7 Things in Product Management We Are Thankful For
By: Carlos G De Villaumbrosia
Tags: Product, Tech, Product Management, Thanksgiving, Product Manager

In light of Thanksgiving, now is the best time to be thankful for all that we have going on in the world of product management. We are surrounded by inspiring people in Tech who are building innovative products that continue to make people’s lives better. Given all the hard work, talent and dedication that goes into each feature, now is the time to say thank you to everyone for all that you do.

1. UX Designers

These guys do all the hard labor of figuring out how to make that feature work exactly the way we want it, while still looking classy and beautiful. They understand the technology that goes into the framework of what we are building, and they know how to bring it to life.

As product managers, it’s impossible to get the job done without our team, they help us expand upon our ideas, refine our roadmap, and make our dreamed-up features a reality.

2. Sales Professionals

They are out on the frontline bringing the product directly in the hands of the businesses or people that will get the most use out of them. Sales experts are able to take the story of the product and shape it into a marketable item.

They continuously push to look on the bright side, stay motivated and achieve goals like nobody’s business. Without a great sales-team, your product won’t leave the office. Thanks to them, it’s out there in the market, and people are able to enjoy what we’ve all built together.

3. Customers

Thank you to the loyal and supportive customers who continue to challenge us and give us feedback for features enhancement and development. They are the reason we keep asking questions like “how can we improve this feature?” or “how do we make this design work better with that detail?” They are also the reason product managers and their teams do what they to the best of their ability.

To make products that make their lives easier. Customers are the most important part of the product development process.

4. Technology

If we didn’t have the developments we now have in technology, we wouldn’t be able to envision, design and develop the things we are able to build today. Without those who pioneered the advancement in Tech, we wouldn’t have the internet, applications, or even the fun and intelligent bots. In the world of many things and in our world of product, this is a definite on our list.

5. Leaders in Product Management

We have great opportunities, thanks to the internet, to be able to connect, share and gain feedback from those who inspire us. And in this industry, there are more leaders than we could have ever hoped for. They are the writers, the builders, designers and the movers and shakers in product management. People who are changing the landscape of product development and leadership in ways that challenge us to move ahead and push to be better; better product designers, developers, engineers and managers. We appreciate you.

6. Aspiring Product Managers

We are constantly looking to the leaders in product management for inspiration we can share with our students, and we’ve had the opportunity to work many great people in the industry. But most importantly, we’ve been inspired by those who are looking to break into the industry. They enter the space with various backgrounds in Tech, marketing, engineering and more, and they bring with them fresh ideas for features, implementation, and ways to work with their teams. They come to our events, get certified, and thousands of them form an amazing community spanning the entire globe! We look forward to the future of product with you.

And last, but not least, we are thankful in product management for our…Products!

The product is the final result of all of the hard work of the product management team. They are what transpires after sprints, brainstorming sessions and late nights of problem solving. They inspire us, challenge us, help shape our purpose and drive, and of course, they pay the bills!

Speaking of products, where would the modern workplace be without our tools? Whether you’re using Monday, Trello, Slack, Adobe, G-Suite, Evernote, and even Spotify to drown out office noise when you need to buckle down, we should all take a moment to be grateful for the tools that make our jobs easier. Any remote worker will tell you what a pain it is when Slack goes down. And we’ve all sat at our desks twiddling our thumbs while technicians fix the WiFi. If only we could put every tool at the top of this list!

In short, we thank everyone and everything that goes into building products from an idea and a vision, and those who support the industry. Happy Thanksgiving!

Have something to add to this? We’d love to hear from you. Tweet us @ProductSchool