Product Management Basic Guide IIMV 1724162695
Product Management Basic Guide IIMV 1724162695
PRODUCT
MANAGEMENT
CASE BOOK
2023-2024
ABOUT US
Novus, the Product Management club of Indian Institute of
Management Visakhapatnam's product management club, is a haven
for aspiring product managers seeking knowledge and industry
exposure. We believe that true learning happens when theory meets
practice, which is why we don't just deliver knowledge, we provide a
platform for practical application.
We are the stepping stone for those who dream of shaping the future
of products. We are Novus, and we are here to equip you with the
knowledge, network, and practical experience you need to excel in the
ever-evolving world of product management.
OUR TEAM
1.3 Skills that a PM should have 5 4.2 Setting Product Goals and Objectives 26
Product Management: Key Concepts and 4.3 Competitive Analysis 29
2. 6
Terminologies
Agile Methodology
5 Product Planning and Prioritization 31
2.1 6
5.1 Building a Product Backlog 31
2.2 Web 3.0 7
5.2 Prioritizing Features and Enhancements 33
2.3 Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning 8
5.3 Release Planning 34
2.4 Data Analytics 10
Product Design Frameworks and User
2.5 Cloud Computing 11 6 35
Experience
2.6 Generative AI 12
6.1 User-centered Design Principles 36
2.7 Internet of Things (IoT) 14
6.2 Prototyping and Wireframing 37
2.8 AR and VR 15
6.3 Prioritizing Features and Enhancements 37
3. Product Development 16 7 Product Development and Engineering 39
3.1 Idea Generation and Validation 17 7.1 Agile and Scrum Methodologies 39
3.2 Market Research and Analysis 19 7.2 Cross-functional collaboration 42
1
Table of Content
Sl.No Particulars Page No Sl.No Particulars Page No
7.3 Development Lifecycle 43 11.2 Spotify 64
9.2 Tracking and analyzing user data 52 Ethical dilemmas in product development and
12.1 82
decision-making.
9.3 Iterative Imporovement 53
10 Product Lifecycle Management 55 Resources for Product Managers and Additional
13 84
10.1 Managing Product Phases 56 Tips for Interviews
10.2 Sunsetting Products 59
Books, blogs, tools, and further reading
13.1 84
11 Product Teardowns 60 recommendations.
2
1. INTROD U CTION T O P R ODUC T M A NA GE M E NT
1.1 DEFINING THE ROLE OF A PRODUCT MANAGER:
The role of a Product Manager (PM) is crucial within many companies, although it can
sometimes lack a clear definition. PMs play a significant role in guiding product
development and are accountable for the success of their products. Think of PMs as
individuals who gather and utilize information to shape the long-term strategic direction
and vision of their products. They do this by considering:
Strategic Goals: They align the product's direction with the broader strategic
goals of the business.
Market Demands and Opportunities: They stay attuned to the needs and
opportunities in the market, identifying trends and potential areas for the
product to address.
Available Resources: They assess the technological and financial resources at
their disposal to turn the product vision into reality.
The day-to-day responsibilities of a Product Manager (PM) can vary based on factors such as
the type of product, its stage in the lifecycle, and the specific company's practices. However,
here are some key functions that a PM is typically expected to perform:
Research & Planning: This is often the initial phase of product development, where the
PM identifies the problem, they aim to solve. This motivation can come from various
sources like customer requests, competitive analysis, innovative technology, market
research, or a long-term product vision. After defining the problem, the PM creates a
roadmap for the product, outlining what needs to be done, when, and by whom. This
roadmap is based on thorough market research and an understanding of the team's
capabilities. It is crucial to identify the right features and set measurable success metrics,
which requires close collaboration with engineering and sales and marketing teams.
Design: Product design involves refining the identified features based on the success
metrics. This stage shapes the expected functionality of the product and includes aspects
like UI/UX design and defining how the product will look. The level of detail and
documentation in this phase can vary significantly across companies. Some require PMs
to create detailed functional specification documents, while others follow a more
iterative and collaborative approach with developers, testers, and other stakeholders.
Implementation & Testing: During implementation, the engineering team starts coding
and developing the product. The PM's role here is to prioritize tasks, monitor progress,
and adjust as needed. This can involve changing features, making them more feasible to
implement, or optimizing work schedules for efficiency. PMs also play a crucial role in
gathering feedback and identifying bugs in the initial stages of product development. This
Strategic Thinking: PMs must think strategically to link the product to the overall goals and long-term vision of the organization. They must
make decisions that advance the success of the product in a wider context.
Market expertise: It's essential to have a thorough awareness of the market, including client requirements, market trends, and competitors.
This entails conducting market research, analyzing client feedback, and following industry developments.
Data Analysis: PMs should be at ease with analytics and data. They make data-driven decisions, establish goals, and monitor the
performance of their products.
Although PMs aren't often designers, they should have a solid grasp of user experience (UX) design principles and know how to make
products that are easy to use.
Technical Knowledge: It is crucial to have a fundamental understanding of the technology and development procedures used to create the
product. As a result, PMs can interact with engineering teams more effectively and decide on technical trade-offs with greater knowledge.
Strong project management abilities are necessary to organize, execute out, and keep track of the development of a product. Agile and
Scrum techniques, for example, can be useful tools.
Effective task and feature prioritization requires PMs to consider the impact on customers, resource limitations, and strategic importance.
The Agile methodology is structured as an iterative approach, where enhancements are gradually incorporated at each stage. It emphasizes
close teamwork with cross-functional groups. It is adaptable throughout the process and facilitates prompt responses to customer needs.
Key characteristics of the Agile methodology include:
a. Prioritizing personal interactions and teamwork over rigid processes and tools.
b. Giving precedence to functional software over extensive documentation.
c. Emphasizing strong collaboration with the customer rather than focusing solely on contract negotiations.
AGILE PRINCIPLES:
Customer satisfaction is the highest priority.
