Notifications
Project Submitted for Job: Product Manager emp0302 2 by testkrish 0602
×
Advanced screening Submitted for Job: Product Manager emp0302 2 by testkrish 0602
×
Job Application for Job: Product Manager emp0302 2 by testkrish 0602
×
Advanced screening Submitted for Job: Ats Product Manager US - United States by testkrish 2201
×
Job Application for Job: Ats Product Manager US - United States by testkrish 2201
×
Mark all as read

Product Manager-to-Engineer Ratio Insights

Welcome to our Product Newsletter, a biweekly email highlighting top discussions, and learning resources for product managers.

What We Will Cover In This Edition:-

Top Discussions: 

1)  Looking for suggestions on how to commence a new technical PM role.

2) Is it mandatory that the wireframe be designed by the product manager?

3) Product manager to engineers ratio.

Top Learning Resources:

1. Breaking the bottlenecks: the power of value trade offs in product management

2. Product management metrics that matter: understanding the key metrics for product success

3. 5 WHYs framework – product management

__________________________

Top Discussions

Question 1Looking for suggestions on how to commence a new Technical PM role

If I were to begin a technical Product Manager position with a Fortune 100 organization in a few weeks, what would your advice be as I’m still rather inexperienced, and my expertise is in analytics and development.

I was looking for advice on how to make an impression in this new role since I really want to. Everything I read, such as “show up on time,” etc., is applicable to any job.

What can I accomplish or learn over the next few weeks to make a good impression on my first day?

– Melisa James

Discussion

A] Congratulations on your appointment as a new Technical Product Manager. Here are a few things you would be expected to do as a new TPM:

  1. Get familiar with the company’s products, services, and overall mission. Understand the target audience and the competition.
  2. Read up on the latest trends in product management and familiarize yourself with common methodologies, such as Agile and Scrum.
  3. Understand the key metrics that drive product success and be able to articulate how you would measure the success of a product.
  4. Brush up on your communication and presentation skills. Being able to clearly articulate your ideas and thoughts will be important in this role.
  5. Network with other product managers in the industry and reach out to your new colleagues.
  6. Be proactive and have some ideas ready to present on your first day. Show that you have done your homework and you are ready to hit the ground running.
  7. Be a team player and be ready to collaborate with cross-functional teams, including engineering, design, marketing and sales.
  8. Be adaptable and ready to learn and be open to feedback and suggestions.

Hope this helps.

All the best

– Matthew Shun

B] Very much agree with @MatthewShun. Additionally, I’m adding a few more points which you might find useful:

  • Keep an eye on things. Learn everything there is to know about your projects and try to get along with the developers.
  • When others are interested in what you have to say and are aware that you are interested in what they have to say, leading becomes much simpler.
  • Ask detailed questions, drawing on your previous experience as a developer. They’ll appreciate you more if they realize that you are “one of them.”

– Fergus Xavier

C]  One way to impress in your new role as a technical Product Manager is to familiarize yourself with the company’s products and industry. Research the company’s competitors and market trends and try to understand the company’s target audience and their pain points. Additionally, it would be beneficial to understand the product development process and familiarize yourself with the tools and methodologies used in product management.

Another way to impress is to come prepared with ideas and suggestions for the product. Think about how you can add value to the product and the company. Try to have a clear understanding of the company’s goals and objectives and align your ideas with them.

Additionally, communicate effectively with your team and stakeholders. Be proactive in seeking feedback and be open to constructive criticism. Show your enthusiasm and willingness to learn and grow in the role.

Finally, be a team player and be willing to take on additional responsibilities as needed. Show that you are dependable, reliable, and willing to go the extra mile to help your team succeed.

– Dhiraj Mehta

__________________________

Question 2) Is it mandatory that the wireframes be designed by the product manager?

Hello all,

I’m a former software engineer, now a product manager.

Product Managers are expected to completely design the wireframes at my organization as part of the recently modified product development process before handing it off to the designers. Do you believe this is a sensible strategy for good UX design?

I also have a decent sense of design, but I’m not very good at creating UX or UI, so I’m not particularly at ease with it either. What am I supposed to do?

– Flavia Bergstein

Discussion

A] What I say holds true in a perfect world.

Not all businesses, though, have the luxury of time or finances.

In that situation, either you or the designer can complete it. There is no simple solution that works for everyone to this problem.

To find the optimal procedure, try experimenting with your team.

And by all means, use wireframes to communicate your views or ideas if you feel comfortable doing so.

Just keep in mind that implementation includes wireframes, and that solution space involves implementation. The ideal PM should be more problem focused.

