Product Design and UX Design Roles: Unveiling the Differences
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- 10 mths ago
Product management is the practice of applying an understanding of user needs, business objectives and technology to create products that provide seamless user experiences and meet business goals. Product managers combine their skills with those of designers. Their primary role is to identify and articulate the user needs and business objectives that a product must address.
Product management (PM) and user experience (UX) design are two distinct disciplines—yet they’re intertwined. And they both play crucial roles in terms of how brands make successful products—and the people who work in these fields often find themselves straddling the thin line that separates the definition of what they do. It’s a phenomenon of sorts that’s led to the emergence of a new breed of professionals—and they’re called UX product managers.
The role of a UX product manager is—in a nutshell—to understand the customer's needs and to translate them into product features that truly do meet those needs. An important part of this is that these managers have got to work with UX designers—and that’s so they can develop user-centric designs that solve customers’ problems and reflect a solid understanding of their user flows. These UX product design managers must also collaborate with product owners or stakeholders and engineers to make sure the product meets all necessary requirements. What’s more, they’re at the helm to set product strategy, create business plans, launch products and manage market research initiatives.
Ultimately, these managers are responsible for making sure of the successful delivery of a product that meets customers’ expectations and drives business growth. Particularly when product managers work with cross-functional teams, they have to strive to construct a unified, smooth and solid “runway” to help digital products launch successfully into their target audience as optimal product experiences.
The role has both a technical and creative dimension—and it calls for a combination of skills. These include user experience design, project management, strategic thinking, analytics, communication skills, problem-solving abilities and leadership capabilities.
A successful UX product manager has got to have a deep understanding of their users’ needs. What’s more, a manager must be able to get these needs across to multiple stakeholders—and effectively so. They’ve got to be able to identify trends in the market and create strategies that actually meet customer demands and do it well. And they must understand the customers’ needs and translate them into product features that really do meet those needs. Empathy for the target audience must—therefore—be a core concern of both the design team and the product manager in any given project.
This video explains empathy, and why it’s vital in design and product management:
By definition, a UX product manager is a unique professional who combines the skills of a product manager and a UX designer. They define what success looks like for a product and rally a team towards the realization of that vision.
However—unlike traditional product managers in the design of physical products—UX product managers also have a deep understanding of UX design principles and methodologies. This equips them with the ability to guide the product design process to ensure user needs are at the forefront of every decision at every stage of the product’s development. The role and responsibilities involve unique perspectives on product ideas, product concepts, marketing strategies, the target market and other factors.
The roles of product managers and UX designers often do overlap in several key areas—and that’s why considerable confusion can come about. Namely, there's confusion over who should be responsible for what. From a broader perspective—though—it becomes clear that these roles complement each other rather than compete.
Managers and designers share a goal—and the thing that they’ve in common here is to create products that meet users' needs while these products achieve business objectives. Product managers and designers both focus on the user, and they both conduct research so they can deeply understand their needs. What’s more, they use those insights to guide the product development process.
Product managers typically focus on strategic aspects—such as to set the product vision, prioritize features and align stakeholders. Meanwhile, UX designers get right down into the details of the user interface—and create wireframes, prototypes and the final pieces of visual design. They also do usability tests to make sure that the product’s easy to use and that it meets users' needs.
In essence, product managers define the “what” and “why” of the product—while UX designers determine the “how.” Together, they make sure that the product solves a problem for the users and does so in a way that’s engaging and delightful. They’re two major parts of why a finished product has got such a competitive advantage—and they’re vital to any business case.
There’s an especially common question that tends to crop up in UX design—and it’s whether a UX designer can transition into a product management role. And the answer is a resounding “yes.” In fact, many successful product managers did start their careers as UX designers—before they shifted across the design team.
To make the transition from designer to manager, one’s got to expand one's skill set to include strategic thinking, business acumen and leadership abilities. UX designers already tend to have a deep understanding of user needs—and it’s a skill that’s critical in product management. UX designers can build on this foundation and learn about business strategy, market analysis and project management. When they do that, they’ll be in a place where they can effectively transition into the role of UX product manager.
