"Editor's note" the writer is former Hammer technology product manager, is now Doodle nails co-founder and product manager, and this article is his the voice of experience: a product manager how to get started? Reason appears to be very simple, and product managers, which was enough to resonate with many details. At any time, even if you don't have a clue, you can do not just brush your circle of friends.
Written on the front:
Give a couple of friends some product manager for advice on how to get started, combined with several years of work experience before, under the share. But both need attention:
1, my methods are probably suitable for small teams, and does not necessarily apply to a rigorous process and meticulous division of a big company. To ask the latter to do, talk to your leader, why study if nobody has brought this company would be too wide of the mark, and is replaced as soon as possible.
2, product manager, the most important is the ability to think independently. Saying "listen, hear the dark", I think the product manager can not hear, they want to and have the ability to reason and facts to convince others (not on lip shaking smart to convince others). So remember, don't make me (and anyone else says) when the Guide step by step.
Following is the text:
1. exercise understanding of their products
Beginners just getting started will be the range of prototype tools and stacks of cases of kidnapping, mind is someone in fancy features and their dog blind programme but do not know their products, head is full of other people's things.
PM like usual dialogue with others is generally:
A (the boss): do you think the four tabs here reasonable and unreasonable?
P (PM): reasonable, of course, beauty, reviews, micro-credit, do so. It is decreed.
A: we function on the page layout that reliable or not?
P: no problem. This style is the most common, interact is guaranteed to be the most popular. Unique tonal design is a popular international design concept of Minimal.
A: well, that our features are required, please?
P: competing products, these features have been, we are not bad, right?
A：......
Understanding of their products can be divided into several aspects:
Understanding of the company, and investors with the boss about
Understanding of the users, with the company's positioning and market conditions
Understanding of product positioning, related to user's original intention of positioning and product launches
Understanding of the company's research and development capabilities, including design, development and operational capabilities
Understanding of the situation in other sectors, including departments doing and all State
...
In short, you make every judgement must be based on a wide range of understanding, rather than competing products, to understand the factors, understanding of the market fragmented. Avoid belly black –
Only such, dang designer made you not satisfaction of manuscript Shi you can said "you of this style may for young, but we of target user is business people", and not said "you this enough atmosphere, no feel Ah"; Dang you requirements engineers modified a looks not important of BUG Shi can said "follow-up operation sector plans has good times large activities, to Shi flow will moments soared, you this BUG will zoom 10 times times, so is dangerous", and not said "important not heavy were it not for you engineers set of, Is a product manager, you come "; when you're debating whether to add a feature with the boss can say," I think such functionality is an important complement to do coincide with next version ", rather than" competing products do we can't fall, whether it works or not. "
How to exercise that, in fact, is a laborious and brain thing, you have to constantly communicate with the boss, communicate with colleagues, chat with user, to do research, and doing a lot of thinking and summarizing. You have to have a dictionary, recorded explanations of everything related to the product under your name, can read at any time whenever you want to query.
This dictionary can be written in the heart, can be organized into notes. The eyes of others, it may not matter, is not the mouth "trends in human-computer interaction" closed "three-dimensional design language" which can be used to hold a forcing term. But not this dictionary, every step you take is a pit, walked away when coming back to fill in, it was too late.
2. analysis and judgement ability
If the understanding of the product is the first step, the second step is how to make reliable judgments based on your understanding. GUCCI case for iphone 6 plus
Oddly enough, a lot of PM in addition to others, which is to do user research, or only the boss is from. But a lot of things simpler, and as long as there is life, there is reasoning based, clearly is more reliable.
For example.
Android MIUI do when localized, is adding the lunar calendar as one of the main characteristics of, also widely acclaimed. T1 calendar when we consider this issue: how add does not add to the lunar calendar?
Plus, the entire interface is very full, looks ugly; without it, users will need to see the lunar calendar of sorts.
It is common for a calendar interface:
For research for the PM, just do a survey questionnaire, the bigger the better, look at where users; user positioning is on the high end for PM user or enthusiast, may make a switch option, open, not closed.
But indeed can reasoning a step further: why do users need the lunar calendar?
About scene: before and after the Chinese new year; lunar calendar holidays; his birthday with family and friends. This basically covers the needs of all users.
That's easy, we just display the lunar calendar when is Chinese new year and holidays? For a birthday, we can provide the settings, users and friends birthday display the lunar calendar every year.
This is a T1 calendar interface:
This is to a large extent, prevent the embarrassing interface always displays the lunar calendar, but also to meet the needs of most users of the lunar calendar. This common sense can figure out soon right? Without complicated questionnaire? Without the complexity of product design, right?
You might say, this is a shake quick needs analysis, and was a small feature. Let me give you an example.
Doodle nail before we discuss the most basic functions and interface, not reference O2O tools popular in the market are what functions, which a few tabs, how publishing. We do the analysis of users at a time.
User questionnaire to analysis does not depend on what to do. You in the questionnaire asked "what kind of user you are," "nail care more about what do you do? "They are difficult to answer clearly. If you give specific options, what could be induced to answer possible, final conclusions often fail to explain the problem. GUCCI iPhone 6+ Case
Our analysis is that from common sense nail users using our products are what kinds of scenarios:
Style 1, has wanted to do for the user.
2, users who want to do nail art, but not a certain style.
3, uncertain, do not do it just to look at the user.
For each user, to this demand is certainly different:
1, did you want to do the style or something like that style.
2, see you have a nice style.
3, look what you have done enough to attract her nail place.
Demand for these three, we want to provide functionality is different:
1, style offers customized services based on user, search and filtering capabilities.
2, excellent/top recommended; search and filter functions.
3, topic boutique/top recommended.
