Blekinge institute of technology – Course IY1463
Examination Part 1 (2105): Written Assignment (1 credit)
Student: Andres Levener - 7801174694
1- What does product management mean? In what context is the phenomenon relevant? What difficulties are
associated with the phenomenon?
Product management is the process of overseeing the development, launch, and lifecycle of a product, with the goal
of ensuring it meets customer needs, aligns with business objectives, and stays competitive in the market. A product
manager (PM) is typically responsible for defining the product vision, prioritizing features, working with crossfunctional teams (such as design, engineering, marketing, and sales), and making key decisions throughout the
product’s journey.
The phenomenon is relevant in contexts where organizations aim to develop new products or improve existing ones
to satisfy customer demands and stay competitive in the market. This includes industries like technology, consumer
goods, and services, where innovation and responsiveness to market changes are crucial.
Difficulties associated with product management include:
1. Market Uncertainty: Predicting customer needs and market trends can be challenging, leading to potential
misalignment between product offerings and market demands.
2. Cross-Functional Collaboration: Coordinating efforts among diverse teams (e.g., engineering, marketing, sales)
can lead to conflicts and miscommunication.
3. Resource Constraints: Limited budgets and time can hinder the ability to develop and launch products effectively.
4. Role Clarity: Ambiguities in role definitions within teams can lead to inefficiencies and overlap in responsibilities.
Product Management is Relevant:
1. Tech Industry: Product management is particularly prominent in tech companies where products (such as software
or apps) are continually evolving, and user feedback must be iterated frequently.
2. Consumer Goods: In this space, product management focuses on physical products, ensuring the design,
functionality, pricing, and distribution channels align with customer demand.
3. Services: In service-based industries, product management can be applied to creating, refining, and improving the
service offerings. Ref. Lecture1, Group Discussion
Difficulties Associated with Product Management:
1. Balancing Stakeholder Needs: A PM often needs to balance competing priorities from different stakeholders (e.g.,
sales, marketing, engineering). It can be challenging to make sure that all parties are aligned on what’s important and
why.
2. Scope Creep: As the product evolves, there’s often a temptation to keep adding new features or changing direction,
leading to scope creep. Managing this and keeping the product focused can be tough.
3. Prioritization: Deciding which features to prioritize can be a constant struggle, as PMs have limited resources and
must focus on the most impactful improvements while not ignoring customer needs.
4. Customer and Market Insights: Continuously gathering relevant customer feedback and staying ahead of market
trends requires deep research. Misunderstanding customer pain points can lead to products that miss the mark.
5. Cross-functional Communication: PMs must be effective communicators since they work with various teams.
Miscommunication can lead to delays, misunderstandings, or misaligned objectives.
6. Time-to-Market Pressure: There’s often pressured to launch a product as quickly as possible. This can lead to
difficult decisions about what’s ready for release and whether the product is truly ready for customers.
These difficulties require strong problem-solving skills, adaptability, and the ability to stay focused on the broader
product vision while managing all of the nuances involved in the process. Ref: New Products Managemet. Mc Graw
2. Why are clear role descriptions important in relation to product management?
Clear role descriptions are crucial in product management for several reasons:
1. Accountability: When roles are well-defined, team members understand their responsibilities, which fosters
accountability for tasks and outcomes. This clarity helps ensure that everyone knows who is responsible for what,
reducing the likelihood of tasks falling through the cracks.
2. Efficiency: Clear roles streamline processes by minimizing overlap and confusion. Team members can focus on
their specific duties without wasting time on redundant efforts or waiting for others to clarify their responsibilities.
3. Collaboration: Defined roles facilitate better collaboration among team members by establishing clear points of
contact for different aspects of the product management process. This helps in coordinating efforts and improving
communication across departments.
4. Performance Measurement: With clear role descriptions, it becomes easier to evaluate individual and team
performance against specific objectives. This allows for more effective feedback and development opportunities.
5. Alignment with Goals: Clear roles ensure that everyone is aligned with the overall product strategy and goals, which
is essential for driving the product's success in the market. Ref. Lecture1, Group Discussion, Course Module
Clear role descriptions are particularly important in product management for several reasons:
1. Establishing Clear Ownership and Accountability
In product management, multiple teams and individuals are involved in creating and delivering a product. A clear role
description helps define who is responsible for what—whether it’s defining the product vision, gathering user
feedback, or managing the development process. Without this clarity, it’s easy for tasks to fall through the cracks,
and accountability becomes blurred, making it harder to track progress and address issues promptly.
2. Facilitating Effective Collaboration
Product managers often act as the central point of coordination between cross-functional teams—engineering,
design, marketing, sales, and customer support. Clear role descriptions help ensure that everyone knows how they
contribute to the product's success, which leads to smoother collaboration and fewer misunderstandings. For
instance, the engineering team needs to know when to focus on building a feature, while the design team needs
clarity on when to finalize user interfaces. When roles are well-defined, it’s easier to set expectations for
collaboration.
3. Avoiding Role Overlap and Confusion
Product management often intersects with other roles, and without clear role descriptions, responsibilities can
overlap or conflict. For example, if it’s not clear whether the product manager or the marketing team leads product
positioning and messaging, it can lead to mixed signals or inefficiencies. Having distinct role descriptions helps
everyone understand the scope of their work and ensures that no tasks are neglected or duplicated.
4. Prioritizing Focus and Efficiency
Product management can be overwhelming, especially when dealing with competing priorities. A well-defined role
description helps product managers focus on the strategic aspects of the product—such as roadmap planning, user
research, and feature prioritization—while delegating operational tasks to other team members. This division of labor
allows teams to work more efficiently and ensures that everyone is aligned around the most important goals.
5. Enhancing Decision-Making and Authority
Clear roles help clarify who has the final say on certain decisions. For example, a product manager is usually the key
decision-maker when it comes to product features, but when it comes to legal or financial matters, other teams may
take the lead. Knowing who holds the decision-making authority in each area can speed up the process and reduce
delays, as team members will know when they need to consult others or when they can make independent decisions.
6. Supporting Career Development and Growth
Well-defined roles provide a framework for career development. When roles are clearly described, individuals can
understand the expectations for their position and how they can progress within the company. This clarity not only
helps individuals grow in their careers but also supports effective performance management, making it easier to
evaluate progress and provide targeted feedback.
7. Scaling Teams and Onboarding New Members
As companies grow, product management teams often expand, and new team members are onboarded. Clear role
descriptions help streamline this process by providing a clear understanding of each person’s responsibilities from
the start. This is especially important in larger organizations where multiple product managers might be working on
different aspects of a product, or on different products entirely. Onboarding becomes smoother, and teams can scale
more effectively.
8. Setting Realistic Expectations
When roles are clearly defined, it’s easier to manage expectations with stakeholders and customers. For example,
the product manager can set clear expectations about what features will be developed and when, while the
engineering team can manage expectations about the technical feasibility of those features. Clear roles prevent
misunderstandings about timelines, resources, and goals. Ref: New Products Managemet. Mc Graw
Reference List:
1- lectures that form Product Management course IY1463 Blekinge institute of technology
2- ResourcesCrawford C. Merle and Di Benedetto C. Anthony (2020), New Products Managemet. Mc Graw Hill.
ISBN:1260512029 / 9781260512021