What are your thoughts and experiences regarding internal platform products that require dedicated product managers or technical product managers, such as data platforms? Are they important? Why or why not do you think so?`
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I work for a data platform as a PM. The majority of my work consists of rectifying errors that were made when there was no PM and implementation occurred arbitrarily. What do you believe your product would resemble if there were little direction and strategy, with the possibility that some of those users were contributing? We have thousands of internal users. Undoubtedly, it is a watery muddle; upon unraveling it, one realizes that the entire structure of playing cards predicated upon this sludge is prone to collapse.
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Many thanks for your insight @YuriRoman! Could you provide an example of a corrected error and explain why an EM failed to notice it?
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The answer is system/service/internal product dependent. There are many situations in which it is extremely advantageous or essential. Product manager-advised solutions are typically those that are intricate, comprise numerous features, have stringent performance criteria, or involve a wide variety of stakeholders.
Conversely, simplified or low-effort systems supervised by a limited group of expert users rather than a product manager, are regarded less favorably.
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Data Product created. With a specific use case in consideration. After that, yet another one emerges. Should the change be implemented? Indeed, we comply with the demands of the enterprise. Is it an excellent idea? Is the cost justified by the effort expended? These are inquiries that are not routinely posed. And after a certain period of time, an entire infrastructure has been established to address a problem that could have been solved earlier on by just asking the right questions.
A PM justifies NO considerably better.
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Every business action incurs some expense, be it financial, time-based, or opportunity-based. The fundamental responsibility of a PM is to guarantee that the organization or team addresses the appropriate issues in the appropriate sequence and with the appropriate resolution, all in accordance with the business and its objectives. Essentially, it reduces the likelihood that time, money, or an opportunity will be wasted.
The absence of a project manager (PM) or an equivalent individual to oversee the alignment of the team’s activities with the objectives, targets, or goals of the organization suggests that the team is possibly squandering time, resources, and opportunities.
Will the group continue to produce successful and practical products? In all likelihood, yes.
Will their time, money, or opportunity be wasted more than if they had a PM? In all likelihood, yes.
If the existing people or team are unable to perform the “PM job” on their own, PM is required. In that case, PM is presumably unnecessary if they are capable of doing so.
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They are essential. However, the work is punishing; C-level will frequently derail your roadmap, and your presence will be diminished as you perform more backend or infrastructure work. Probably not; you are not the one introducing that significant feature. However, you must contend with the complexity that is IT. Therefore, having a product manager can help alleviate some of the burden and ensure that all aspects of the project are effectively managed. A product manager can also provide valuable expertise and guidance in navigating the complexities of IT, making it more likely that the project will be successful.
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@RohitKumar, what experience do you possess in this role? How does one interact with an EM who places a premium on features and queries the worth of a PM?
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Can’t comment on that. Didn’t really have one. So I make more decisions but also lack a technical Senior dev. It’s indeed a tightrope.
For me a TPM must also be a business analyst and as well understand enough of what the Devs need to produce high quality product.
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I lead a team of platform PMs.
In general, the answer is affirmative. Although this is not always the case,.
Contingent upon the condition of the platform. When they are premature, PMs provide less value. If the project is approaching maturity, PMs can assist in identifying the most pertinent issues to resolve, validate purchase versus build decisions, and contribute to discussions regarding when and how to scale.
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Having experience in the role of a product manager can be beneficial in dealing with an engineering manager who prioritizes features and questions the value of a PM. It is important to effectively communicate the value that a product manager brings to the project, such as their ability to align business goals with technical requirements and ensure efficient resource allocation. Additionally, highlighting success stories or case studies where having a product manager resulted in successful project outcomes can help address any skepticism or doubts from the engineering manager. Ultimately, fostering open and transparent communication with the EM and showcasing the tangible benefits of having a PM can help overcome any resistance or questioning of their value.
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Thanks! Makes sense. How are the needs different in the initial phases of the platform development when you may have to prioritize capabilities based on the end data product needs?
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In the initial phases, a lot of the answers to the prioritisation questions are not necessarily based on what is best for the user. But more around what is the best (and cost effective) solution technically.
A lot of the decisions are around technical tradeoffs vs user need tradeoffs.
Engineers are well equipped (maybe even better) compared to PMs for such tradeoffs.
Once the initial infra is laid out, the tradeoffs start becoming a good mix of tech, business, users. That is a better time and place for PMs to step in.
Also, a lot of the platform work has heavy dependencies on other eng teams. And there is a lot of to/fro between teams. In medium and large orgs, there are prgram/project managers that help with x functional alignment and collaboration. In other words, some part of the PM’s job is the PjMs responsibility
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I agree that a project manager is essential for overseeing inter-team dependencies. I would, however, defer to the Technical PM’s assessment regarding the necessity of capability prioritization. I have constructed a platform from the ground up while the engineering team attempted to resolve an imminent business need for a batch data architecture rather than a streaming data architecture. Additionally, they devoted numerous cycles to establishing engineering quality standards while data ownership and quality were disregarded. Although I am no longer associated with that product, I believe it is more crucial to prioritize which capabilities should be included in the platform according to the final use case rather than accepting the information as-is.
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