Do PMs Need Technical Skills?
“The future belongs to those who learn more skills and combine them in creative ways”. — Robert Greene
A skill is something that everyone possesses. It can be anything. You might be good at programming, while another person may be good at delegation. There might be a person who is good at both things. But remember, skill is not about quantity but QUALITY.
Every product manager has numerous skills. Product managers can be differentiated based on the different skills they have. A skills map helps in the visual representation of the skills and is a significant part in the making of a product manager.
An essential set of abilities must be included in a product manager’s portfolio.
Let’s begin by discussing about that first!
Basic Skillset of a Product Manager
- Industry insights and knowledge on KPIs
Understanding the industry is a key ability that any product manager should possess, and it should clearly reflect in his/her portfolio. Product managers need to be familiar with industry trends and KPIs. A product manager can evaluate daily active users, client acquisition expenses, customer lifetime value, and other metrics with the aid of KPIs. - Conducting Market Research
A product manager should know about the ongoings of the industry. This includes estimating the customers’ needs, assessing the gathered customers’ feedback, and doing thorough research on the user surveys received by the people. This will help in the development of a product that the market will appraise and appreciate. - Analytical & Interpersonal Skills
Product managers should have the ability to analyze the data provided and interpret statistical models. They should also work on their interpersonal skills by communicating with the team and updating them on any product decision that needs to be made. - Communication Skills
This skill is non-negotiable for a PM to have. Communication skills help a product manager to be a medium between the company and the users, the development team, and the stakeholders. This promotes product development transparency and ensures that there are no significant flaws during the process. - Prioritization Skills
Prioritization abilities are included in the skills map. Product Managers should be able to be prioritize tasks based on the demands of the project. In addition to saving time, this will guarantee efficient product development. Thus, prioritization skills are a need for all product managers.
What do you mean by technical skills?
Technical tasks are those that require the use of particular technology-related tools and programs. The skills map includes technical abilities, that are applied in a variety of industries such as IT, business administration, healthcare, etc. The following are the main technical skills:
- Data Analysis
- Project Management
- Software Proficiency
- Programming
- Technical Writing
In addition, UX, or user experience, is a technical skill that is also considered as a workplace skill in the design industry.
Is technical skill a mandatory skillset for a PM to possess?
Technical PM is a type of product manager who has a strong technical background and is responsible for focusing more on the technical aspects of product development.
Having a technical skillset is not a mandatory skill set but it is definitely beneficial for a PM. According to statistics, PMs must have 70% management skills and 30% technical skills. Technical skills are significant in the progress of a project.
Having technical skills in a product manager portfolio is advantageous. Product managers understand every step of product development in a better way when communicating with the technical team as they also understand the technicalities. Small projects require a PM to have a technical background as they may not have a proper technical team at the beginning of the project.
Let’s take an example of a technical skill, like UX or user experience.
Do PMs need to have a knowledge of UX?
If you’re building and directing a product, you need to understand the business goals and how customers experience the product.
UX is a critical component in building great products.
Imagine being a PM tasked with building a new type of door. Your design is beautiful but relies on a new type of door handle that people have never seen. In your customer research you realize that every time a new person walks up to the door, they spend 5 seconds trying to understand how to open it, before eventually walking away.
Knowing UX helps you reduce the chances of building products others won’t enjoy or even use. But it also depends on the company/team bench context. There are some situations where a company has weak/ new designers who do not have strong technical skills or UX skills.
In those cases, the teams are not prepared on how to proceed and face problems in decision-making. A technical PM in such situations is a big help to the project. A PM helps in guiding research and testing.
Additionally, there are times when PMs with technical knowledge are unable to let go of their technical background. As a result, the PMs lack focus on managing the project. Complex projects require a manager who can provide other skillsets as well and not just the technical aspects.
Conclusion
In the end, it all depends upon the position and the product. Some situations demand a technical PM while in some cases having no technical knowledge is not an issue. A product manager portfolio includes a multitude of skill sets and not just one. Nonetheless, more UX knowledge does not hurt as long as you are a good collaborator and colleague. It is up to you. It is never too late to start learning!
