophase product planning. The product manager must pay attention to the operation promotion after the product on-line, in order to coordinate different departments to arrange the work. Colleagues must keep an eye out for the new changes in the market from the needs of each party in order to arrange the iteration update of the product. Product Manager for a product is both a father and a mother.

V. Team management capabilities

1, communication ability product managers must rely on the technical and ued departments to achieve the requirements, so good unauthorized leadership is the key to the completion of the work, so the product manager must be a dynamic role, only in order to mobilize various departments into product design and development, Thus forming a core product project team, the product manager cannot be alone.

2. Executive capability the ability to execute a product manager not only refers to the personal scope of the work, but also includes the coordination of procedures, ued Department of the ability to work, of course, this must depend on good communication skills.

3, another product manager must also shoulder a certain product team training ability, so that the product echelon has a benign relay effect, which must be talented lean, resulting in the project can not be completed normally.