You Can Be Anything › All careers › Business, Finance & Economics
Product Manager
Defines what a product should be and why — bridges business strategy, design, and engineering.
Did you know?
The Post-it Note began as a 'failed' weak glue made by 3M scientist Spencer Silver in 1968; colleague Art Fry turned it into a sticky bookmark.
How subjects help
- Business Studies: Decide which features to build first based on what will win and keep customers.
- Psychology: Interview users to understand the problem they really need a product to solve.
- Computer Science: Talk clearly with engineers about what is possible and how long it might take.
- Communication: Write clear plans that keep designers, engineers and sales teams working as one.
A famous name
Marissa Mayer: Joined Google in 1999 and became a product manager shaping the look of Google Search.
Try it yourself: Ask customers before you make it
- Think of a small thing you could make or a service you could offer, like homemade bookmarks or a plant-watering service.
- Write four questions, such as: Who would buy this? Are there other things like it? What would make it special? Would you pay 50p for it, and why or why not?
- Ask at least three people you know and write down their answers, especially the "why".
- Change one thing about your idea based on what you heard, and write down what and why.
Entrepreneurs and product managers talk to real customers before building anything, so they make something people actually want at a price they will pay.
Adapted from Young Enterprise: Fiver Challenge workbook (market research).
Also try: Write an exit ticket.
Known for it in
USA, UK, Germany, Canada, India