How to Think Like a Product Manager: The Art of Creating What Users Want

👋 Hey, SK here!  Welcome to XTEN10X. I write about product management learnings, career growth and other stories based on my observations and experiences.

During my early days as a PM, one term I kept hearing from senior leaders was “Product Thinking”, which was new to me.

Initially, I believed that product management was just about building features for the product.

I soon realized that being a PM isn’t just about building features; it’s about solving problems!

This post discusses the concept of product thinking, which has helped PMs like me-and many others to build features that truly matter.

As PMs, we often face the challenge of shifting our mindset from a project level to a product level. To better understand what it takes to think at a product level, let’s first talk about ‘project thinking.’

In the software world, output is often defined as shipping features within a set timeline and given resources.

You measure success by how accurately you can estimate the efforts, timeline, and then deliver effectively within that timeline.

As PMs, once we lock in the features, we focus on delivery. There's nothing inherently wrong with that, right?

However, we often fall into the trap of delivering outputs while overlooking opportunities for improvement. This happens because of a strong focus on output rather than outcome.

Now, as you’ve probably guessed, product thinking emphasizes outcomes. But how exactly? Let’s dive in.