Today, the need for product managers has increased. A product manager (PM) is a professional who identifies a customer’s need and the larger business goals that a product or feature will meet, describes what product success looks like, and then organizes a team to make that vision a reality.
However, in product management, there is no one size that fits all. This means no one product manager type is ideal for everyone. Hence, each type defines a set of competencies required for the job. Let’s take a closer look at the different product manager types.
1. Startup Product Manager
A product manager in a startup is one who does it all. In this type of role in product management, you are often responsible for every day to day operations. It can help you get experience in multiple disciplines and be involved in overall business running. However, as a result, you may be the only product manager in the company. And cannot rely on other managers or mentors to assist you in developing skills and becoming a better PM.
This product management role usually requires a PM with years of experience in the field.
2. Growth Product Manager
A growth product manager focuses on increasing the user base and certain metrics by running experiments. They are responsible for identifying problems in the product to bridge the gap between supply and demand. A growth team typically includes sales, marketing, and user experience professionals to run experiments. And their primary goal is to improve the user funnel and user experience to increase sales.
3. User Experience (UX) Product Manager
This type of product manager works with a product in a highly competitive domain. Their primary objective is to ensure an excellent user experience to gain a competitive advantage.
Since the design and aesthetics of any product are important, the product manager primarily focuses on strategizing and designing the look of a product. Furthermore, they improve a product’s functionality by developing an understanding of user needs.
This role can be ideal for UX designers who want to move into product management.
4. Technical Product Manager
Technical product managers focus on the technical side of the product. They devote more time to internal teams such as development, operations, support, and training. In many organizations, a technical PM often works with other product managers who focus on external communications like customer interactions, sales and marketing activities, public relations, and promotion. In such cases, the overall product success depends on this partnership.
This role is ideal for technical professionals like developers, QA engineers, analysts, and data scientists who want to advance into product management roles.
5. Enterprise Product Manager
An enterprise PM typically works on a large enterprise product. Managers of this type have less freedom in decision-making. And they coordinate their efforts with other product managers to create a product while avoiding features that may cannibalize others.
While an enterprise product moves at a slower pace than a startup, the product’s size, and potential impact can be rewarding. To work in this position, you must have excellent communication and pitching skills, as this role requires you to interact with enterprise customers and meet their needs.
Take Away
Learning about the different types of roles in product management can be a great start for you to explore and find your ideal job role. However, just like any other job, becoming a product manager does not have shortcuts. You need to have a deep understanding of the domain and develop the necessary skills to succeed in the role. Therefore, enrolling in the product management certificate program offered by a reputable Indian institute would be the best option.
The product management certificate courses will provide a perfect combination of practical skills and theoretical knowledge in product management. These advanced online certificate courses will also assist you in furthering your career.