– Nathan Endicott

B] Going against the grain, I’ll say yes and no, don’t treat them like wireframes, and keep it simple. I’ve made the design team aware of how much I value working together. Making a design sketch encourages me to consider the UX flow of the product we want to construct.

I informed them that this wasn’t the plan. I make sure to emphasize that point.

– Dianne Stinger

C] You will design something that is less than ideal; don’t ask “what if.” The remark above acknowledges that reality and the fact that you must do it because your job requires it, even if the answer to the post’s question is actually “no,” which is not acceptable.

Since it is simply a sketch, the final product will undoubtedly involve collaboration, as it should. If there is a better wireframe, disregard it because you, as the product manager, have the best vision for the finished product; otherwise, ensure that the functionality is maintained, even if that means imposing and disregarding some of that “collaborative” work. The best way to do this is to explain to the team why it should be that way.

– Kane Morgan

__________________________

Question 3) Product manager to engineers Ratio

The ratio between product managers and engineers, according to my employer, is 1:10. To support the new structure, he said this. As a result, many PMs began overseeing two teams with entirely separate domains. Is this typical? How is the ratio in your business? And yes, there are no scrum masters here. Designers, PMMs, and data specialists do not work in teams.

– Felipe Ribeiro

Discussion

A] Depending on your setup, you can increase the ratios even further if the teams handle PO work or have dedicated POs. If the PM must handle all PO work, you will either need to reduce the number of teams or accept that there will be waste as teams will no longer be working on the most crucial issues.

– Rohit Kumar

B] I actively manage two products as an SPM, together with roughly eight other engineers, two designers, and three support engineers. By way of a different product manager who answers to me, I also oversee the management of another product.

Although I am unaware of the standard within the industry, I do find the set and the many goods difficult. Here are some tips on what I do:

  1. Instead of developing wireframes anymore, I now share interactive low-level prototypes or interactive wireframes with designers. Because of this, the designer and I both save time because discussions are more focused and center on productive points of disagreement rather than rambling discussions of everything that appears on the screen and finicky, repetitive, time-consuming tinkering with prototypes.
  2. Every day, I have separate conversations with the engineers about the sprint tickets at my 15-minute standups for both products. In this method, the discussions are brief and more interesting because the engineers have already read the tickets.
  3. I concentrate on conducting additional usability testing with the clients using the prototypes from simple conversations with clients. I currently aim to conduct two testing sessions each month. Despite the fact that the discussion is dynamic, and the questions keep changing, I frame my questions in advance. However, because I have already shown the client the prototypes, the client has specific questions before we even start talking.
    Although the feedback is more detailed, the customer is not deterred from discussing their more significant problems or pain points.
  4. More diagrams, more interactive prototypes, and less text (come on, how many engineers actually read these!)

– Michael Yoffe

C] In the business, sure. However, if it’s possible, a placemat exercise to foster commonality would be beneficial.

These positions may not be necessary depending on the product space. Make a strong case for adding those abilities if there is a gap. If you truly require PMM OR data, request a short-term contractor for a particular initiative to demonstrate the potential impact.

Like a PO, a scrum master. There are positions available to perform a job like that, however anyone in the delivery team can fill that position. A well-run pod can rotate SM responsibilities. If not, I urge my engineering manager to take responsibility for the position.

– Karan Trivedi

__________________________

Top Learning Resources

Breaking the bottlenecks: the power of value trade offs in product management

As a budding product manager, I was always busy in meetings, answering questions from engineers and designers about product decisions. It was great to feel needed and to be able to make decisions that would shape the direction of our product.

Product management metrics that matter: understanding the key metrics for product success

Product  management is a critical function that involves guiding a product from its conception to its launch and ongoing improvement. To be successful, product managers need to have a deep understanding of their customers, their market, and their competition. One of the most important ways to gain this understanding is by tracking and measuring key product management metrics. These metrics can provide valuable insights into the performance of a product, the effectiveness of a team, and the market trends that are shaping the industry.

5 WHYs framework – product management

If you are thinking to enter the product management field or are currently in a related role you might know that Product Managers adopt various frameworks in order to develop their roadmaps and take good strategic decisions that would make their products successful.

__________________________

If you enjoyed this newsletter, please consider sharing it with a friend by asking them to sign up here.

Who’s Prowess? We are optimist product managers, engineers, and educators working on creating a world where merit meets opportunity. On Prowess, aspiring and experienced product managers showcase skills, learn from the community, and connect with employers to advance their careers.

How can you grow with Prowess?

    1. Learn from curated learning resources and community
    2. Work on curated projects or join expert-guided group projects
    3. Receive personalized feedback from product leaders
    4. Build a portfolio to stand out as a product manager
    5. Access and apply to curated jobs
    6. Prepare for interviews with Q&A from top companies

Latest Posts