Product managers should focus on identifying real problems and creating innovative solutions.
Early validation of solutions in the market helps differentiate real problems from perceived problems.
Understanding human psychology is crucial in product management for effective user engagement.
Deep dives
Adam Bader's Journey from Social Media Manager to Product Manager
Adam Bader recounts his transition from a social media manager for Real Madrid to a product manager for Discovery Plus. His journey involved starting a blog on soccer, garnering a large following, and attracting attention from Real Madrid's digital department. This led to freelancing for the club and eventually a full-time position. Bader's diverse skill set, including multilingual fluency, made him well-suited for managing international social media.
The Role and Skills of a Product Manager
Bader highlights the core skills essential for success as a product manager, emphasizing the importance of problem-solving abilities. He defines a product manager as a 'problem manager' and stresses the significance of identifying real problems worth solving and creating innovative solutions. His background in internet marketing and diverse interests enabled him to adapt to various product management roles.
Validating Ideas and Understanding Real Problems
Bader discusses the challenges of differentiating between real problems and perceived problems when developing products. He advocates for early validation by putting solutions out in the market and gauging user feedback. He emphasizes the need to focus on creating 'minimum lovable products' to ensure genuine user satisfaction and avoid investing in perceived problems.
Human Psychology's Role in Product Development
Bader delves into the significance of understanding human psychology in product management, citing examples from social media platforms that exploit user psychology to enhance engagement. He underscores the importance of framing questions effectively during user research to elicit valuable insights and emphasizes the need to avoid exploiting psychology for harmful purposes in product development.
Future Problem-Solving Endeavors and Industry Insights
Looking ahead, Bader expresses interest in transitioning to traditional industries like renewable energy and space travel for future problem-solving endeavors. He encourages product managers to explore challenges beyond consumer media and directs them toward industries with significant societal impact. Bader advocates for leveraging product management skill sets in emerging technologies to address critical global issues.
Adam Bader is the Senior Product Manager for Discovery+. Learn more about Adam’s take on setting up early feedback loops of validation, Quibi, the future of streaming, and why he’s thinking about space travel, on this episode of This Is Product Management.
Want to read the terms and quotes discussed in this episode? Please visit the TIPM website, to download a transcription of this episode!
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