The Curious Case of Product Owners and Product Managers: Rethinking the Norm
Introduction
In the ever-evolving landscape of technology, the roles we assign within our teams can significantly impact our products' success. The debate surrounding the Product Manager (PM) and Product Owner (PO) roles is both nuanced and quite heated. With so many opinions and perspectives already out there, stepping into this conversation feels necessary, but a bit daunting.
Understanding the Roles
To navigate this discussion better, let’s get the terminology part out of the way. As many thought leaders in the Product space I believe that the PO role is a small part of what the PM does, however for clarity I want to define them here as well.
Now, I realise that these descriptions hold many different names on the job market - sometimes what is described here as the PM can be called a PO in some companies and the PO description below can be called an Analyst or a Delivery Manager instead. But let’s say this time this is how we define them for this article.
Product Manager (PM)
Strategic Vision: Develops and communicates the product vision and roadmap. This involves setting long-term goals and defining the direction for the product to meet market demands and business objectives.
Market Analysis: Conducts market research and competitive analysis. By understanding market trends, customer needs, and competitor strategies, the PM ensures the product remains relevant and competitive.
Stakeholder Alignment: Engages with stakeholders to gather and prioritize requirements. The PM collaborates with various departments—including executives—to ensure the product aligns with overall business goals.
Performance Monitoring: Monitors product performance and adjusts strategies as necessary. This includes analyzing key metrics, customer feedback, and sales data to make informed decisions.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Works closely with marketing, sales, and customer support teams giving and receiving input. By fostering collaboration, the PM ensures that all teams are aligned, which enhances product launches and customer satisfaction.
Product Owner (PO)
Backlog Management: Maintains and prioritizes the product backlog. The PO ensures that the development team always works on the most valuable features.
User Stories: Writes user stories and acceptance criteria. This provides clear guidance to the development team on what needs to be built and why.
Team Collaboration: Works daily with the development team to clarify requirements. The PO answers questions and provides immediate feedback to keep development moving efficiently.
Agile Practices: Engages in sprint planning, reviews, and retrospectives. The PO is integral to the Agile process, helping to plan sprints and reflecting on improvements.
Value Delivery: Ensures that the development team delivers value to the business and users based on the strategic vision. The PO bridges the gap between strategy and execution.
The Power of a Unified Role
Having a person who understands both the business opportunities and the technological capabilities can be the difference between success and failure. When one individual holds the understanding to the "why" and the "what" of the product, it doesn't just streamline communication—it often leads to more innovative ideas and solutions.
In my experience in most cases, a unified role is a better idea. This approach is especially fruitful in the following situations where I would be very sceptical if a PO were to be added:
Small Companies or Startups - In smaller organizations, having one person manage both strategic and tactical aspects simplifies processes and reduces overhead. The unified role allows for faster decision-making and agility. However, it's essential to ensure that this individual is equipped and supported to handle the dual responsibilities effectively.
Mature Teams - Teams that are fully empowered definitely do not require a separate PO. If the development team can handle work management autonomously, the Product Manager can focus on strategic initiatives without the need for an intermediary. The synergy between a competent PM and a mature team have a better chance of leading to efficient workflows and high-quality product outcomes.
Less Complex Products - When the product scope is manageable by one person and the complexities are minimal, adding another role might introduce unnecessary complications. In such cases, a unified PM should easily be able to oversee both the strategic and tactical elements, ensuring coherence in vision and execution.
These are broadly speaking the cases where I would not even consider adding a PO or perhaps even an Analyst to the mix. If a PO is considered here then I’d suspect that there is some deeper dysfunction that needs solving.
When Context Matters: Flexibility in Roles
While again, I am a strong believer in having one unified role, I am always careful to consider the context before passing judgment. It's easy to declare that the PM-PO arrangement is ‘not the correct way’ and just do it ‘right’. However, such statements don’t consider the real-world complexities that Product teams in different industries and products are facing. Context matters and there are situations where I believe having both a PM and a PO is justified.
Situations Where Both Roles May Be Necessary:
Highly Complex Products or Large Teams
In industries requiring deep specialization—like technology, intricate business regulations, or stringent legislative requirements—expecting one person to master everything is unrealistic. Dividing responsibilities between a PM and a PO can be practical. If the scope of the product is vast and multifaceted, having a small team manage different aspects ensures that all critical areas receive the attention they deserve. Yes, this setup might introduce more layers of communication, but it's a trade-off that can lead to a more robust and well-rounded product.
Teams Needing Support
Not all development teams are ready to understand the bigger picture enough to translate it into task creation and autonomous work management. In these situations, a PO can provide the necessary guidance, bridging the gap between strategic vision and practical execution. The PO ensures that the customer's voice remains central throughout the development process, which is especially valuable when teams lack maturity or experience.
