What is a Product Manager? And why do we need them?

Let’s start with the basics—what exactly is a product?

At its simplest, a product is something that solves a problem or fulfills a need. It can be anything from the toothbrush you use in the morning to the app you scroll through before bed.

But here’s the catch: Not every product is something you can hold in your hand. Sometimes it’s an experience, like ordering a pizza through an app and having it delivered to your door. The app is the product, but so is the seamless experience of satisfying your hunger with just a few taps.

We can categorize products into three types:

1. Physical: These are the things you can touch, see, and sometimes break (oops). Your laptop, your car, that fancy coffee machine that promises to make barista-quality coffee but somehow never does—those are all physical products.

2. Digital: Think software, apps, websites, even streaming services like Netflix. You can’t physically hold Netflix, but you definitely feel its presence when you binge-watch a whole series in one weekend. Digital products solve a need without taking up space on your shelf (or in your kitchen).

3. Services: Products aren’t always tangible. Services like Uber or Airbnb solve problems by offering experiences rather than physical or digital goods. You might book a car or a place to stay, but the product is the entire service that makes it happen.

Why Products Exist: Making Life Easier

A product’s main job? To make your life easier, more fun, or more efficient. Whether it’s helping you stay connected (hello, smartphones), keeping you entertained (we see you, Netflix binge), or tackling everyday tasks (like that robot vacuum you swear is alive), the goal of any product is to bring value by solving a problem.

So, a product is anything that delivers that value—whether it’s something you can touch or not. And let’s be honest, most of the time it’s in exchange for a little cash from your pocket!

Who’s Really Behind Your Favorite Products? Meet the Product Manager

So now that we know what a product is—basically anything that solves a problem, makes life easier, or makes you feel like you need that shiny new thing—let’s talk about the unsung hero behind many of these products: the Product Manager (also known as a "PM").

Remember how we said a product could be anything from your favorite app to your go-to coffee machine? Well, those products don’t just magically appear out of thin air (as cool as that would be). They require careful planning, development, and testing to make sure they actually solve the problem they’re meant to. That’s where the product manager comes in.

What Does a Product Manager Actually Do? Here’s a Peek Behind the Scenes

Imagine you’re building a digital product, like an app that helps you find the best pizza in town (because, priorities). Without a product manager, you might end up with an app that has too many unnecessary features (do we really need a daily pizza horoscope section?) or one that’s so simple it doesn’t do what users actually want (what do you mean it only shows one restaurant per city?).

A product manager is the person who keeps everything in balance. They ask the important questions:

• What problem are we solving?

• Who are we solving it for?

• How do we make sure it actually works the way people need it to?

They’re the ones who bring together the vision for a product and guide it through the entire process—from idea to reality—while making sure it’s something people will actually use and love.

The Ultimate Translator

Think of a product manager as a translator at a big family dinner where no one speaks the same language. On one side of the table, you’ve got leadership asking, “How is this going to boost our bottom line?” On the other side, designers are talking about user flows and how the buttons need to “pop.” Developers are chiming in with technical constraints, while marketing wants to know how this product will sell.

A product manager? They’re the ones with the superpower to understand everyone. They bridge the gap between leadership, marketing, designers, developers, and—most importantly—the customer. They can take all those different perspectives, harmonize them, and turn it into one cohesive product vision. They keep everyone connected and speaking the same language, ensuring no one is left out of the conversation. Without a product manager, it’s like a game of broken telephone—but with higher stakes.

Keeping It Together

In any complex product, you’ve got multiple teams working on different pieces of the puzzle. One team is building the backend architecture, another is working on the frontend, and someone else is developing the snazzy new features. It’s easy for these pieces to end up like that IKEA furniture you spent hours assembling, only to realize the last piece doesn’t fit.

Enter the product manager. They’re the ones who make sure everything fits together before it’s too late. They unify all these separate modules into one seamless product experience. They’re the ones who prevent your product from becoming a Frankenstein’s monster of mismatched parts. Think of them as the person who makes sure that fancy new feature actually works with the rest of the product instead of feeling like a last-minute add-on.

The Customer Whisperer

A product manager isn’t just focused on what the company wants—they’re also listening to the people who actually use the product: the customers. Think of them as the messenger who’s constantly running between the two. They’re in touch with users, gathering feedback, and figuring out what’s working, what’s not, and what would make customers love the product even more.

They take that valuable customer insight and bring it back to the company, translating it into actionable ideas that drive real improvements. Without the product manager acting as this bridge, companies risk building products in an echo chamber, completely out of touch with the people who matter most: the users.

Flexible in a World of Constant Change

Let’s be real—things rarely go according to plan. Market conditions change, customer needs evolve, and sometimes, the team realizes mid-project that their brilliant idea isn’t quite so brilliant after all.

This is where a product manager’s flexibility comes into play. Like glue that can stick to anything, product managers adapt to shifting priorities and unexpected challenges without losing sight of the bigger picture. Whether it’s a sudden change in scope or a new competitor entering the market, a great PM knows how to pivot, keeping the project on course while making adjustments on the fly.

Without that flexibility, the product could get stuck in the mud every time something doesn’t go as planned.

The Glue That Holds It All: Why Product Managers Keep Everyone Together and Thriving

Think of a PM as the ultimate middleman (but the good kind, not the “why am I talking to you instead of the person who can fix my problem” kind). They sit at the intersection of different teams:

• Designers want the product to look and feel amazing.

