- In organisations, Product Managers are there to “join the dots”. - The tasks and skills required significantly differ between tech and non-tech. - Process and methods are key in tech versus commercial acumen makes or breaks a non tech Product Manager

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How Does a Tech PM Differ From a
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10. Xavier Legrand
T O N I G H T ’ S S P E A K E R

11. How does a tech PM
differ from a non-
tech Product
Manager
Xavier Legrand

12. Tech and non-tech
Xavier Legrand
1. 10 years of automotive and retail
Product Management
2. MBA
3. 5 years of tech Product Management

13. Automotive & retail

14. Tech

15. Agenda
1. What does a tech PM do?
2. What does a non-tech PM do?
3. 3 similarities
4. 3 differences
5. Bottom line.

16. What does a tech PM do?

17. 10 things a tech PM does
1. Research the market and monitor competitors
2. Listen to customers and stakeholders
3. Define the roadmap and (re)prioritise features
4. Define and test hypotheses
5. Refine the product vision
6. Drive development of capabilities: write features and stories
7. Collaborate with UI/UX
8. Support the engineering team i.e. architecture decisions and BI to groom backlog
9. Be involved in development process (Scrum ceremonies)
10. Remove engineering blockers

18. Agenda
1. What does a tech PM do?
2. What does a non-tech PM do?
3. 3 similarities
4. 3 differences
5. Bottom line.

19. What does a non tech PM do?

20. 10 things a non tech PM does
1. Monitor sales: volumes and revenue/costs
2. Monitor market, competitors and coordinate market/consumer research
3. Gather continuous feedback from retail and franchises
4. Develop and propose yearly budgets: annual revenue, costs.
5. Define and update pricing
6. Define tactical roadmap and budgets: campaigns, advertising and incentives
7. Define promotions and campaigns to consumers
8. Define incentives for retail network and franchises + rollout
9. Manage SKU’s and other ERP specifics when appropriate
10. Manage procurement when appropriate

21. Agenda
1. What does a tech PM do?
2. What does a non-tech PM do?
3. 3 similarities
4. 3 differences
5. Bottom line.

22. Similarity #1
Focus is on outcomes: customers, revenue and profit.
Responsibility of the PM to improve the product operation and solve
any product problem to deliver on the OKR’s.

23. Similarity #2
Multitasking
Product Managers continuously juggle
with and deliver on a wide range of issues
and stakeholders.

24. Similarity #3
It’s all about information.
Listen / read / learn
● Customers
● Stakeholders
● Market and competition

25. Agenda
1. What does a tech PM do?
2. What does a non-tech PM do?
3. 3 similarities
4. 3 differences
5. Bottom line.

26. Difference #1
Software engineering process involvement
Non existent outside of tech.

27. Difference #2
Product is (in)tangible

28. Difference #2
Product is (in)tangible
Effort needed for experimentation
SKU’s, forecasts and price lists need care: risk and opportunity
—> What can possibly go wrong?

29. Difference #3
Product Maturity
Tech product see continuous
innovation and always in
introduction/growth phases.
Non tech products tend to be
have short growth phases and
have long maturities.

30. Difference #3
Focus for Tech products is in introduction/growth phases.

31. Difference #3
Tech products focus on
introduction/growth phases.
→ Continuously releasing and
testing to improve product/market
fit. End of life management low
priority.

32. Difference #3
Non tech products tend to behave as in permanent maturity

33. Difference #3
Non tech products tend to behave as
in permanent maturity
● Focus is on leveraging maturity:
many revenue levers other than
volume: price, loyalty…
● When product is replaced, VW
Golf, soap & fmcg… reference is
the success of the previous
model.

34. Difference #3

35. Agenda
1. What does a tech PM do?
2. What does a non-tech PM do?
3. 3 similarities
4. 3 differences
5. Bottom line.

36. At the end of the day Product Manager’s
solve similar things in organisations.
➔ Product Managers always “join the dots”. Information is our raw
material and it is critical.
➔ The tasks and skills required differ significantly between tech
and non-tech.
◆ Methodology is key in tech: test, deliver, improve. And
ability to convey hard facts to facilitate decisions
◆ Commercial acumen makes or breaks a non tech PM.

37. One final difference...
It comes down to personal preference...

38. In dress code...

39. www.productschool.com
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