Welcoming changing requirements.
Delivering work frequently.
Business and tech to work together frequently throughout.
People-driven development, with maximum support for teams.
Preference for face-to-face communication.
Working software is the primary measure of success.
Sustainable development.
Attention to detail, technical excellence, and good design.
Simplicity is essential.
Self-organizing teams.
Teams reflect on regular intervals on what could be done better.
For instance, applications like ChatGPT, based on GPT-3, allow users to generate essays based on short text prompts. Meanwhile, Stable
Diffusion enables users to create photorealistic images from textual inputs. The key requirements for a successful generative AI model
encompass:
Quality: Particularly crucial for applications that directly engage with users, ensuring high-quality output generation is paramount. For
instance, in speech generation, it's vital for the generated speech to be easily understandable. Similarly, in image generation, the
desired outputs should closely resemble natural images.
Diversity: A strong generative model can capture fewer common patterns within its data distribution without compromising generation
quality. This helps mitigate unwanted biases in the learned models.
Speed: Many interactive applications necessitate rapid content generation, such as real-time image editing for use in content creation
workflows.
Since AR pushes real-time, non-disruptive information to your eyes, it can deliver information so you
don’t need to look at your phone, which comes in handy when a glance away might be dangerous or
impractical.
The applications are endless. For example, an AR app might help you try on a garment from the
comfort of home or see how a new piece of furniture looks in your living room.
Plus, visuals can be added upon cue to make a museum tour more meaningful and engaging, for
example.
And soon, cyclists, skiers, and other athletes might wonder what they ever did without the safety of AR
real-time data and GPS function as it keeps their attention on the path ahead.
Product development is the journey of bringing a new product to market. It includes all the stages that product managers and product
development teams go through to get a new product idea to life, from ideation and research to concept development, prototyping, mass
production, and market launch. As organizations are striving to be more innovative and agile, product development has become a focus for
business industry leaders. Many organizations use advanced approaches to take over market share and disrupt their respective industries.
In today’s business climate, the ability to quickly bring new products to market has become a matter of survival for many companies. The
pressure to innovate and stay ahead of the competition has led organizations to invest more heavily in new products. Here are some other
key purposes of product development.
One of the goals of product development is to develop a premium-quality product. Customers expect high quality from the products
they purchase. Companies must meet these expectations to retain the existing customers and attract new ones.
Another purpose of product development is to create unique products and offer a competitive advantage. It could be in the form of a
new feature, a better design, or a lower price point.
It also aims to develop profitable products to generate revenue for the company.
The idea generation stage is pivotal to the product development process. It is where you:
Answer the big questions. Some of the biggest hurdles you will face throughout the new product development process appear during
the ideation phase. Your team will have to answer questions like, what makes this new product idea unique? Who is the target
customer? Does this new product idea solve the customer’s problem? By working out the answers to these questions, you will gain a
deeper understanding of your customers’ needs, and what you are trying to achieve.
Harness the creativity of your team. Product ideation is not a solo endeavor. The combined creative input of team members is
invaluable when it comes to conjuring up a new product idea. Ideally, a well-chosen team of about 2-8 subject matter experts (SMEs)
should be involved in an ideation session. For example, a typical session might include a product owner, product manager, a designer,
and a software engineer. This would allow for a wide range of perspectives to be shared, challenged, or even joined together to create a
pool of promising ideas.
Put the customer front and center. Product ideation is not only about producing the best new product concept; it is about choosing
one that aligns with your company’s strategic goals, and more importantly, the needs of your potential customer. Your team must keep
the customer at the forefront of their minds when teasing out a new idea.
Although the concept of ‘structured creativity’ might seem like an oxymoron, it’s actually a useful way of approaching product ideation.
There are several reasons why a structured idea-generation session may yield better results than a spontaneous brainstorm.
Structure makes sessions more productive. Sessions are inefficient when everyone is just shouting out ideas to be jotted down on a
whiteboard. By utilizing a framework, your team will be better able to share suggestions and stay focused on the task at hand.
Structured sessions can help kickstart creativity. Most ideation frameworks include prompts or headings which draw out the answers to
pertinent questions. Meanwhile, adopting a structured approach based on a framework allows participants to see new perspectives,
which in turn can ignite creativity.
Having structures in place from the very beginning sets the right tone for the remainder of the process. With a proper framework in
place, your team will be able to think through an idea and create an implementation plan – whether you’re ready to launch the final
product or in the idea validation phase.
You can use market research to fine-tune your product development and the relevant aspects around it. Based on how your audience is
developing, what price and type of message would grab their attention? What kind of marketing tactics are likely to work, and what channels
dominate your market. Consumer research is about understanding all the aspects of your market. You can approach it as a big puzzle, and once
you have all the pieces in place, you can proudly present a solid plan or research to your investors and team, to help them understand why your
product development idea is worth working on.
Concept testing is a crucial stage when developing new products. Before you launch a new product in the market, you must understand how
your customers will respond and how the product will perform. Concept testing helps you avoid costly errors and nasty surprises; it is much
better to understand your market and make a more confident and successful product launch. In this article, we’ll show you how concept
testing works and how to do it. Let’s start with a more in-depth definition.
It helps you notice flaws. No concept has ever been perfect. Testing your product with real users enables you to detect problems that
flew under the radar in the design phase, giving you many new pairs of eyes.
It allows you to refine your concept. Before testing, your product is a rough prototype with all the major pieces in place, but it probably
needs some extra work. By shedding light on what consumers think, testing gives you some direction for refining and improving your
product so that it’s more likely to gain traction when it hits the shelves.
The above benefits are essential for many reasons. Here are some of the reasons why you should consider concept testing in new product
development:
It’s easier to get backing for your product. Testing gives concrete data about how customers feel about your brand’s products. You can
then use this data to make a compelling case to others in the organization about why you are making certain decisions. With this data,
it’s no longer a matter of personal opinion, and it will be much easier to convince others.