Product managers can succeed in product management if they:
Assume an active role in idea generation and advocate for the user and user control. They’ve got to be able to communicate ideas clearly and concisely.
Research the market. Product managers should research the market thoroughly—to understand user needs, competitive products or services, and trends in the industry. This activity will help them develop an effective product strategy. It will be one that meets user needs in terms of products to market and keeps up with the competition.
Build strong relationships with stakeholders—such as developers, designers and executives—to make sure a smooth product development process becomes and remains a reality. Managers should also nurture relationships with customers and users to make sure that they create a product that really does meet their needs.
Effective product management in UX design has five stages: Discovery, Design, Test, Build and Measure. Each of these stages plays a role that’s utterly critical to make sure that the product doesn’t just meet the users' needs—but aligns with the business objectives, too.
1. Discovery: It’s the initial stage, and it’s all about understanding the market and the users—and the problem that’s in need of a solution. It involves extensive user research and analysis to get insights that will inform the design process.
2. Design: As it leverages the insights from the discovery phase, this stage focuses on making solutions—and to visualize the potential product, it takes ideation, sketching and prototyping.
3. Test: Before the prototype can move on into development, it undergoes rigorous testing with real users. It’s a crucial phase—to collect feedback and make needed adjustments to improve the product.
4. Build: Now they’ve got a refined design, the product development team then builds the solution. This phase calls for developers, UX/UI designers and product managers to work closely to bring the vision to life.
5. Measure: After the launch, the manager continuously monitors the product against key metrics and user feedback. This data informs future iterations—plus, it makes sure the product evolves to meet changing user needs.
In the age of Agile design, visual roadmaps have become indispensable tools for product managers. These roadmaps serve not just as a plan but as a strategic communication tool that gets the team and stakeholders aligned around both the vision and progress of the product, too. Key elements of an effective visual roadmap include:
Themes: They articulate the overarching goals and narratives of the product—and make sure every team member understands the “why” behind their work.
Color-coding: This visual cue links work items to specific outcomes, goals or priorities—and it makes it easier for the team to stay focused on what matters most.
Strategic focus: As it highlights items of strategic importance, the roadmap makes sure that the design team do indeed concentrate their efforts on initiatives that drive the most value.
There’s a synergy between these stages and the strategic use of visual roadmaps—and it’s something that really exemplifies effective product management in UX. Product managers aim to take a methodical approach—one that emphasizes discovery, user-centric design, testing and continuous measurement. That way, they can steer their products towards being successful ones. What’s more, the use of themes, color-coding and a focus on strategic priorities within roadmaps makes sure that the entire team’s on the same page—and moves towards achieving the desired outcomes and goals.
Several key strategies are vital must-haves—and they don’t just streamline the product development process; they make sure that the end product resonates deeply with users, too. Below, here’s a detailed exploration of these:
Engage in continuous dialogue with existing customers—to keep up with market trends.
Analyze feedback meticulously—to find areas for improvement and innovation.
This approach is something that makes sure the product does evolve in step with user needs and preferences—and that it nurtures users’ loyalty, plus optimizes their satisfaction levels.
Implement a structured framework for feature prioritization—and do it so it’s really in line with the overarching product vision.
Don’t waste effort—by focusing development on features that truly contribute a great deal to the product's strategic goals.
This strategy prevents resources from getting wasted—plus, it keeps the development team well and truly focused on delivering value.
Do comprehensive user research—through interviews, surveys and observation—to drill down and get a really deep understanding of user behaviors, preferences and pain points.
Empathize with users. It’s vital to put oneself in their shoes—and to aim to create experiences that truly suit their needs.
This foundation of empathy and insight acts as a vital guide—plus, it helps make sure that products are both very user-centric and highly engaging.
UX Strategist and Consultant, William Hudson explains how important user research is in this video:
Nurture a culture of collaboration; get cross-functional teams productively involved in brainstorming sessions.
Encourage the team to explore diverse design solutions—and really tap the team’s collective creativity and expertise.
This collaborative environment is something that doesn’t only generate innovative ideas—it makes sure that various perspectives manifest in the design process as well.
