In this talk, I cover the product mindset that great product managers have and keep expanding. However, you don't need to be a product manager to develop a product mindset!

1. WHAT MAKES A GREAT
PRODUCT MANAGER?
Marc Abraham, Agile Product Open Toronto
@MAA1

2. TAKE A MOMENT!
WHO IS OR KNOWS A GREAT PM?!
@MAA1

3. @umityildirim*

4. “FRUITS OF THE VINE AND WORK OF HUMAN HANDS”
WHAT IS A “PRODUCT”?
@MAA1

5. YES OR NO?
TELL ME, ARE THESE PRODUCTS?
@MAA1

6. @cdx2*

7. @garminb*

8. @jxk*

9. @danielkorpai*

10. A product is a tangible output, which can be measured and counted
A service is an intangible benefit, which can be related to a product
@MAA1

11. @danielkorpai
@frizz
@frizz*

12. @danielkorpai @fsmurrayphotography*

13. @fsmurrayphotography
@hckmstrrahul*

14. OPERATING AT THE INTERSECTION OF CX, TECH AND BUSINESS
SO WHAT IS “PRODUCT MANAGEMENT”?
@MAA1

15. — Marty Cagan (SVPG)
THE ROLE OF THE PRODUCT MANAGER IS
TO DISCOVER A PRODUCT THAT IS
VALUABLE, USABLE AND FEASIBLE.
”
“
@MAA1

16. A product has its own lifecycle, from conception to termination
A project is a standalone piece of work, governed by set scope, budget and time
@MAA1

17. CUSTOMER - CURIOSITY - CREATIVITY - CLARITY
WHAT MAKES A PRODUCT MANAGER “GREAT”?
@MAA1
A STRONG PRODUCT MINDSET

18. — Robert Half (Robert Half International)
WHEN THE CUSTOMER COMES FIRST, THE
CUSTOMER WILL LAST.
”
“
@MAA1

19. Great product managers are customer centric:
Who is your customer? What are their problems and needs, why?
Learning early and often from (target) customers - quant + qual
Behavioural / attitudinal learning (e.g. analytics, user tests, problem
interviews)
@MAA1

20. @fsmurrayphotography

21. Great product managers are curious:
Why? Why (not)? What will the impact be? What are the unknowns?
Learning early and often - Testing assumptions + hypotheses
What if? Things go wrong or scenario A or B occurs?
@MAA1

22. @fsmurrayphotography
@josephandjosephandjoseph*

23. — Edward de Bono
CREATIVITY INVOLVES BREAKING OUT OF
EXPECTED PATTERNS IN ORDER TO LOOK
AT THINGS IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
”
“
@MAA1

24. Great product managers are creative:
Finding solutions to new + existing problems or opportunities
Comfortable embracing constraints (e.g. time, scope, budget)
Switching perspectives through customer empathy and ‘red teaming’ exercises
@MAA1

25. @fsmurrayphotography
@joannakosinska*

26. Great product managers provide clarity:
What is the direction of travel for the product? Drive a clear product vision
Expert at taking people on a journey to solve a problem or opportunity (e.g. sharing
performance data and customer feedback, early + often). Listen. Listen. Listen.
How do we collaborate? What are the responsibilities, accountabilities and
boundaries?
@MAA1

27. @nate_dumlao*

28. TELL ME!
WHAT HAVE YOU SEEN NOT SO GREAT PRODUCT PEOPLE DO / DON’T DO?
@MAA1

30. Not so great product people don’t have a relentless customer focus:
“Why are you building this?" “Because my CEO / CFO / COO / CTO wants it”
“My customer wants it?” “Cool, but why?” “Is it a need or a want?” “How do you know?”
When was the last time you engaged with (target) customers? How well do you
understand their needs or problem space?
@MAA1

31. @ecowarriorprincess*

32. Not so great product people focus on outputs over outcomes:
An outcome is a change in human behaviour that drives business results
In other words: people doing more or less of something
Not: we delivered this project, on to the next one!
@MAA1

33. @hostreviews*

34. Not so great product people are a lot less data informed:
Not setting measurable goals or tracking product performance
Therefore not using data and learnings to inform decisions and product iterations
Accountability measured by projects delivered instead of impact created
@MAA1

35. @jontyson*

36. DEVELOP YOUR PRODUCT MINDSET
BUT YOU DON’T NEED TO BE A PRODUCT MANAGER!
@MAA1

37. @fsmurrayphotography
@airfocus*

38. Be customer centric: Who is my customer? What are their needs or problems
Where to start?
Speak to (target) customers, conduct problem interviews
Study the data, understand the behaviours of your customer segment(s)
How are competitors - direct + indirect - are serving our (target) customers?
@MAA1

39. You can create clarity: What are we (not) doing? Why? Who do you need to be
clear with?
Where to start?
Vision, where do we want to get to? Why? What does success look like?
What’s our baseline? Roles, responsibilities and accountability
Conduct regular product retrospectives
@MAA1

40. Creative problem solving: Identify + assess different ways of looking at a problem,
compare and contrast options
Where to start?
“What if?”
Embrace constraints and work backwards
Crazy 8’s - good and bad ideas
@MAA1

41. You can be curious: Why? Who? What? How?
Where to start?
Find the right question to (re) frame the problem and find a way forward
Willing to be wrong, by seeking out the things you don’t know or don’t (yet) have an
answer to
Develop your own go-to questions; “Just for my learning, can you please explain?”
“What kind of risks most concern you, why?”
@MAA1

42. @austris_a*

43. CUSTOMER - CURIOSITY - CREATIVITY - CLARITY
WHAT MAKES A PRODUCT PERSON “GREAT”?
@MAA1
A STRONG PRODUCT MINDSET

44. MARCABRAHAM.COM
THANK YOU!
@MAA1
* these images can all be found on unsplash.com