Especially in the software industry, an increasing number of new roles connected to products are emerging.
The roles of product manager and product owner do have some overlap. Product managers are rather big picture planners. They are in contact with people from other departments and deal with their demands. Product owners should oversee daily tasks of developers and also ensure there is sufficient communication within the developing team.
What a product manager does
A product manager is responsible for the overall success of the product. Therefore the person in this role needs to collaborate with many colleagues: developers, sales, finance, marketing teams, and other stakeholders. A product manager also implements the product strategy of the company.
A product manager needs to be involved in all phases of product life – from its launch till the end of its lifespan. A product manager is thus involved in:
- setting priorities for the product development
- collecting customer feedback
- making decisions and resolving conflicts
- monitoring success of the product
A product manager is also to some degree involved in marketing and sales, budgeting and customer care.
Product managers need to consider the whole variety of products that the company develops and sells, according to an article on the business2community.com website. They also need to understand what customers want and obtain their feedback during all phases of product development.
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