UX Designer and Author of Build Better Products and UX for Lean Startups, Laura Klein explains the value of cross-functional teams:
Do rapid prototyping to quickly validate design concepts and collect user feedback.
This iterative process allows for swift adjustments based on user input. It makes sure that the UX really aligns with user expectations before final development becomes a reality.
Author and Human-Computer Interaction Expert, Professor Alan Dix explains prototyping and the need for it:
Structure content and design intuitive navigation systems to streamline the user journey.
Apply typography, color schemes and imagery to create visually appealing and intuitive interfaces.
These design choices not only give a boost to the product’s aesthetic appeal; they also improve its usability, and reduce friction and elevate user satisfaction as well.
Principal and Owner of Lebsontech LLC, Cory Lebson explains usability in this video:
Make it a priority to make accessible experiences—think about the diverse needs of users, including those with disabilities.
Stick to accessibility guidelines and standards—such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)—to make sure that the product really is usable and enjoyable for everyone.
See why accessibility is such a vital consideration in any design:
Use analytics tools to track relevant metrics and assess what the impact of UX design is on the product's success.
Regularly analyze data to spot trends—and iterate based on measurable outcomes and user feedback.
This data-driven approach is something that really enables the continuous optimization of the UX. It makes sure that the product will stay competitive and meet user needs as they evolve.
William Hudson explains when and why to use analytics in this video:
Always prioritize the customers’ needs; make sure that the product runs in line with market trends and what users expect to find.
It’s a vital thing for a manager to develop strong self-management skills to handle tight deadlines and market demands—all while keeping a strong sense of social awareness to understand and address customer emotions and concerns.
To do an assessment of how effective UX product management is, it's vital to track key performance indicators (KPIs). These metrics give helpful insights into how well UX and product management efforts resonate with a brand’s users. They also show where to make improvements—for example, in the visual hierarchy of a user interface (UI).
CEO of Experience Dynamics, Frank Spillers explains a central part of product management:
Some key UX product manager metrics to consider include:
Use surveys or interviews to gauge users' overall satisfaction with the product.
Measure the percentage of users who successfully complete a specific task or goal within the product.
Track the average amount of time it takes users to finish a particular task or action.
Monitor the percentage of users who take a desired action—such as to sign up for a newsletter or make a purchase.
Assess the percentage of users who continue to use the product over time.
Good UX product managers understand user needs, business objectives and emerging trends in UX design. So, they can drive product development strategies that lead to successful product launches and stable final products.
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Read our piece on Product Design and UX Design Roles: Unveiling the Differences for valuable insights.
Read Product Management’s Role in a Modern Cross-Functional Team by ProductPlan for additonal in-depth information.
Consult The Ultimate Guide to UX Design for Product Managers by Maven for valuable tips and examples.
Go to UX for Product Managers by Daniel Elizalde for further information.
Read The overlap between UX & product management roles by Suruchika Choudhary for additional insights.
Get the relevant skills and experience and understand the responsibilities of what it takes to manage a product from conception to launch. Here's how you can make this transition:
Educate yourself: Online courses, workshops and reading material on product management deliver a solid foundation on and for it.
Get related skills: Product managers need a broad skill set—including market analysis, UX design and project management. Develop these skills through courses, projects, or roles that touch on these areas.
Gain experience: Look for opportunities to work on product-related projects within your current job—even if it's not in a product management role. Volunteer for tasks that involve market research, user testing or product strategy.
Network with product managers: Join product management groups or forums online and go to industry meetups to connect with current product managers. Networking gives really useful insights into the role—plus, it could lead to mentorship or job opportunities.
Showcase your skills: Build a portfolio that includes case studies of your work—especially for any projects where you had a direct impact on the product strategy—or development. It’s something that can be really crucial to show how capable—and well-suited—you are for a product management role.
Apply strategically: Look out for product management roles that really match your experience and skills—and tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight relevant experience and skills that are in line with a product manager’s responsibilities.
If you follow these steps and demonstrate a passion for product development and strategy, you can successfully—transition into a product management role.
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A product manager benefits from an educational background that combines business, technology and design. While there isn't a one-size-fits-all degree for product managers, certain fields of study really do stand out for how relevant they are to the role.