It helps you find out what your customers like the most about the product. Concept testing is beneficial not just for that specific
product and how to market it but also allows you to make better decisions in the future by focusing on the things that people like most
and targeting popular pain points with different products.
It allows you to identify a reasonable price point. It’s common to ask users how much they would expect to pay for a product during
testing. This helps inform your decisions about how much to price your product.
Product roadmaps encapsulate how the product strategy becomes a reality. They take many competing priorities and boil them down to
what is most important, leaving shiny objects by the wayside in favor of work that moves the needles stakeholders really care about.
They are also a source of inspiration, motivation, and shared ownership of the product and its successes. All the work individual
contributors do often only make sense within the context of the product roadmap and knowing that plan and what the organization hopes
it will bring can get naysayers onboard.
Product roadmaps are one of the few things everyone in the organization will be exposed to, as sales pitches, marketing plans, and
financials are usually held closer to the vest. For many workers, it’s their only glimpse of where the product and organization are heading
and why certain decisions were made. They provide a shared, collective understanding of the vision, goals, and objectives for everyone in
the company.
Product roadmaps also help organizations avoid chaos from reigning, pet projects from sliding into the implementation queue, and wasting
resources on less important tasks. They are the beacon, the focal point, and the guideposts for everyone bringing the product to market.
We will reiterate a famous saying that ‘If you intend to be successful, set a goal that commands your dreams, liberates your energy and
helps realize your aspirations.’
Product goals help you diligently streamline your product visions and ideas, form strategies around them, and later set a deadline to
realize it.
Product goals serve an essential purpose because of the following reasons:
1. With the goals in hand, teams get a list of all features to be included in the product, ensuring that all development work is valuable and
relevant to users’ needs.
2. They help product teams communicate product vision within the group. It allows product managers to set direction and message
management strategies that are easy for teams to understand.
3. Product goals help prioritize work and ensure that all product development work is valuable and relevant.
4. They define how you will know when the product is ready, allowing product managers to measure progress to see if they are on track or
not.
5. Product goals help product managers set the product strategy. During visioning, product managers work with marketing to define
roadmaps and plan to help them meet their business objectives while also delivering value to users.
Setting a product goal can be one of the most grueling tasks for a product manager, and this is because it requires a collaborative approach.
Here are the following steps which a product manager should undertake to set product goals.
Step: 1
Share the product vision with various teams. Communication and collaboration are the keys to almost all product-related initiatives, especially
while setting product goals, because it’s crucial to get all the team members on board beforehand. This approach will minimize the chances of
trifles and unnecessary confusion.
Step: 2
Bring all these product teams together to establish product themes from the vision document. Identify specific features needed to deliver on
each product theme. Bear in mind that not every feature will get developed or released at once. That is why it is critical to keep a high-level
picture of what the product roadmap looks like over time, so you don’t lose sight of your product goals and priorities.
Step: 3
Prioritize product roadmaps based on business objectives, and user needs using rigorous prioritization frameworks like AARRR or Kano Model.
Ensure that you clearly understand how each new feature helps users achieve their goals more effectively.
Step: 4
Just because you identify a product theme as a product goal doesn’t mean it gets developed. Every product has many goals, so don’t confuse
this with a product roadmap. Product roadmaps show how you will build new features, while product goals help set priorities within that
roadmap around themes and features around those themes.
Step: 5
Bring everything together to establish product goals from your product vision and themes to your product roadmap.
Remember that your product manager should define every product goal in collaboration with all cross-functional team members.
Trendspotting
While your customer and prospect interactions provide lots of insight into what’s
happening in the market, observing what competitors are up to can be equally
enlightening. You can see when new technologies and applications move from being
discussed with analysts and the media to actually showing up in products. You can
discover completely new applications and target markets for your product category
emerging, plus you can see which positioning terminology and topics are gaining
steam (or fading away).
COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS
The price is right… or is it?
Figuring out what to charge for enterprise software or SaaS solutions is a dark art, but building
a pricing strategy in a vacuum is downright foolish. No matter how great your solution may be,
if you’re charging twice as much as something comparable, you’re not going to win many
deals. Knowing how competitors are packaging and pricing their products ensures the sticker
price won’t induce shock or leave a margin on the table.
Keeping up with Joneses
While a product doesn’t need to replicate every single feature its competitors offer, it helps to
know what others are including and to decide if your solution should boost that capability as
well. Even if you opt not to add smell-o-vision or 3D renderings, your team will know the other
product has it and can address it during sales calls and trade shows if it comes up.
Learning from their mistakes
Your product is going to make bad bets, investing in features that don’t get adopted and technologies replaced so rapidly it wasn’t worth
bothering to support them at all. But in a competitive market, some of those misbegotten adventures can be avoided by observing the stumbles
and missteps of competitors. Sometimes sitting back to see how things pan out for your peers is a wise move before dipping your own toes in.
A product backlog is an ordered list of tasks, features, or items to be completed as part of a larger roadmap. Product creation begins with
an idea, and it takes a dedicated team to create something special. Yes, even the iPhone was once just a prototype that made its way to
mainstream popularity thanks to the right team. When managing a Scrum team of developers, staying organized is crucial for product
success.
So how can development teams stay organized and meet their goals? With tried and true to-do lists. A product backlog is essentially a
specialized to-do list. It’s an ordered list of tasks, features, or items to be completed as part of a larger product roadmap. If your team uses
the Agile methodology, a product backlog can help you break down projects and initiatives to determine which tasks are most important.
Read on to find out what a product backlog includes and how to create one for your team.
These frameworks place a high priority on empathy, cooperation, and adaptability, ensuring that the user is at the heart of the design
process. Concurrently, UX encompasses the entire user experience with a product, from the first interaction to continuing involvement. A
smooth and engaging user experience addresses not just the practical needs of the user but also their emotional and aesthetic
preferences.