• Developers focus on making it work behind the scenes.

• Marketing wants to make sure people know about it.

• Customers just want it to make their lives easier.

The product manager’s job is to take all these perspectives and turn them into one cohesive product. They don’t necessarily create the design, write the code, or run the ads, but they do make sure everyone is working together to bring the vision to life.

Without a PM, things can get chaotic fast. Imagine a car with a beautiful exterior, but no steering wheel, or a pizza app that shows you the best pizza in town but doesn’t let you order it.

In short, a product manager ensures that products not only solve a problem but also work in a way that makes sense, are user-friendly, and provide real value. They’re the ones who make sure the product isn’t just another thing out there, but something people actually love to use.

Being the Glue is Just Table Stakes

Okay, so being the glue that holds the product team together is important—but here’s the deal: that’s only the baseline of what makes a good product manager. It’s like saying that a chef’s main job is to chop vegetables. Sure, it’s part of the role, but it’s not the reason people line up for their food.

In the same way, just being the “glue” isn’t enough. A great product manager does more than just keep things moving—they actively drive the direction of the product and the organization as a whole. They don’t just follow the roadmap; they help create it, ensuring that the product isn’t just keeping up with the market but staying ahead of it.

Beyond the Roadmap: The Visionary Side of Product Management

A great PM isn’t just a project manager with a checklist. They’re the ones who constantly push the boundaries of what’s possible. While everyone else is focused on the product’s day-to-day development, the product manager is looking into the future, asking questions like:

• What’s the next big problem our customers will face?

• How can we make this product not just good, but groundbreaking?

• What emerging technologies or trends can we leverage to stay ahead?

A PM with innovative understanding is always on the lookout for new opportunities. They’re in touch with the latest trends, they deeply understand the market, and they know how to spot gaps where their product can shine. Whether it’s introducing a feature that customers didn’t even realize they needed or finding a way to improve an existing process, great PMs have a vision for where the product can go—and they rally the organization to get there.

Product Discovery: The Art of Finding the Right Problems to Solve

Innovation isn’t just about flashy new features. A great product manager knows that real innovation comes from solving the right problems in a meaningful way. This is where product discovery comes in.

Product discovery is the art (and science) of understanding customer needs before they even say a word. It’s about diving deep into research, data, and user feedback to uncover insights that lead to the creation of truly valuable products. Great product managers are always curious, always asking:

• What are our users struggling with?

• What do they wish they had, even if they can’t articulate it yet?

• How can we surprise and delight them in ways they didn’t expect?

This is where a great PM sets themselves apart. Instead of just reacting to customer complaints or following what the competition is doing, they’re constantly discovering new opportunities. They spend time in the trenches, talking to customers, analyzing data, running experiments, and building prototypes to validate ideas.

In other words, product discovery is about knowing what not to build as much as it is about what to build. Great product managers help the organization focus its resources on the initiatives that will drive the most impact, cutting through the noise and ensuring that the team isn’t wasting time on features no one cares about.

Leading Through Influence (Not Authority)

Since product managers often don’t have direct authority over the team members they work with (like engineers, designers, or marketing teams), they need to lead through influence. But it’s not just about keeping everyone in sync—it’s about inspiring the team with a vision of what the product could be.

A truly great PM gets people excited about what’s possible. They rally the team not just to build a product that works, but to create something that users will love. They are able to convey the “why” behind the product and help everyone—from developers to stakeholders—see the bigger picture. When a great PM is leading the charge, the team feels empowered to push their own boundaries and contribute to something bigger than just another project.

From Glue to Game-Changer: Why Product Managers Are Now More Essential Than Ever

Being the glue that holds a product team together is just the beginning for a product manager. A truly great PM goes beyond coordination—they act as a catalyst for innovation, driving the organization forward by discovering new opportunities and setting a clear, inspiring vision for the future. They don’t just keep the ship afloat; they’re the ones charting bold new courses, navigating uncharted waters, and ensuring that their product stays ahead of the competition—solving problems users didn’t even know they had.

So, why do we need product managers now more than ever? Because they turn chaos into clarity. They bring structure, strategy, and creativity to the process of building products that people actually love to use. Without them, companies would be left with lots of ideas, but no one to turn those ideas into reality.

But just as products must evolve, so too must product managers. In a world where new technologies, methodologies, and customer needs are constantly shifting, PMs need to keep learning, innovating, and staying ahead of the curve to remain indispensable.

Before you go, here are the 3 key takeaways:

1. Product Managers Are the Ultimate Connectors: They bridge gaps between teams, unify the product vision, and ensure everyone is working toward a common goal. Without them, turning ideas into successful products would be a chaotic endeavor.

2. Being the Glue Is Just the Beginning: Exceptional PMs go beyond coordination—they drive innovation by anticipating future customer needs, leveraging emerging trends, and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.

3. Adaptability Is Key: In a world of constant change, great product managers remain flexible, continuously learning and evolving to stay ahead. This adaptability allows them to navigate shifting landscapes and keep their products—and teams—thriving.

Remember, product management isn’t just about managing products; it’s about leading the charge toward innovation and making a real impact for the users and the organization.

Ready to Level Up Together?

Ready to dive deeper into the exciting world of product management? Join me on this journey as we dive into more essential topics every product manager should know. Together, we’ll explore new trends, share insights, and grow our skills to stay ahead in this ever-changing landscape.

Follow along for more tips, stories, and maybe even a laugh or two—let’s shape the future of product management together!