Did you know that Google’s name comes from a spelling error? Or that Alexa stores all our conversations to create a better experience?
If yes, you definitely have a knack for technology. And one of the trending jobs in technology today is Technical Product Manager.
Now you must be thinking if you’re even eligible to consider this job or not?
Don’t Worry! To become a Technical Product Manager, you don’t need a fancy degree in Engineering or MBA. Technical Product Managers come from various educational backgrounds. All you need is a bachelor’s degree and basic technical knowledge.
Also, Technical Product Managers don’t just handle technical tasks. They are in the Product Management role with a technical background, versus a cross-functional business background.
Role of a Technical Product Manager
Let’s understand the job of a Technical Product Manager in detail:
1. Creating a Product Roadmap
Like every Product Manager, one of the most critical tasks of being a Technical Product Manager is creating a product roadmap.
A product roadmap is a detailed timeline of the product journey. It presents the product vision, objectives, and tasks for each team with details and deadlines.
A Technical Product Manager builds a product roadmap with clearly defined goals and realistic deadlines after consideration of the technical requirements for product development.
A Technical Product Managers’ knowledge of the technical aspects and strong communication skills come handy while understanding the nitty gritty of tasks of engineering/design teams and communicating the needs of user.
2. Conducting Market Research
Market research is a key aspect of Product Management and development. And a successful Technical Product Manager conducts extensive market research to make informed decisions.
Technical Product Managers identify market gaps for potential products and conduct user research to understand customer needs better. This helps to find potential issues in the product and come up with ways to make the product better.
But how is a Technical Product Manager’s role unique in this?
They connect with engineers and design teams to collect feedback. Since they have a technical background they can relate to suggestions and translate their value to the stakeholders. Now, since they work with both product development teams and customers, they often have to find a middle ground that subdues both sides.
As you can see, a Technical Product Manager has to dive deep into the customer’s experience and then formulate a product strategy. Then it is his duty to translate that product strategy into product requirements and perform analysis.
He/She studies the database and defines criteria for testing. He/ She also determines KPIs for success and solicits feedback on products to incorporate into product development.
3. Collaborate, Communicate with Product Team
An essential part of the Technical Product Manager job description is that they need to communicate and collaborate with several teams and stakeholders.
That includes providing updates, asking for feedback, making sure all parties are on the same page, and discussing timelines. Having a clear line of communication among all parties ensures that the product vision and roadmap are acceptable.
4. Proactively find Sustainable Solutions
It’s part of the Technical Product Manager’s job to assess risk and steer the team away from roadblocks. If it’s not possible, they should anticipate the problem and work proactively to come up with a sustainable solution.
Risks are present at several stages of product management and can pose significant threats. These could be production issues, delayed timelines, outstanding budgets, and even labor problems.
We hope this blog gives you an insight into the roles and responsibilities of a Technical Product Manager.