By integrating design frameworks with a focus on UX, designers can navigate complex challenges, align their efforts with user expectations,
and deliver products that resonate with and delight their target audience.
User-Centered Design (UCD) principles are fundamental guidelines that inform the design process by placing the user and their needs at
the forefront. Here are some key UCD principles and brief explanations for each:
1. Empathy: Understand and empathize with your users' perspectives, needs, and pain points. This principle encourages designers to see
the world through the users' eyes, fostering a deeper connection and better insights into their experiences.
2. User Involvement: Involve users throughout the design process, from research and ideation to testing and feedback gathering. By
collaborating with users, designers can ensure that the final product aligns with their expectations and requirements.
3. Iterative Design: Embrace an iterative approach, continuously refining and improving the design based on user feedback and evolving
insights. Iteration allows for a more user-centric product by addressing issues and making enhancements as they emerge.
5. Accessibility: Ensure that your product is accessible to users of all abilities, including those with disabilities. This principle emphasizes
designing interfaces and content that are perceivable, operable, and understandable for everyone.
6. Simplicity and Clarity: Strive for simplicity in design and clarity in communication. Avoid unnecessary complexity and ensure that users
can easily understand how to interact with your product.
7. Feedback and Communication: Provide timely and informative feedback to users about their actions and the system's status. Effective
communication helps users feel in control and informed throughout their interactions.
8. Flexibility and Customization: Allow users to customize aspects of the interface to suit their preferences and needs. Flexibility
empowers users to tailor their experience, making it more personal and adaptable.
9. User Feedback Integration: Actively gather and integrate user feedback into the design process. This ensures that design decisions are
grounded in real user experiences and preferences.
10. User Testing: Conduct usability testing and research with real users to validate assumptions, identify pain points, and uncover
usability issues. User testing helps refine the design to align with actual user behaviour and expectations.
These principles guide designers in creating products and experiences that are not only functional but also meaningful, enjoyable, and
accessible to a diverse user base. By adhering to UCD principles, designers can craft solutions that genuinely resonate with and cater to
the needs of their target audience.
Usability testing is a crucial method in user-centered design, involving the evaluation of a product's usability by real users to identify issues and
gather feedback. It typically follows these steps:
1. Planning: Define clear objectives for the test, such as what aspects of the product you want to evaluate. Create realistic tasks that users will
perform and recruit a diverse group of participants who represent your target audience.
2. Preparation: Set up the testing environment, including any necessary equipment and software. Develop a test script or scenario that guides
users through the tasks they will complete during the test.
3. Conducting the Test: One or more facilitators observe the participants as they interact with the product. Participants are encouraged to think
aloud, expressing their thoughts and feelings as they use the product. Facilitators may ask follow-up questions to clarify actions or gather deeper
insights.
4. Recording Data: Collect both quantitative data (e.g., success rates, completion times) and qualitative data (e.g., comments, observations)
during the testing session. Video and audio recordings can capture the user's actions and feedback for later analysis.
5. Analysis: Review and analyze the collected data to identify usability issues, pain points, and areas of improvement. Common issues
include confusing navigation, unclear labels, or features that are difficult to use.
6. Iterative Design: Use the insights gained from usability testing to make design improvements. Prioritize changes based on severity and
impact on the user experience.
7. Repeat: Depending on the complexity of the product and the extent of changes made, it's often beneficial to conduct multiple rounds of
usability testing to ensure that the design improvements are effective.
IIM Visakhapatnam | 2023-2024
38
7. PROD U CT D E V E LOP M E NT AND
E NGINE E RING
7.1 AGILE AND SCRUM METHODOLOGIES
Agile methodologies are a set of guidelines and techniques for software development and project management that put an emphasis on
adaptability, teamwork, and client satisfaction. By placing a strong emphasis on incremental and iterative development, close customer
collaboration, and the capacity to adapt to change, agile methodologies seek to address the problems with conventional, rigid project
management systems.
In summary, Agile is a mindset, while Scrum is a specific framework that follows Agile principles. Many organizations adopt Scrum as a way to
implement Agile practices in a structured manner. The choice between Agile and Scrum depends on the organization's needs, project
requirements, and team dynamics.
Scrum Methodology:
Scrum is an Agile framework for managing and organizing work, primarily used in software development but also applied to various other
fields. It has specific terminology and related terms that are important to understand when working with Scrum. Here are some key Scrum-
related terms:
Scrum Team: A cross-functional group of individuals responsible for delivering
the product. It typically includes developers, a Scrum Master, and a Product
Owner.
Product Owner: The person responsible for defining and prioritizing the product
backlog, representing the customer, and ensuring that the team delivers value.
Scrum Master: A servant-leader who coaches the team on Scrum principles and
helps them remove obstacles to progress.
Product Backlog: A prioritized list of features, user stories, or work items that
represent the product's requirements. It's dynamic and can change over time.
Sprint: A time-boxed period (typically 2-4 weeks) during which a Scrum Team
works to deliver a potentially shippable product increment.
Sprint Planning: A meeting at the beginning of each sprint where the team selects
work from the product backlog and creates a sprint backlog.
These phases collectively guide the software development process, ensuring a systematic
and organized approach to creating and maintaining software systems.
A Go-to-Market (GTM) strategy is a thorough plan that describes how a business will launch a new good or service and meet its sales and
marketing objectives. It includes different decisions and factors that influence how a product is introduced to the market and then
successfully penetrated. The following are the main elements and things to think about when developing a go-to-market plan for a new
product:
Key Responsibilities:
Market Analysis: Understand consumer demands, preferences, and market trends by
doing a market analysis.
Product Positioning: Describe how the product competes in the market and satisfies
client demands.
Pricing Plan: Choose a pricing plan for the product to increase sales.
Go-to-market Strategy: Develop a strategy for introducing and promoting the product.
Sale Enablement: Giving the sales staff the information and resources, they need to
successfully market the product is known as sales enablement.