Business and management: Courses in business administration, marketing, finance and strategic management are really helpful ways to equip product managers with the skills they need to understand market needs, develop business strategies—and manage product lifecycles.
Computer science or engineering: A technical background is something that can help product managers communicate effectively with development teams, understand the technical challenges of product development—and make informed decisions on technical trade-offs.
Design: Knowledge in design principles, UX design or graphic design empowers product managers to focus on creating user-centered products that are successful—ones that offer great experiences.
Psychology or sociology: An understanding of human behavior and social dynamics can be an invaluable thing when it comes to the design of products that truly meet users' needs—and in order to conduct effective user research.
Cross-disciplinary programs or experience that blend these areas offer a really strong foundation for a good career in product management. What’s more, practical experience through internships, projects or startup ventures can be just as crucial as formal education is. Continuous learning and staying updated with industry trends, methodologies and tools also play a critical role in a product manager’s success.
William Hudson explains the nature of product design in this video:
There are a wide range of salaries—and factors such as experience, location and the specific industry they work in are what influence these.
Generally, entry-level product managers start with salaries of around $60,000-$100,000 a year.
More experienced product managers: $100,000-$150,000.
Managers in senior positions—or ones at large tech companies—can see salaries of well above $150,000—and that’s not including bonuses and equity in some cases.
It's important to note that the tech industry often does offer the highest salaries for product managers—and that’s especially so in tech hubs like Silicon Valley. Those are the places where the demand for skilled product managers drives up salary ranges. What’s more, product managers in sectors like healthcare, finance and e-commerce typically command competitive salaries, too—and it’s something that reflects how important their role is in guiding both product development and strategy.
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Here’s how they do it:
Market research: To start with—product managers collect and analyze information about the market, competitors and trends—and this research helps them understand where opportunities or challenges really lie.
Identify user needs: Through interviews, surveys and usability testing, product managers collect feedback from current and potential users. This step is really crucial to understand what users truly need and value.
Define vision and goals: Taking market research and user needs as their basis, product managers articulate a clear vision for the product—and they set specific, measurable goals that align with this vision, too.
Prioritize features: With their goals firmly in mind, product managers prioritize features and functionalities that’ll deliver the most value to users—and meet business objectives. This includes that they’ve got to make tough decisions on what to include or exclude in the product roadmap.
Develop a roadmap: The product roadmap is a strategic document—one that outlines the timeline and milestones in which to develop and launch product features. It serves as a guide for the development team and gets the strategy across to stakeholders.
Iterate and refine: Product managers collect feedback from users and stakeholders—continuously—and they use it to refine the product strategy, and make adjustments as necessary.
This process ensures that the product strategy is user-focused, goal-oriented and adaptable to changes in the market or user preferences.
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A good product vision captures the essence of what the product aims to achieve in the long term—and it inspires and guides the team towards a shared goal. It really serves as the north star for decision-making throughout the product development process. Here are the key elements for one:
Clear and concise: The vision should be really straightforward and easy to understand—and shouldn’t have any complex jargon in it. It lets everyone involved—from stakeholders to team members—quickly grasp the product's purpose.
Inspiring: It should motivate the team and stakeholders—by presenting a compelling picture of the future that the product seeks to make. And an inspiring vision drives engagement and commitment.
Purpose-driven: The vision has got to articulate the problem the product will solve or the need it’ll fulfill—plus highlight the impact on users or the world.
Strategic: It should run in line with the company's broader goals and strategies—and make sure that the product really does contribute to the brand’s overall success.
Future-focused: A good product vision looks way beyond the current market and technology trends—and it envisions where the product can go in the future.
Achievable: While it’s ambitious, the vision has got to be realistic and attainable—and it must have a basis in an understanding of what’s possible given the resources and constraints.
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Here's how they collaborate well with dev teams:
Define clear goals: Product managers communicate the product vision and objectives to the development team—and they make sure that everyone understands the target outcomes.
Prioritize features: They work to find—and prioritize—features and functionalities based on user needs, business goals and technical feasibility. This process means that managers negotiate what to build next to maximize value.
