With businesses switching to product-led management, the role of an IT product manager is more pivotal than ever. The manager must possess exceptional hard and soft skills to succeed. This article explores what an IT company should look for when hiring for this vital role.

The IT Product Manager’s Job

The product manager has a hybrid role in modern IT companies. They manage input and feedback from key stakeholders, customers, and internal departments. They are involved throughout the life cycle of the product. They are responsible for design thinking and presentation-related aspects of the project.

Therefore, a project management officer must understand the product’s target market and its technical features. They must also know how to communicate with top management, investors, and the team working under them.

The IT Product Manager’s Main Responsibilities

The job responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Consult with employers to understand their vision
• Consult with customers to understand their needs
• Evaluate ideas and define the end product 
• Layout a strategic plan to prioritise investment (time and money)
• Create a road map and business plan for the project
• Manage product releases, including launch dates and coordination of sales, support, and other concerned departments
• Review project implementation and make changes if needed
• Train the support staff 

The IT Product Manager’s Top Skills

Five of the most sought-after skills include:

Ability to communicate with internal and external stakeholders

Excellent communication skills are one of the prerequisites for this role. The IT manager must know how to tailor information according to the audience, drive conversations and make quick decisions when needed. 

Good presentation skills are just as vital as communication skills. The manager must be able to present their ideas and plans in front of the top management. They must also be able to create technical documents related to the product.

An understanding of product management frameworks

Product management frameworks help streamline various processes, including prioritising initiatives, agile management, and design. Here are two popular frameworks that product teams use:

Design Thinking

Design thinking is a much-needed problem-solving approach for companies looking to innovate.

In this method, the innovators focus on the solution instead of the problem itself. For example, in its early days, Airbnb doubled its revenue by focusing on the quality of pictures of its current rental postings instead of finding new ones (HBS). 

The design thinking approach consists of four phases: clarify, ideate, develop, and implement.

Value vs. Complexity

The value vs. complexity framework allows the product management team to prioritise tasks. The team scores each initiative according to the value it will provide vs. its difficulty level.

Ability to make data-based decisions

Besides the right mindset and communication skills, an IT product manager should be able to analyse data that helps them understand their customers. They must understand patterns and trends, build data-based roadmap, and identify areas of improvement. Their solutions should show their ability to combine an analytical mindset with a creative one.

Good emotional intelligence

Emotional intelligence is a priceless soft skill for all managers. Someone who can empathise with customers can understand their needs better. Besides customers, empathising is also valuable in communication with team members and other stakeholders. 

Flexibility in approach

IT product management requires people who are nimble and make changes when needed. Flexibility is particularly good with a product-based strategy because you must respond quickly to new developments. 

Finding the right project manager is critical to the success of any IT company. Therefore, it pays to take your time finding candidates with the right hard and soft skills for the job.