The Product Manager Role
Understand what PMs do, how they make decisions, and why this role matters
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Section 2 of 5What Does a Product Manager Do?
Product Managers (PMs) are often called the "CEO of the product"—but that's misleading. PMs don't have direct authority over anyone. Instead, they lead through influence, data, and alignment.
The PM's core job is to ensure the team is building the right thing. They answer three critical questions:
What to build?
Which features, in what order, with what scope
Why build it?
What user problem does it solve, what business value does it create
Did it work?
How to measure success, what to learn, what to do next
How PMs Spend Their Time
Explore the five key areas of PM work:
Strategy
~20% of PM's time
Key Responsibilities:
- ✓Define product vision and mission
- ✓Set long-term product direction
- ✓Align product goals with business objectives
- ✓Make build vs. buy vs. partner decisions
How PMs Make Decisions
See how PMs balance competing priorities in real scenarios:
Feature Request from CEO
CEO wants blockchain integration "because it's trending"
PM's Analysis:
No user research supports this
Unclear revenue or engagement benefit
High - requires 3 months dev time
Not aligned with product vision
Decision: Decline
Propose user research to validate demand before committing resources
How PM Communicates:
"PM says: "Let's talk to 10 customers first to see if this solves a real problem for them.""
PMs Don't Have All the Answers
Great PMs don't come in with solutions. They come with questions, curiosity, and a framework for making decisions. They synthesize input from users, data, teammates, and stakeholders—then make the call on what to do, clearly communicating the "why" behind decisions.
Key Takeaways
- •PMs ensure teams build the right thing by answering: what, why, and did it work?
- •PM time splits across: strategy, discovery, planning, execution, and communication
- •PMs lead through influence and data, not authority—they don't manage anyone
- •Great PMs balance user needs, business goals, and technical constraints in every decision