Understanding the Difference Between Product Management and Technical Product Management
Product management and technical product management are two important roles in the tech industry, but they often get mixed up. In this blog post, we'll break down the key differences between these two roles, so everyone can understand what sets them apart.
PRODUCT MANAGEMENT
Tasnim
2/4/20232 min read
Introduction
Product management and technical product management are two important roles in the tech industry, but they often get mixed up. In this blog post, we'll break down the key differences between these two roles, so everyone can understand what sets them apart.
Product Management: Meeting Customer Needs
Product management is all about making products that customers love. A product manager focuses on understanding what customers want and need. They ask questions like, "What problems do our customers have?" and "How can we solve those problems with a product?"
Product managers create a roadmap, which is like a plan, for the product's future. They decide what features to build and when to release them. They work closely with different teams like design, engineering, and marketing to make sure the product meets customer needs and is successful in the market.
In simple terms, product managers are like chefs who create a recipe (product) that people will enjoy eating (using).
Technical Product Management: The Bridge Between Tech and Business
Technical product management, on the other hand, is like being a translator between the techies and the business folks. Technical product managers have a deep understanding of the technical side of the product. They know how software and technology work.
Their job is to take the product manager's roadmap and make sure it's technically possible. They work closely with the engineers and developers to explain what needs to be built and why. They also consider things like how long it will take and how much it will cost to build those features.
In simple terms, technical product managers are like tour guides. They help the tech team understand the path (roadmap) that the product manager wants to take and make sure everyone is on the same journey. Their main focus on the product itself, the ins and outs of how it gets built.
Key Differences
Now, let's sum up the main differences between product management and technical product management:
Focus:
Product Management: Customer needs and market strategy.
Technical Product Management: Techinical side of the product, Technical feasibility and implementation.
Skills:
Product Management: Understanding customers, creating roadmaps, and prioritizing features.
Technical Product Management: Deep technical knowledge, translating tech jargon, and managing technical constraints.
Collaboration:
Product Management: Works with all teams, including design, engineering, and marketing.
Technical Product Management: Acts as a bridge between the product manager and the technical teams.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, product management is about understanding what customers want and planning the product's journey, while technical product management is about making sure those plans can become a reality. Both roles are vital for creating successful tech products, and they work hand in hand to bring great ideas to life.
To be more clear, it’s not as if a product manager doesn’t focus at all on how a product gets built (techinical side of the product), or as if a technical product manager doesn’t focus at all on customer needs. Depending on the organization size and how they define the role, one type of product manager may have laser-like focus on the customer needs, while another might have a balance between the two.