So, when users see our products for the first time, we need to provide the functions at a glance: feature, featured, search/filtering and customization.
We judged that the product has just launched, the 3rd user most certainly, the 2nd user will gradually rise, 1th users is high-end, advanced user, appeared much later. On the function of primary and secondary are clearly.
Last first edition products, recommended and we decided to focus in on the topic, the search function is the second online features and customization will be a future version of the feature. Interface layout and typography, also feature clear priorities, so knowing.
Looking at the end result, out of the interface seems to be pretty much the same. But because every feature, from a development perspective, consumes energy, will affect the experience from a user perspective, if it is thinking of, a little difference, some of the optional features will be diametrically the wrong decisions.
In fact, all these things are common sense can judge. You said I'm not a woman, understand nails Editor, but you go to Taobao, Jingdong, right? User ideas when shopping or can imagine, right? When you have after the initial judgment, user research the meaning reflected: it was as a means of verification. But it cannot be used as source of demand.
To sum up, the product manager before making any decisions, to do three little words:
Speak the truth.
How to cultivate the ability? Is not difficult. Is to ask why in everyday life.
This community needs around three laps the car park entrance, why design? The UNIQLO's door, a glance is all underwear, displaying what is the reason? Coffee shop downstairs usually do not have many customers, but actually lasted five years before closing, their revenue and expenditure balance?
Much is the same, every day want to understand something, that really encountered difficult problems, you might want to know further, than the others can count on. Continue to look at other people's products, but not the fur, but to think about business models, to interaction details, to the visual style of cause, doing what makes sense.
3. to ensure good communication and presentation skills.
If products are fully understood, have a clear judgement on various issues, the next step is to take these their understanding and judgment make full Exchange and communication with colleagues.
In fact, it is not difficult, or communication skills, is said to have frequently mentioned the EQ on the one hand, how powerless you are facilitating you to complete tasks, coordinate the work of all not so boring; the other is to make every communication is efficient, not a waste of time.
For the former, my suggestions are:
1, always know he is product manager, but not the Manager, not aggressive;
2, with well-grounded facts to convince people rather than "boss's decision," "with you it doesn't matter anyway" this fucking;
3, others are in trouble should not say, "I don't care, it's your thing", take the initiative to understand his difficulties, and do our best to help solving unsolvable options together;
4, product item there is contradiction between any of my colleagues in the group, to take the initiative to coordinate on the sidelines watching;
5, feel free to let colleagues know the progress on each product line, allow us to master;
6, the user's feedback to well known colleagues, let everyone have a sense of achievement, feel they do have value.
For the latter, my suggestions are:
1, every discussion, whether it is a pair of a chat or a meeting, clearly the purpose of plan;
2, describes the problem clearly, want to say, and don't run;
3, each forming conclusions, do not discuss to discuss has to feel very full, no conclusion is nonsense;
4, do not give anything to other people to decide themselves ready for further options and recommendations;
5, record each time the process and conclusion of the discussion, you can always check out;
Ability to learn the fastest way of communication is not recited from a book, or note me to copy these small, but find someone you feel very comfortable, very good people, learning of his advantage.
4. product responsibility
Responsibility seems to be the most easy to some, but I faced a lot of good PM feel shame.
I particularly enjoy @ Chi Jianqiang's bottom line: product managers have been the most important ability is to make the right things happen.
1-3 you do what I say, but that's just doing "the right thing" whether they have occurred, but to test your sense of responsibility.
Engineers for the project in the middle line, when you were downstairs eating popcorn in the cinema, or quietly beside him? In the designer with the boss because programmes make stiff when you're waiting for them to shake hands, and is actively looking for bosses or talk to a designer project as soon as possible? Business colleagues for a emergency activities when you demand less actual features, you are a "to do" sent away or is under serious discussion with her is there any other way I can manage with that?
Yes, strictly speaking, you're working with company contracts, you can't be forced to work overtime; your job is product, not solutions to help others; you are not the owner, the company is not up to you to fill in.
But a good product manager, is responsible for any product-related services. Any product line should be properly solved by you, any help should be given to the products concerned.
Choices in this, determine your product manager is mediocre or excellent.
5. concerning the use of tools.
Tool at the end says, is because the actual sense of the product manager, and do not have to master too much prototyping tools, interactive drawing tools or drawing tools.
No matter what tool is well known and is currently doing service. Is that sentence just now, why would you use it? Do it now do things helpful to you?
Many start-up teams just beginning, began to build the massive Feature/Bug of recording and processing platform with extremely complex requirements document describes rules, Axure, as essential mind mapping tool. Not increase efficiency, but caused a lot of problems.
Just like MBA is not suitable for entrepreneurs, complex processes will be a serious drag on the operation of the small and medium sized companies. I usually use Keynote, Sketch the tool that can completely overwrite the 90% demand for design work; product development needs Trello or windmill for recording and processing, simple, and easy to use.
Remember a can: just think on hand tools easy to use, efficient, and that there is no need to replace on the tall. In addition to acting, no other meaning.
6. the wide-ranging
The last time, "" a friend asked me, he often argued with the designers, he always felt that painting on the layout problem, but could not say where is the problem, what should I do. I said it was simple, intuitive if you have a problem, it may have made some basic mistakes, you have to learn more knowledge of typography, and more to understand common typography, that following the controversy sure has clout.
As product manager, understand the basics of some of the other posts are very useful. This will not only ensure good communication, can also help you in considering the needs, design idea. This is a good addition, and certainly not okay.
To see what they were looking at books and find some basis of a look or you can know that fast-food kind of article. So that others won't say, forced blind every day this guy will want some ideas, draw some dubious prototype, do not pick up energy programmes.
However, although the product manager to learn is very important, but I think with a kick-ass master, can you really be a kick-ass product manager.
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