The Technical Program Management Podcast & Interviews PM at Microsoft: Comparing Program Manager vs Product Manager Roles – Part I
Jan 3, 2019
Dhananjay Mahajan, a seasoned Product Manager with over 15 years of experience at tech giants like Microsoft and Oracle Cloud, sheds light on the nuances of program versus product management. He discusses the essential qualities of an effective product manager, highlighting customer empathy and business acumen. Dhananjay examines the evolving role of single-threaded leaders and contrasts traditional vs. agile methodologies. His insights into the importance of understanding customer needs and the use of analytics tools are particularly enlightening, making for a captivating listen.
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Core Product Manager Skills
- Product management requires blending customer empathy, technical knowledge, and business acumen.
- The product manager owns the entire customer experience, translating needs into viable features.
Cloud Deployment Simplicity Pitfall
- Simplifying cloud deployment led to customers overspending and surprise bills.
- Customer needs included both simplicity and control to avoid resource sprawl.
Prioritize Real Customer Problems
- Understand the real problems your target customers face and prioritize features that align with market needs.
- Use prototypes, customer feedback, and usage metrics to validate your minimum viable product continuously.