A Year in the Life of a PM

A New Article Every Week = A Full Year of Product Management Decisions

We are witnessing a dramatic rise in interest around Product Management, but there is one question that continues to dominate the discussion:

What does a Product Manager actually do?

In 2015, I set out to answer that very question by doing something that had never been done before. Every week, I published a new article here on theProductPath to relate a separate product management decision. The topics range from high-level strategic decisions like evaluating his company's product portfolio to more tactical calls like pulling an unfinished feature from a product release.

I hope you enjoy my reports. Please subscribe and spread the word.

Update: After 52 articles, the series is now complete. I have now created smaller collections to aid in browsing by different Product Management topics. You can view these compilations using the links in the main navigation menu or scroll down to view all the articles on this page.

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER - DECEMBER

Featured
Document a full Year in the Life of a Product Manager
Document a full Year in the Life of a Product Manager
Create a year-end Product progress report
Create a year-end Product progress report
Balance give and take, yes and no, push and pull with products
Balance give and take, yes and no, push and pull with products
Reach out to the local product community for growth
Reach out to the local product community for growth
Evaluate the available data for making better product investment decisions
Evaluate the available data for making better product investment decisions
Wind down current product initiatives before starting new ones
Wind down current product initiatives before starting new ones
Convey the Product Vision to outside influencers
Convey the Product Vision to outside influencers
Build the prototype to aid in new product discovery
Build the prototype to aid in new product discovery
Product-ive roadmapping for the holiday slowdown
Product-ive roadmapping for the holiday slowdown
Practice humility in product pursuits
Practice humility in product pursuits
Sync up with Product Marketing
Sync up with Product Marketing
Restore product credibility over time
Restore product credibility over time
Call in reinforcements to advance product initiatives
Call in reinforcements to advance product initiatives
Celebrate product wins big and small
Celebrate product wins big and small

JULY - AUGUST - SEPTEMBER

Featured
Brainstorm a product solution for customers
Brainstorm a product solution for customers
Take time off to recharge
Take time off to recharge
Speak on products in a public forum
Speak on products in a public forum
Showcase roadmap to advance a large deal
Showcase roadmap to advance a large deal
Conduct high-priority product research
Conduct high-priority product research
Respond to unhappy customers
Respond to unhappy customers
Prep teams for upcoming trade show
Prep teams for upcoming trade show
Initiate a few modest R&D projects
Initiate a few modest R&D projects
Guide and advise fellow Product Managers
Guide and advise fellow Product Managers
Fire up the Sales team
Fire up the Sales team
Triage an almost bungled feature upgrade
Triage an almost bungled feature upgrade
Complete an Opportunity Assessment for proposed new product
Build a quick proof of concept

APRIL - MAY - JUNE

Featured
Write the Release Notes
Sit with customers for product training
Sit with customers for product training
Unveil new product at company event
Clarify win-loss speculation with post-mortem interviews
Recalibrate product priorities for the next 6 months
weight reduction.jpg
Cut down the scope of the initial product by 20%
Find a good stopping point for a postponed feature
Head off a new product idea before it gains any more steam
Assess the Product Portfolio
Evaluate a product integration with a potential partner
Getting ready to groom
Calendar.jpg
Pull a large MVP-less feature from the next release
Publish and promote a more consumable product roadmap

JANUARY - FEBRUARY - MARCH

Featured
Deliver a more compelling product status update to the troops
Network with other Product Managers
Upgrade the Product...team
Create an in-person event to engage your customers
Present a Product Roadmap to the Board using the 3 Horizons Model
Present a Product Roadmap to the Board using the 3 Horizons Model
Make Product Decisions Like Cagan
Repave the road...map
Repave the road...map
Create a reference application for our software platform
Create a reference application for our software platform
Reset expectations around Engineering capacity
Campaign for early Product Roadmap support
Campaign for early Product Roadmap support
Pump the brakes on a customer 1-off request
Pump the brakes on a customer 1-off request
Create a shared space for departmental wish lists
Create a shared space for departmental wish lists