Create roadmaps: Product managers develop and share roadmaps that outline the planned features and updates—and these roadmaps help the development team understand both the timeline and what's expected of them.
Facilitate communication: They serve as the main point of contact between the development team and other stakeholders—and make sure there are clear and open communication channels. Product managers relay feedback from users and stakeholders back to the developers.
Solve problems: When issues come up, product managers collaborate with the development team to find solutions—and they make sure that the project really does stay on track.
Celebrate successes: Definitely a way to help motivate the development team is to recognize achievements and milestones—and it nurtures a positive working environment, too.
When product managers perform these roles, they make sure that the development team stays focused on delivering high-quality products—ones that meet user needs and business objectives.
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Product managers regularly monitor a set of key metrics to track the performance of their products, make informed decisions and steer the product strategy effectively—and these include:
User engagement: This measures how actively users interact with the product. Metrics like daily active users (DAU), monthly active users (MAU) and session length really shed insights into the product's value to its users.
Customer satisfaction: Tools like Net Promoter Score (NPS), Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT) and customer feedback surveys are things that help gauge users' satisfaction levels—and help spot areas for improvement.
Conversion rate: This tracks the percentage of users who take a desired action—like signing up, making a purchase or upgrading their service—and it's a really crucial thing for understanding the product's effectiveness in driving business goals.
Retention rate: The rate at which users keep on using the product over time indicates its long-term value—and stickiness.
Churn rate: On the other side of things, this measures the percentage of users who stop using the product—and it's an utterly vital metric for spotting potential issues with user experience or product-market fit.
Revenue and growth metrics: Product managers monitor revenue, growth rate and other financial metrics so they can be sure the product contributes positively to the company's bottom line.
If product managers keep a close eye on these metrics, they can identify trends, stay one step ahead of challenges and capitalize on opportunities to enhance the product and achieve strategic goals.
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Product managers lead cross-functional teams by acting as the central hub of communication and decision-making—and make sure that all team members work towards a common goal. And here’s how they do it effectively:
Set clear goals: They articulate a clear vision and set achievable goals for the product—and get the team aligned around a unified direction.
Communicate well: Product managers keep very open lines of communication with all team members—and that includes people in design, engineering, marketing and sales. They make sure everyone’s got the information they need to make informed decisions.
Nurture collaboration: They encourage teamwork and collaboration—by organizing regular meetings and brainstorming sessions. This productive gelling together helps leverage the diverse skills and perspectives within the team and get them working well.
Prioritize tasks: Product managers put tasks in priority—and that’s based on their impact on the product’s success, plus they make sure the team focuses on work that drives the most value.
Make data-driven decisions: They use data and user feedback to guide product development—and make decisions that are best for the product and its users.
Resolve conflicts: Product managers mediate disputes within the team. It’s a vital point—and it’s a skill that makes sure that differences in opinion don’t end up derailing the project.
Celebrate successes: They recognize and celebrate the team’s achievements—and they boost morale and motivate the team to keep on delivering their best work.
As product managers put these strategies into use, they effectively lead cross-functional teams—steering product development towards success while maintaining a positive and productive team environment.
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The role of a product manager evolves a great deal across different stages of a product's lifecycle—so adapting to the changing needs and challenges of the product.
Conceptualization stage: In a project’s early stages, product managers put a focus on working out what the market needs actually are, conceptualizing the product—and getting its vision and strategy defined. What’s more, they conduct market research, develop personas and create a product roadmap.
Development stage: As the product moves on into development, product managers work closely with design and engineering teams to actually build the product. They prioritize features, manage the product backlog and make sure that the development is well in line with user needs and business goals.
Launch stage: During this phase, product managers prepare go-to-market strategies—and they coordinate with marketing, sales and customer support teams. They put a great focus on creating awareness, easing the way for a successful launch—and, indeed, monitoring the initial user feedback.
Growth stage: In the growth stage, product managers analyze user data, feedback and market trends to spot opportunities for improvement and expansion. They focus on things like optimizing the product, adding new features and increasing market share.
Maturity and decline stages: As the product matures—and as it potentially enters decline—product managers must decide on strategies to rejuvenate the product or gradually phase it out. They may explore new markets, reposition the product or manage its end-of-life gracefully.