Competitive Analysis: Keep an eye on rivals' moves and take action.
Communication in Product Launch: Communication during a product launch involves
creating and delivering messages to your target audience to create awareness,
generate interest, and drive action (e.g., purchasing the product).
During a new launch, effective product marketing and communication are essential for raising awareness, generating interest, and boosting
sales. They make sure that potential buyers are aware of the benefits of the product and how it may meet their demands, which will
eventually result in a successful market launch.
Launch Planning:
Launch planning is the process of developing a comprehensive roadmap that specifies the steps, deadlines, and resources needed to carry out a
successful product launch.
Key Elements:
Specifying Goals: Clearly state your objectives for the product introduction, such as sales targets, market share ambitions, and brand recognition
objectives
Launching a project:
Launch execution is the stage in which you put your thoroughly thought-out launch strategy into action, making your product accessible to
clients and successfully advertising it.
Primary Activities:
Products are accessible: Make sure the product is prepared for usage or purchase, including any required software or inventories.
Marketing Campaigns: Execute marketing initiatives across a range of media, such as Internet, print, social media, and email.
Sales Activation: Provide the tools, training, and resources required for the sales staff to interact with potential clients.
Customer Support: Establish teams and procedures to deal with consumer questions, comments, and support requests.
Monitoring and analytics: Track key performance indicators (KPIs) as the launch progresses and make any necessary real-time
modifications.
Feedback Collection: To pinpoint areas that need improvement, collect input from stakeholders, sales teams, and consumers.
Post-launch Marketing: Implement post-launch marketing strategies to maintain momentum and boost ongoing sales.
A successful product launch depends on careful preparation and execution of the launch. Having a well-executed strategy increases the
probability that your launch goals will be met by maximizing the product's exposure, creating enthusiasm, and positioning it advantageously
in the market.
Product metrics are quantifiable measures used to track various aspects of a product's
performance and user engagement. These metrics can be categorized into different
areas, including:
1.User Engagement Metrics: Measure user interaction with the product, such as active
users, session duration, or click-through rates.
2.Conversion Metrics: Evaluate how well the product converts users to perform desired
actions, like sign-ups, purchases, or downloads.
3.Retention Metrics: Assess user loyalty and the rate at which users continue to use the
product over time, typically measured through retention rates or churn rates.
4.Monetization Metrics: Focus on revenue generation, including metrics like average
revenue per user (ARPU) or customer lifetime value (CLV).
5.Performance Metrics: Monitor the technical performance of the product, such as page
load times, error rates, or uptime.
6.User Feedback Metrics: Consider qualitative data from user surveys, reviews, and
support interactions to understand user sentiment and gather feedback.
Analytics:
Product analytics involves the use of tools and techniques to collect, process, and analyze data related to these metrics. Common analytics
tools include Google Analytics, Mixpanel, and Amplitude, which provide insights into user behavior and trends.
Iterative Improvement:
By regularly monitoring and analyzing product metrics, teams can
identify areas that need improvement and iterate on the product to
enhance user experience, drive growth, and achieve business goals.
1. Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC): This metric calculates the cost of acquiring a new customer. It helps determine the efficiency of
marketing and sales efforts in bringing in new users.
2. Customer Lifetime Value (CLV or LTV): CLV estimates the total revenue a business can expect from a customer throughout their entire
relationship with the company. It's a key indicator of long-term profitability.
3. Churn Rate: Churn rate measures the percentage of customers who stop using a product during a specific period. Reducing churn is
essential for maintaining a healthy customer base.
4.Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR): MRR represents the predictable and recurring revenue generated from subscription-based
products. It's a vital metric for SaaS and subscription businesses.
5. Net Promoter Score (NPS): NPS measures customer satisfaction and loyalty by asking users how likely they are to recommend the
product to others. It's an indicator of brand advocacy.
6. Customer Satisfaction (CSAT): CSAT measures user satisfaction through surveys or feedback forms. It provides insights into how
happy users are with the product.
7. Active Users and Monthly Active Users (MAU): These metrics track the number of users who engage with the product regularly. They
help assess user engagement and product stickiness.
8. Conversion Rate: Conversion rate measures the percentage of users who complete a specific action, such as signing up, making a
purchase, or upgrading to a premium plan.
The specific KPIs a product manager focuses on can vary depending on the product, industry, and business goals. Effective product management
involves selecting and tracking the KPIs that are most relevant to the product's success and adjusting strategies based on the insights gained from
these metrics.
Tracking and analyzing user data is an indispensable aspect of product management and development. It empowers teams to make informed
decisions, refine product strategies, and enhance the user experience. By collecting data on user behavior, engagement, and feedback, product
managers can identify trends, pain points, and areas for improvement. This insight-driven approach enables iterative development, allowing
teams to prioritize features, optimize user interfaces, and align the product more closely with user needs and business objectives. Ultimately,
robust user data tracking and analysis foster a user-centric culture, leading to products that are not only functional but also resonate with and
delight their target audience.
a. User Research: Utilize user data to conduct effective user research. Analyze user behavior, preferences, and pain points to inform product
decisions.
b. User Persona Development: Create detailed user personas based on data analysis. Understand the demographics, behaviors, and needs of
your target audience to guide product development.
c. Feature Prioritization: Analyze user feedback and usage patterns to prioritize features. Focus on the functionalities that provide the most
value to users and align with business goals.
d. User Journey Mapping: Track user interactions across the entire user journey. Identify key touchpoints, pain points, and areas for
improvement to enhance the overall user experience.
e. A/B Testing: Implement A/B testing to compare different versions of a product or feature. Analyze user engagement and satisfaction to
determine the most effective design or functionality.
f. Iterative Development: Adopt an iterative development approach based on user feedback and data analysis. Regularly release updates, and
continuously refine the product based on user insights.
g. Performance Monitoring: Track product performance metrics, such as load times, error rates, and user satisfaction. Use this data to identify
and address issues promptly.
h. Conversion Optimization: Analyze user data to optimize conversion funnels. Understand where users drop off in the conversion process and
make improvements to increase conversion rates.
