After reading all the ebooks, guides, definitions, jargons, articles and blog posts, I really get confused some times that what product management is all about.
Sometimes i feel it means being the brand ambassador of your product, some times i feel being the marketing manager and trying to promote my product in all possible ways and in any direction, sometimes i feel being a support manager and just trying to understand customer issues and trying to convince them that even if it has so many issues, still its the best product to use in the market among others.
At times i just feel to be a good business analyst and try to stuff my product with all possible features that could make it shine like a star among the rest.
And some times just be a good project manager and try to communicate so well among the team members, that release never get delayed and always meet deadlines. And hence we penetrate into the market on time.
With all due respect to everyone whom i read and talked with, i feel product management cannot be defined.
Its like asking a mother that how much she loves to her child. And defining her responsibilities/roles towards her child.
I think now you could understand my perspective.
Its a relation of mother and child. Nothing you could list out that you won't do for your child whenever there is a requirement. Means at times you become his friend, at times teacher, at time guardian, some times critic, sometimes parents.
Does that mean i'm being diplomatic and trying to say that product manager has no roles and responsibilities defined. No, its not like that.
Like sometimes for our children we become everything i.e. friend to play with, teacher to teach him, critic to help him understand his shortcomings, parents to take care of him and doctor to take care of his health.
But still we take him to the good school, get him a good teacher, ask him to meet his friends and take him to the best of the doctor whenever he is sick.
So, in a nut shell this is what i personally feel is the role of a product manager. And this is what a product demands from his product manager.
This knowledge i have gathered from my experience as a product manager at WizIQ and having discussions with Harman Singh, who himself is a great visionary & an excellent product manger and Gurjinder singh who is having a zeal to excel in product management and make WizIQ reach heights.