Throughout these stages, a product manager's ability to adapt and manage shifting priorities is an absolutely crucial thing for the product's success and longevity.
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Product managers prioritize features on the roadmap by how they assess their impact on user needs, business goals and technical feasibility. This process is something that makes sure that the team really focuses on developing features that do—indeed—offer the most value. And here's how they do it:
Understand user needs: Product managers collect user feedback through surveys, interviews and usability tests so they can understand what users need—and value—the most.
Evaluate business goals: They get feature development in line with the company's strategic objectives—like increasing market share, improving customer satisfaction or generating revenue.
Assess technical feasibility: Product managers consult with the engineering team so they can estimate the complexity and resources that each feature’s going to need. This is something that helps in the understanding of what’s technically possible within a set of given constraints.
Use prioritization frameworks: Tools like the RICE scoring model (Reach, Impact, Confidence, and Effort) or the MoSCoW method (Must have, Should have, Could have, Won't have) are great things to help in objectively evaluating and ranking features.
Balance short-term and long-term needs: Product managers prioritize features that address immediate user needs or regulatory requirements—and they don’t lose sight of long-term strategic goals.
Iterate and adjust: They continuously revisit the roadmap—adjusting priorities based on new information, user feedback and changes in the business environment.
If product managers follow this structured approach, they can make sure that the product roadmap reflects a balanced, strategic plan—one that meets user needs, achieves business objectives and is technically viable.
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They use a constructive and proactive approach to resolve disagreements and keep a positive work environment going—and here’s how they go about doing it:
Identify the root cause: They start by understanding what the underlying issues actually are behind the conflict—whether it’s a miscommunication, differing priorities or personal differences.
Encourage open communication: Product managers make open discussions easily happen—and they let all the parties express their viewpoints and concerns. This nurtures a culture of transparency and mutual respect.
Seek common ground: Through how they focus on shared goals and the bigger picture, they help the team find common ground and agree on a solution that really aligns with the product’s objectives.
Mediate the discussion: Product managers mediate—and guide the conversation to make sure that it remains constructive, and they focus on solving the problem rather than assigning blame.
Propose compromises: When it’s necessary, they suggest compromises that respect each party’s concerns while moving the project forward.
Implement solutions: Once a resolution does come about, product managers oversee its implementation, and make sure that the agreed-upon actions are, in fact, carried out.
Follow up: They check in with the team members who are involved to make sure that the conflict’s fully resolved and that the solution is working as intended.
When product managers handle conflicts effectively, they make sure that their teams can collaborate efficiently and stay focused on delivering a successful product.
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1. Chowdhury, A., & Enam, S. (2023). Product management and user experience for creating successful software in SELISE digital platform.
This publication is influential—it delves into the critical relationship between product management and user experience (UX) in the context of creating successful software within the SELISE digital platform. The research aims to determine the key factors that impact sales and how important it is to develop successful software to drive business growth. It provides insights into the overall structure of SELISE and its core team—as well as the marketing strategies employed to reach out to clients. The publication explores the impact of client interactions and project management on software success, too—and highlights the connection between UX and project management. Surveys were conducted to understand the perspectives of SELISE employees on the importance of UX for long-term product usage and customer satisfaction. Overall, this publication offers valuable knowledge and understanding of the objectives in creating successful software through the lens of product management and UX.
2. Anitha, P. C., & Prabhu, B. (2012). Integrating requirements engineering and user experience design in Product life cycle Management. In 2012 First International Workshop on Usability and Accessibility Focused Requirements Engineering (UsARE) (pp. 1-5). IEEE.
This publication has been influential due to its focus on integrating requirements engineering and user experience design in product lifecycle management. It addresses the importance of considering user-friendliness as a fundamental requirement for product quality, going beyond traditional criteria like performance and reliability. By emphasizing the need to make products user-friendly and technically sound, this publication contributes to enhancing the overall quality and success of product development processes by incorporating user experience design principles.