1. Identify Areas for Improvement: Based on the data analysis, product managers and teams
can pinpoint specific areas of the product that require attention. These might include
usability issues, low user engagement with certain features, or opportunities for innovation.
2. Prioritize Changes: Not all identified issues or opportunities are equally critical.
Prioritization is key. Product managers must weigh factors like user impact, business value,
and development resources to determine which changes to tackle first.
3. Define Objectives: Clear objectives for each improvement should be established. These
objectives should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) to
provide a clear roadmap for success.
4. Implement Changes: The development team takes action to implement the proposed
improvements. This might involve designing new features, optimizing existing ones, or fixing
usability issues.
5. Testing: Before releasing changes to all users, it's essential to conduct testing, such as A/B testing or beta testing, to ensure that the
improvements achieve the desired outcomes and don't introduce new problems.
6. Release and Monitor: Once the changes are deployed, monitoring and tracking continue. Product managers observe how the changes
impact user behavior and key metrics. This real-world feedback is essential for validation.
Introduction Phase
The Introduction phase marks the initial launch of a product into the market. During this stage, businesses invest heavily in research and
development, marketing, and distribution to create awareness and generate interest among consumers. Key characteristics of this phase
include:
a. Low Sales: Sales are typically low as consumers are not yet familiar with the product, and distribution networks are still being
established.
b. High Costs: Costs are high due to research and development expenses, marketing campaigns, and the need to build manufacturing
capabilities.
c. Rapid Evolution: The product may undergo frequent changes and updates as the company gathers feedback from early adopters and
fine-tunes its features.
Strategies for managing products in the Introduction phase:
i. Focus on Marketing: Invest in effective marketing and advertising campaigns to create awareness and generate interest.
ii. Build Distribution Channels: Establish distribution networks to make the product readily available to consumers.
iii. Gather Feedback: Continuously collect feedback from early customers to refine the product and address any issues.
i. Expand Market Presence: Enter new geographic markets or target new customer segments to fuel continued growth.
ii. Enhance Product Features: Innovate and add new features or versions to maintain a competitive edge.
iii. Manage Supply Chain: Optimize the supply chain to meet increasing demand efficiently.
Maturity Phase
The Maturity phase is marked by a slowdown in the growth rate. The market becomes saturated, and competition stabilizes. Key
characteristics of this phase include:
a. Slower Growth: Sales growth decelerates as the market approaches saturation.
b. Market Saturation: Most potential customers have adopted the product, leaving limited room for expansion.
c. Price Competition: Price competition intensifies as companies vie for market share.
Decline Phase
The Decline phase signifies the end of a product's lifecycle. Sales decline, and businesses must decide whether to discontinue the product
or revitalize it. Key characteristics of this phase include:
a. Declining Sales: Sales continue to decrease as consumers shift to newer alternatives or technologies.
b. Cost Challenges: Maintaining profitability becomes increasingly challenging as sales decline.
c. Strategic Decisions: Companies must decide whether to discontinue the product, harvest remaining value, or attempt to revitalize it.
Product Lifecycle Management is an essential framework for businesses seeking to optimize their product offerings throughout their
lifecycle. By understanding and effectively managing the Introduction, Growth, Maturity, and Decline phases, companies can maximize
profitability, sustain innovation, and maintain a competitive edge in today's dynamic business environment. Adapting strategies to each
phase ensures that products are not only launched successfully but also evolve, adapt, and ultimately exit the market gracefully when their
time has come.
Sunsetting a product can be a complex and challenging process, but it is important to do it in a way that minimizes disruption to customers
and the business. Here are some key steps involved in sunsetting a product:
1. Make the decision. This should be done carefully and strategically, taking into account all of the relevant factors.
2. Communicate the decision to stakeholders. This includes customers, employees, partners, and other stakeholders who may be affected
by the sunsetting of the product.
3. Develop a sunsetting plan. This should outline the timeline and steps involved in phasing out the product, including how to support
customers during the transition.
4. Execute the sunsetting plan. This may involve winding down development and support, migrating customers to other products or
services, and decommissioning infrastructure.
5. Monitor the results and make adjustments as needed. It is important to monitor the impact of the sunsetting process and make
adjustments as needed to ensure that it is going smoothly and that customers are being supported.
Sunsetting a product is a difficult decision, but it is sometimes necessary to ensure the long-term health of the business. By following the
steps above, companies can sunset products in a way that minimizes disruption to customers and the business.
In 2022-23, Netflix's revenue was 30.9 billion. The company's content library includes original programming,
licensed content, and acquired content. Netflix is a major player in the entertainment industry. It has disrupted
the traditional TV industry and is now the go-to streaming service for millions of people around the world.
REVENUE MODEL
Here is a breakdown of Netflix's revenue streams in 2022:
Subscription fees: $31.6 billion (98%)
Licensing: $0.3 billion (1%)
Advertising: $0.2 billion (1%)
As you can see, subscription fees are the overwhelming driver of Netflix's
revenue. This is because Netflix has a very large and loyal subscriber base.
As of Q1 2023, Netflix had 221.6 million subscribers worldwide.
Financial metrics
Revenue: This is the amount of money that Netflix generates from its subscribers and from licensing its
content to other companies.
Profit: This is the amount of money that Netflix has left over after it has paid all of its expenses.
Subscriber growth: This is the number of new subscribers that Netflix adds each quarter.
Average revenue per user (ARPU): This is the amount of money that Netflix generates from each
subscriber each month.
Engagement metrics
Hours watched: This is the total number of hours that Netflix subscribers watch content each quarter.
Completion rate: This is the percentage of content that subscribers finish watching.
Engagement rate: This is the percentage of subscribers who watch any content on Netflix each month.
