What Does a Product Manager Do All Day? | Day in the Life of a PM

Summary

Kevin Way, a product manager, offers a glimpse into the dynamic and varied life of a PM. From brainstorming and user interviews to working with designers, engineers, and data scientists, the role involves addressing urgent emails, monitoring product health, participating in daily stand-ups, conducting usability tests, and engaging in one-on-one meetings. The video script highlights the importance of communication, collaboration, and staying agile in a fast-paced tech environment.

Takeaways

• 📅 The role of a Product Manager (PM) is dynamic with no typical day, as new priorities, blockers, and opportunities frequently arise.
• 🔍 PMs' responsibilities vary depending on the stage of the product life cycle, from discovery and definition to execution.
• 🤔 In the discovery stage, PMs brainstorm and conduct user interviews to validate ideas.
• 📝 During the product definition stage, PMs plan their Minimum Viable Product (MVP) and collaborate with designers.
• 🛠️ In the execution stage, PMs work with engineers on implementation and with data scientists to conduct A/B tests.
• 📧 PMs start their day by checking emails and messages, addressing urgent communications from leadership, other teams, or external vendors.
• 📊 They monitor the product's health by checking dashboards for key metrics and communicate any significant performance trends to the team.
• 🗣️ Daily engineering stand-ups, or scrums, help align the team, clarify requirements, and overcome blockers.
• 🍽️ Lunchtime can be for socializing with colleagues, attending tech talks, or watching educational content.
• 💼 Afternoons may include one-on-one meetings with team members to share updates and gather input on ongoing work.
• 🔧 Towards the end of the day, PMs allocate time for solo work such as writing PRDs, responding to document comments, or creating team newsletters.
• 🔄 PMs are involved in numerous meetings to unblock team members, stay informed about developments, and ensure the product's success.

Q & A

What is the role of a product manager (PM) as described in the video?

A product manager is responsible for managing the lifecycle of a product. Their role is dynamic and varies depending on the stage of the product. They may be involved in brainstorming ideas, conducting user interviews, planning the minimum viable product (MVP), working with designers and engineers, and collaborating with data scientists for A/B testing.

How does a PM's day typically start?

A PM's day usually starts by checking emails and messages, addressing any urgent communications, and reviewing the product's health through performance dashboards to monitor key metrics.

What is the purpose of a daily engineering stand-up or scrum meeting?

The daily engineering stand-up, also known as a scrum, is a short agile meeting aimed at syncing the team, clarifying requirements, and overcoming any blockers to ensure smooth product development.

What does a PM do during a usability meeting?

During a usability meeting, a PM solicits feedback on new features from the engineering team and others to identify any issues or bugs that need to be addressed before the features are shipped to users.

How does a PM spend their lunch break as mentioned in the script?

If not occupied by meetings, a PM might use their lunch break to socialize with co-workers, attend a tech talk hosted within the company, or watch educational or entertaining videos.

What is the significance of one-on-one meetings for a PM?

One-on-one meetings allow PMs to check in with their team members, share updates, and get input on ongoing work, ensuring alignment and addressing any individual concerns or needs.

What kind of solo work does a PM engage in towards the end of the workday?

Towards the end of the day, a PM might engage in solo work such as writing product requirements documents (PRDs), replying to comments on documents, or drafting the weekly team newsletter for leadership.

How do PMs handle ad hoc meetings or issues that arise?

PMs are often pulled into ad hoc meetings or discussions when a team member wants to discuss an issue in detail or when there is a problem that requires their immediate attention to resolve.

What tools or platforms might a PM use to communicate updates or gather feedback?

A PM might use various communication tools, including email, messaging platforms, and possibly a 'slap' message, which seems to be an internal term for a quick update or alert within the company.

What is the role of metrics in a PM's daily routine?

Metrics play a crucial role as they help PMs monitor the product's health and performance. Any significant deviations, especially in the 'north star' metric, are flagged and addressed to ensure the product is on the right track.

What resources does the video recommend for those interested in product management?

The video recommends Exponent, which offers resources to help individuals prepare for product management interviews, and encourages viewers to subscribe for interview preparation videos and visit tryxponent.com.