Hiring Challenges and Market Constraints
Finding the perfect candidate who embodies all the necessary skills of both a PM and a PO is often daunting. Instead of prolonging the search for a "unicorn" candidate, it might be more pragmatic to bring on both a PM and a PO. Investing time in improving their communication and processes can be more beneficial than holding out for an ideal candidate who may never materialize.
Startups and Early-Stage Considerations
A bit similar, but at the same time a completely different case - early-stage startups and the CEO/Co-founder at the Product Lead. If you're a startup founder, ask yourself if you're ready for a strategic Product Manager. In early-stage startups, hiring a PM may introduce new perspectives that could conflict with the founders' vision, especially if they're deeply involved in product direction. If the organization isn't ready for such shifts, it might be more practical to postpone hiring a PM or consider a PO who can focus on execution without challenging the strategic direction.
What Should Your Company Consider Before Introducing the PO Role?
Questioning the Need for Separate Roles
Before deciding to introduce both a PM and a PO into your team, it's crucial to realize that the need for separate roles may be a symptom of a deeper problem, and you might be using it as a crutch to fix it. In this context, adding a second role as the PO is a temporary fix that doesn't address the root cause.
Potential Underlying Problems You're Trying to Solve:
Overburdened Product Managers
Issue: PMs are so busy that they are unable to work with design and technology teams to solve problems of value.
Reality Check: This indicates that the product scope is too broad for one person.
Solution: Consider creating smaller areas of responsibility and hiring more PMs instead. By fragmenting the product into more manageable pieces, you allow PMs to engage deeply with their segments.
Skill Gaps in Product Managers
Issue: PMs lack the competence or confidence to work closely with design and engineering teams.
Reality Check: Introducing a PO doesn't solve this problem; it merely sidesteps it.
Solution: Invest in coaching, mentoring, and training for your PMs to build their skills and enable effective collaboration.
Development Team Challenges
Issue: The development team isn't equipped to handle task creation and management autonomously.
Reality Check: Adding a PO may provide temporary relief, but it's essential to empower and train your development team.
Solution: Provide training and support to enhance their ability to work with the PM and design team, fostering a more self-sufficient team.
By acknowledging these issues as the root causes, you can focus on addressing them directly rather than relying on the crutch of adding another role.
What Happens If You Only Have One and Not Both?
Scenario 1: Only a Product Owner
What Gets Done
Efficient Execution: The team excels at delivering features quickly.
Agile Responsiveness: Rapid adaptation to changes and feedback.
Focused Development: Clear daily priorities for the development team.
What Doesn't Get Done
Strategic Vision: Lack of long-term direction and market alignment, so the delivered features might not be relevant to the customers. This is one version of how a team can become a feature factory.
Market Research: Minimal emphasis on competitive analysis.
Cross-Functional Coordination: Limited engagement with marketing or sales teams.
Expected Outcome
A product that is technically sound and responsive to immediate needs but may lack market differentiation and long-term viability.
Scenario 2: Only a Product Manager
What Gets Done
Strong Vision: Clear strategic direction and market positioning.
Market Alignment: Deep understanding of customer needs and trends.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Well-coordinated product launches.
What Doesn't Get Done
Execution Efficiency: Potential delays in development due to lack of detailed guidance.
Backlog Management: Possible bottlenecks without a dedicated backlog manager.
Agility: Less responsiveness to immediate changes or feedback.
Expected Outcome
A product with strong market potential but facing execution challenges, possibly leading to delayed launches and missed deadlines.
My Perspective
I believe that striving for a unified Product Manager role should be the goal, simply because this is where the magic happens—when a person has a deep understanding of all aspects of the product. In most cases, one role is sufficient and more efficient. This is especially true in small companies or startups, mature teams, and less complex products. In these situations, you should not consider two separate roles.
However, I don't think that it should be the holy grail. If looking for that one perfect person is going to get in the way of your product being developed, then you should take a step back and look at the bigger picture.
Understand which people or pieces you need in order to be successful, and make the decision accordingly. Whether it be a Product Manager, a capable Tech Lead, a Product Owner, an Analyst, or someone else, you do what you must.
Empower Your PMs
Invest in their development so they can handle both strategic and tactical responsibilities.Develop Your Teams
Cultivate development teams capable of collaborating effectively and taking on more ownership.Assess and Adjust the Scope
Ensure that the scope of each PM is manageable.
By addressing underlying issues directly, you reduce the need for additional roles and foster a more cohesive and efficient team.
Before deciding to introduce both a Product Manager and a Product Owner, take a moment to think and evaluate your organization's needs and challenges. Consider whether the issues prompting this move are symptomatic of deeper problems that could be addressed through restructuring, training, or better resource allocation.
Remember, the goal is to deliver value to your customers and achieve your business objectives. Sometimes, adding more roles complicates this mission rather than facilitating it. Ultimately, it's about assembling the right pieces to make your product successful.