Enhancing Technical Expertise as a Non-tech Product Manager
In the article titled Three Common Questions about Improving Technical Knowledge for a PM, I stressed the importance of having a certain level of technical understanding as a Product Manager, even though it is not a prerequisite for the role. Without it, our career growth could be significantly hindered.
Therefore, in this post, I will share my personal experience and perspective to guide PMs in enhancing their technical comprehension, especially those with a non-tech background.
Dispelling Misconception: “Enhanced technical skills equate to better PM effectiveness”
Before delving into strategies, let's tackle one of the most common misconceptions among PMs: “I could be a more effective PM if I had great technical skills.”
While having a solid technical understanding can enhance effectiveness, the same can be said for developing skills in other areas. As long as you cultivate essential PM skills, you'll be well-equipped to excel in your role.
Identifying the Core Problem
It’s great if you want to improve your technical skills, but ensure you're addressing the right problem before diving into solutions. There are various ways to tackle a problem, and increasing technical knowledge is just one avenue among many. By understanding the underlying problem thoroughly, you can choose the most effective solution tailored to your needs.
Therefore, it is crucial to take a step back and ask yourself:
What specific problem am I trying to solve?
Is enhancing technical knowledge the most effective solution?
Are there alternative approaches to address the problem?
By doing so, you can ensure that your efforts are focused on meaningful solutions rather than just developing technical skills without purpose. Who knows in the end, you may realize that your team needs a technical leader who can make the final technical decision, rather than a PM who has better technical understanding? This option even is faster and easier than attempting to dive into the technical world yourself.
Tailoring Technical Growth
Assuming technical enhancement aligns with your identified problem, it's time to figure out how to improve those skills. But getting good at technical stuff usually takes a ton of time and effort, and it often involves a fair bit of coding. Even you have finished a coding class, you probably find it’s not really help you work more efficiently because they are irrelevant to your job.
Let me share my personal experienceI once took a Python class and learned it well, finishing all the assignments without any trouble. But it didn't really help me at work because we don't use Python there, and I didn't have any personal projects that needed it. So, even though learning a new programming language is great, it's kind of a waste if you can't use it in your job.
So, what kind of technical skills should we prioritize to focus on?
1. Focus on Relevance
Rather than pursuing generic technical knowledge, focus on the technical skills in the specific area, product and projects in which you are directly working on. Prioritize filling in the gaps in your knowledge of the stuff your team talks about.
In your daily work, whenever you come across a concept, a problem or an issue that you don't get or are curious about, don't hesitate to ask the engineers to explain, and learn as much as possible. If you still find some technical terms unclear, take the initiative to conduct research independently. Gain a deep understanding of the product domain, or projects you're responsible for, including the technical aspects, can empowers you to make well-informed decisions, establish effective communication with our teams, and ultimately steer your projects and products toward success.
If we utilize the Eisenhower Matrix of Prioritization for absorbing new technical knowledge, it would look like:
Important and Urgent: Focus on technical aspects crucial to ongoing projects, like understanding product architecture or resolving critical issues.
Important but Not Urgent: Allocate time to learn emerging technologies or industry standards beneficial for long-term success (for both product and yourself).
Not Important but Urgent: For technical knowledge requiring immediate attention but less relevance to your development, grasp their basic understanding swiftly and delegate to Technical Leaders or Senior Engineers for resolution (if any). Of course you can learn about it, but only do that when you have time.
Not Important and Not Urgent: Avoid spending time on irrelevant or specialized technical topics with little impact on your product and role.
For example, if you are developing a mobile app, it's crucial to have a good understanding of mobile platforms, user interfaces, and app performance. On the other hand, if you are building a SaaS platform, having expertise in cloud computing, APIs, and data security, etc. is recommendable.
2. Consider your PM Role and Level
As you continue to enhance your general technical understanding relevant to your work, it's crucial to acknowledge that not all PM roles are created equal in terms of Role and Level. As a result, the technical needs for each PM differ accordingly.
PM Role: Reforge categorizes PM roles into four specialization types based on product work, highlighting the diverse skill sets they demand. For instance, a Growth PM may need a basic understanding of programming languages like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript for tasks such as implementing tracking codes and optimizing website performance. On the other hand, a Core PM requires proficiency in quality assurance (QA) processes and testing tools to ensure impeccable product quality.
Source: Inspired by Reforge PM Level: A Group PM or Senior PM overseeing an entire product area will inevitably need a deeper technical understanding compared to a junior PM focused on a specific aspect. As your career progresses, you'll shoulder increasingly complex responsibilities and projects. With this evolution comes a greater demand for technical knowledge and skills to effectively lead the product and team.
Final Thought
Although not every company expects Product Managers to be tech-savvy, lacking a basic technical understanding can lead to costly mistakes later on. As you progress in your career as a Product Manager, focus on learning what directly relates to your job, role, and level instead of trying to grasp everything about the technical side. By concentrating on these specific areas, you can better match your technical knowledge with what's needed for your role, ensuring you make informed decisions and lead your projects effectively.
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