Churn rate: This is the percentage of subscribers who cancel their subscriptions each month.
Operational metrics
Content library: This is the size and quality of Netflix's library of movies, TV shows, and documentaries.
Content acquisition costs: This is the amount of money that Netflix spends on licensing content and
producing original programming.
Technology platform: This is the reliability and scalability of Netflix's technology platform.
Customer satisfaction: This is the level of satisfaction that Netflix subscribers have with the service.
Large library of content, original programming, strong High subscription price, lack of offline viewing, limited
Netflix
brand recognition social features
Amazon Prime Large library of content, original programming, Content can be inconsistent, user interface can be
Video included with Amazon Prime subscription confusing
Apple TV+ Original programming, strong brand recognition Small library of content, lack of live TV option
REVENUE MODEL
Spotify works on freemium model
Subscriptions: Spotify offers three subscription plans: Individual, Duo, and
Family. The Individual plan is the cheapest, but it only allows one user to listen to
music at a time. The Duo plan allows two users to listen to music at a time, and the
Family plan allows up to six users to listen to music at a time.
Advertising: Spotify also generates revenue from advertising. Spotify offers a free
ad-supported tier that allows users to listen to music with ads. Spotify also offers
a premium tier that does not have ads.
PAIN POINTS
High subscription prices: Spotify's subscription prices are higher than some of its competitors. The
Individual plan is priced at \$9.99 per month, which is more expensive than the Individual plans of Apple
Music and Amazon Music.
Lack of offline listening: Spotify's free plan does not allow users to download music for offline listening.
This can be a pain point for users who want to listen to music without an internet connection.
Content availability: Spotify does not have the same content availability as some of its competitors. For
example, Spotify does not have the rights to stream music from Taylor Swift's catalog in some countries.
This can be a pain point for users who want to listen to specific artists or songs.
Large user base, personalized recommendations, Limited content selection in some regions, lack of
Spotify
affordable subscription prices social features
YouTube Music Large music library, integration with YouTube Cluttered user interface, lack of social features
Large user base, affordable subscription prices, Limited content selection, lack of personalization
Amazon Music
integration with Amazon Echo devices features
Wide variety of regional content, personalized Lack of integration with other devices, poor
Gaana
recommendations, free ad-supported plan customer service
Inshorts is a news and content aggregation platform that provides users with short, 60-word summaries of
the latest news and stories. The company was founded in 2013 by Azhar Iqubal and Ankit Gupta, and it is
headquartered in Gurgaon, India. Inshorts is available in 15 languages and has over 100 million users
worldwide. The company generates revenue from advertising, sponsored content, and content licensing.
Inshorts' services also include:
Personalized recommendations: Inshorts uses machine learning to recommend stories to users based on
their interests.
Audio stories: Inshorts offers a selection of audio stories that users can listen to.
SUCCESS METRICS
Number of active users: This metric measures the number of users who have used the Inshorts app in a given period of time. It is a good
indicator of the app's reach and popularity.
Time spent on the app: This metric measures the amount of time that users spend on the Inshorts app in a given period of time. It is a
good indicator of user engagement and satisfaction.
Number of stories read: This metric measures the number of stories that are read by users in a given period of time. It is a good indicator
of the app's engagement and usefulness.
Number of shares: This metric measures the number of times that stories are shared by users on social media. It is a good indicator of
the app's reach and influence.
Number of impressions: This metric measures the number of times that stories are seen by users. It is a good indicator of the app's
reach and visibility.
Conversion rate: This metric measures the percentage of users who take a desired action, such as clicking on a link or making a purchase,
after seeing an ad. It is a good indicator of the effectiveness of advertising campaigns.
RECOMMENDATION
Expand its content offerings: The company can expand its content offerings to include more in-depth articles, videos, and podcasts.
This would make the app more appealing to a wider range of users.
Add more features: Inshorts can add more features to the app, such as the ability to save stories for offline reading or to share stories
with others. This would make the app more useful and engaging for users.
Focus on local language support: Inshorts can focus on local language support in order to reach a wider audience in India. The
company can translate its content into different Indian languages and provide support for local payment methods.
Partner with major publishers: Inshorts can partner with major publishers to get access to exclusive content. This would make the app
more appealing to users who are looking for high-quality news content.
Invest in marketing and promotion: Inshorts can invest in marketing and promotion to reach a wider audience. The company can run
advertising campaigns, sponsor events, and partner with influencers.
REVENUE MODEL
Food delivery: Zomato charges a commission on each order that is placed through its food
delivery service. The commission rate varies depending on the restaurant and the city, but it is
typically around 20%.
Restaurant listings and advertising: Zomato charges restaurants a fee to list their menus and
photos on its website and app. Zomato also sells advertising space on its website and app to
restaurants and other businesses.
Subscriptions: Zomato offers a membership program called Zomato Gold, which gives members discounts on food and drinks at partner
restaurants. Zomato also offers a payment solution called Zomato Pay, which allows users to pay for food and other services at partner
restaurants using their Zomato account
PAIN POINTS
Long wait times: One of the biggest pain points for Zomato users is long wait times. This can be especially frustrating when you are hungry
or when you are trying to catch a flight.
High delivery fees: Zomato's delivery fees can be high, especially in certain areas. This can be a deterrent for some users.
Unreliable service: Sometimes, Zomato delivery partners are not available or they cancel deliveries at the last minute. This can be a major
inconvenience for users.
Safety concerns: There have been some reports of safety issues involving Zomato delivery partners. This has led to some users being
hesitant to use the service.
Difficult to contact customer support: If you have a problem with your Zomato order, it can be difficult to contact customer support. The
company's customer service line is often busy and it can be difficult to get a hold of a representative.
Invest in driver safety: Zomato can invest in driver safety by providing drivers with training
on safety procedures and by providing them with safety equipment, such as dashcams.
