Many Hats, Still a Product Manager

Product managers often seem to juggle countless tasks, leaving many to wonder: what exactly is their role? This post explores the multifaceted responsibilities of a product manager and why understanding their role is essential for engineering and product leadership teams.

Misunderstanding the product manager’s role can lead to misaligned expectations, inefficiencies, and unnecessary challenges. Some may assume a Product Owner is needed for Scrum or a Product Marketing Manager for a big launch. However, these aren’t separate roles—they’re tasks within the same product management umbrella.

At its core, a product manager’s role revolves around product discovery and delivery. Whether prioritizing a backlog or shaping a go-to-market strategy, their focus remains consistent. Recognizing this ensures teams are aligned, fostering effective product development, stronger collaboration, and business growth.

The Core Role of a Product Manager

Understanding the product manager’s role begins with its foundation.

A product manager is fundamentally responsible for product discovery and delivery.

During discovery and delivery—processes that should run in parallel—product managers identify customer needs, market gaps, and innovation opportunities while collaborating with engineering teams to bring solutions to life. They bridge the problem space and solution space, ensuring what’s built meets real needs and market demands. This clarity helps align their work with broader business objectives.

By recognizing that discovery and delivery are the pillars of product management, teams can better integrate these efforts with organizational goals.

The Product Manager as a Product Owner in Scrum

Methodology doesn’t redefine the role.

In Scrum environments, product managers often take on the title of “Product Owner.”

Tasks like backlog grooming, sprint planning, and collaborating with the Scrum Master and development team may arise, but the core responsibilities of discovery and delivery remain unchanged. The Product Owner maximizes the product’s value and the development team’s work, aligning closely with the product manager’s core role.

This understanding prevents role confusion and ensures Scrum remains a tool, not a rigid role-defining framework.

The Product Manager and Go-to-Market Strategies

Launching a product doesn’t alter the role.

During a product launch, product managers may handle tasks like positioning, messaging, and launch planning.

They work closely with marketing and sales to present the product effectively and coordinate with customer success teams for a smooth rollout. Yet, their core focus remains on delivering a product that solves customer problems.

This clarity enables teams to leverage product managers’ skills without pulling focus from the product itself.

Aligning Tasks with Company Stage

Tasks evolve, but the role remains constant.

As companies grow, the tasks product managers prioritize naturally shift.

In early stages, the focus might be on customer interviews and MVP development; later, it could shift to scaling products or optimizing user experiences. Aligning these tasks with current business needs is critical. For instance, during growth phases, product managers may emphasize optimization and scaling, while earlier stages prioritize customer discovery and validation.

This alignment ensures product managers contribute where they’re most needed, in sync with organizational priorities.

Wrapping Up

Product managers may wear many hats, but their role boils down to product discovery and delivery. Misunderstanding this can lead to inefficiencies and misaligned teams.

Engineering and product leadership teams should revisit product managers’ responsibilities to ensure alignment with current business goals. If misalignments exist, a quick discussion to clarify tasks and objectives can make a significant impact.

Clarity in roles drives effective product development and business growth. Taking the time to get it right is a game-changer.