Cagan, M. (2017). Inspired: How to Create Tech Products Customers Love (2nd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. Retrieved from
This book by Marty Cagan—a leading expert in technology product management—has been highly influential in the field. It provides a comprehensive guide on how to structure and staff a successful product organization, as well as strategies for discovering and delivering technology products that customers will love. The book draws on Cagan's extensive experience and profiles of top product managers and companies, offering readers a master class in creating innovative and customer-centric products. It covers essential topics such as assembling the right product teams, defining the right product vision and strategy, embracing effective product development processes, and cultivating a strong product culture. Inspired is considered a must-read for product managers, entrepreneurs and technology leaders looking to build products that truly resonate with customers and drive business success.
Sandy, K. (2020). The Influential Product Manager: How to Lead and Launch Successful Technology Products. Apress.
The Influential Product Manager by Ken Sandy is a highly influential book—one that provides essential skills and strategies for product managers to succeed in their roles. The book covers a wide range of topics, including stakeholder management, decision-making, communication, and leadership. It offers practical advice and frameworks to help product managers navigate the complexities of their job, from aligning cross-functional teams to driving product vision and strategy. The author—Ken Sandy—is a seasoned product management expert, and the book draws on his extensive experience to offer insights and best practices that are applicable across various industries and product types. This book is considered a must-read for both aspiring and experienced product managers looking to enhance their impact and influence within their organizations.
Anon, J., & González de Villaumbrosia, C. (2017). The Product Book: How to Become a Great Product Manager. Product School Publishing.
The Product Book: How to Become a Great Product Manager by Josh Anon and Carlos González de Villaumbrosia is an influential book that provides insights on the role of a product manager and tips for leading better PM teams. The book covers a wide range of topics, including product strategy, roadmapping, stakeholder management, and team leadership. It offers practical guidance and real-world examples to help both aspiring and experienced product managers develop the skills and mindset needed to excel in their roles. The authors—who are seasoned product leaders—share their expertise on navigating the complexities of product management and driving successful product outcomes. This book is considered a valuable resource for anyone looking to deepen their understanding of the product manager's responsibilities and learn effective strategies for building high-performing product teams.
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Here’s the entire UX literature on Product Management by the Interaction Design Foundation, collated in one place:
Take a deep dive into Product Management with our course UX Management: Strategy and Tactics .
What sets top-performing organizations apart? Well, for one thing, it’s no coincidence that they place a focus on understanding and empowering their UX and UI teams. Not only does this drive organic growth through a more optimal user experience, but it also means that the business can benefit from the ROI (Return On Investment) that UX work can deliver. In most organizations, however, you’ll find there is a lack of UX maturity—that is, how embedded UX is within an organization’s culture and work processes. And this occurs even when the decision-makers know that UX is core to business and customer stakeholders! We want to help both you and your wider team create a culture, and design mindset, that can truly reap the benefits of UX work. By learning how to apply key tactics, you’ll be able to ensure that your UX efforts are having maximum impact across the wider business.
In this course, we will explore the ins and outs of UX maturity by looking at the way your organization is structured and developed. We will give you the chance to grasp UX management as not just a people issue but also a design methodology… all so that you can manage UX as a smart leader, and get the very best from the UX professionals you work with. Even if you’re currently a more junior UX, UI or interaction designer, the strategies you will learn in this course will enable you to truly realize the value that your work will provide to your organization.
You will be taught by Frank Spillers, CEO of the award-winning UX firm Experience Dynamics. By taking this course, you’ll leverage his experience from two decades of working with enterprise, midsize and start-up companies across a wide range of industries. Given that, you will be able to learn from, and avoid, the mistakes he’s come across, and apply the best practices he’s developed over time in order to move towards managing your UX team in an optimal way.
The course also includes interviews with experts—including a UX Director, Chief Experience Officer, Product Manager, and User Research Director. These will give you another practical opportunity to learn from people who are highly experienced in managing UX across organizations. All of this means that you will learn how an Outside-In design approach operates, and what it looks and feels like in practice—be it from a product management, executive or stakeholder perspective. Upon completing the course, you will have the knowledge required to avoid unnecessary growing pains, and ultimately accelerate your company’s UX maturity so that you win sooner and enjoy a more consistently high level of performance within the market.
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