Be more transparent about its policies: Zomato can be more transparent about its policies
by publishing more information about how it operates, such as its pricing and cancellation
policies. This would help to build trust with riders and drivers.
Improve wait times: Zomato can improve wait times by increasing the number of delivery
partners and by optimizing its routing algorithms. Zomato can also give users the option to
pre-book their orders or to choose a delivery time window.
Large user base, strong focus on High commission rates for restaurants,
Swiggy 150 million 40% 2014
customer experience, quick delivery limited reach in rural areas
11.5 UBER
Uber is a transportation company that connects riders with drivers through a mobile app. The company
was founded in 2009 and is headquartered in San Francisco, California. Uber operates in over 10,000
cities in over 60 countries. In 2022-2023, Uber's revenue was $51.2 billion. The company's services
include:
UberX: This is the company's most popular service which provides rides in cars.
UberXL: This service provides rides in larger vehicles, such as vans or SUVs.
UberBlack: This service provides rides in luxury vehicles.
UberPool: This service allows riders to share a ride with other passengers
UberEats: This service delivers food from restaurants to customers.
Uber Freight: This service connects shippers with carriers for freight transportation.
REVENUE MODEL
Uber's revenue model is a commission-based model. This means that the company
earns a percentage of the fare charged to riders.
Rides Commission: Uber charges a commission on each ride that is taken
through its platform. The commission rate varies depending on the city and the
type of ride, but it is typically around 20%.
Other Fees: Uber also charges a variety of other fees, such as cancellation fees,
booking fees, and surge pricing fees.
Ad Revenue: Uber also generates revenue from advertising. The company sells
advertising space on its app and website, and it also partners with businesses to
promote their products and services to Uber users.
RECOMMENDATION
Create a loyalty program: Uber can create a loyalty program to reward riders for their continued use of the service. This could include
things like discounts on rides or free rides after a certain number of trips.
Invest in driver safety: Uber can invest in driver safety by providing drivers with training on safety procedures and by providing them
with safety equipment, such as dashcams.
Be more transparent about its policies: Uber can be more transparent about its policies by publishing more information about how it
operates, such as its pricing and cancellation policies. This would help to build trust with riders and drivers.
Instagram is a photo and video-sharing social networking service owned by Meta Platforms. The app allows
users to take photos and videos, apply digital filters, and share them on a variety of social media platforms,
including Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr. Instagram was founded in 2010 by Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger,
and it quickly became one of the most popular social media platforms in the world.
As of 2023, Instagram has over 1 billion active users worldwide. The app is available in over 190 countries and
is translated into 35 languages. Instagram's revenue in 2022-23 was $33.67 billion.
REVENUE MODEL
Advertising: Instagram's advertising revenue comes from businesses
that create ads that appear on the platform. Businesses can target their
ads to specific demographics, interests, and behaviours
Shopping: Instagram's shopping revenue comes from businesses that
sell their products directly on the platform. Instagram charges
businesses a commission on each sale that is made through Instagram
Shops.
Sponsorships: Instagram's sponsorship revenue comes from businesses
that sponsor Instagram influencers to promote their products or
services. This is a popular way for businesses to reach a targeted
audience.
Data licensing: Instagram's data licensing revenue comes from
businesses that buy data about Instagram users. This data can be used
by businesses to target their ads and improve their products and
services.
IIM Visakhapatnam | 2023-2024 78
INSTAG RAM
SUCCESS METRICS
Number of active users: This metric measures the number of users who have logged into Instagram in a given period of time. It is a
good indicator of the platform's reach and popularity.
Time spent on the platform: This metric measures the amount of time that users spend on Instagram in a given period of time. It is a
good indicator of user engagement.
Number of posts and stories: This metric measures the number of posts and stories that are created on Instagram in a given period of
time. It is a good indicator of the platform's activity and creativity.
Number of likes and comments: This metric measures the number of likes and comments that are received on posts and stories in a
given period of time. It is a good indicator of user engagement and interaction.
Number of followers: This metric measures the number of users who follow a particular account. It is a good indicator of the account's
popularity and influence.
Number of impressions: This metric measures the number of times that a post or story is seen by users. It is a good indicator of the
reach and visibility of a post or story.
PAIN POINTS
Overloaded content: Instagram users are bombarded with a lot of content, which can be overwhelming and make it difficult to find
the content that they are interested in.
Algorithms: Instagram's algorithms determine which content users see in their feeds. These algorithms are often criticized for being
opaque and for showing users content that they are not interested in.
Toxicity: Instagram has been criticized for its lack of moderation, which has led to the spread of harmful content, such as
cyberbullying and hate speech.
Privacy: Instagram has been criticized for its privacy practices. The company has been accused of collecting too much data about its
users and of not doing enough to protect user privacy.
Safety concerns: Instagram has been criticized for its safety features. The company has been accused of not doing enough to protect
users from predators and other harmful individuals.
Number of Year
Market
Company active founde Strengths Weaknesses
share
users d
Popular with all ages, Wide range of content, Can be difficult to find specific content,
YouTube 2.9 billion 39.10% 2005
Strong brand recognition Some users find the ads to be intrusive
Books:
"Inspired: How To Create Products Customers Love" by Marty Cagan: This book
provides a comprehensive guide to modern product management and is highly
regarded in the industry.
"Lean Product and Lean Analytics" by Ben Yoskovitz and Alistair Croll: These
books offer practical insights into building and scaling successful products using
lean and data-driven methodologies.
"Product Management for Dummies" by Brian Lawley and Pamela Schure: A
beginner-friendly introduction to the fundamentals of product management.
The journey to secure a product management role as an MBA student is a challenging yet rewarding path. The product manager's role is
pivotal in any organization, as it requires a unique blend of skills, knowledge, and experience. Landing this role demands not only a
profound understanding of product management but also the ability to effectively communicate one's abilities and potential to
prospective employers. In this essay, we will explore essential tips to help MBA students excel in product management interviews.
PM Interview Cheat
Sheet