Monday, 15 April 2019

What To Put In Your Product Management Toolkit

By Frances Jackson


Technology is an important but singular aspect of doing a job. Within your product management toolkit, you need to include several skills that have to be developed on a personal basis. Relationships with your team, outside business partners, management, and consumers are all part of creating a better system and product. Most of the tools you will need are related to the people that you interact with on a daily basis.

People will be one of the most important parts of this kit. The various people you interact with daily are members of your team, management, designers, manufacturers, and consumers. Understanding their needs will help you develop a better task list and system to ensure the project is completed and is done to the specifications as communicated within the various groups.

Building relationships are key. The type of relationship you have with the various people you come into contact with will determine the influence you have with them. Influence with the people you work with is built through sincerity and trust over time. When you need something done in a timely fashion or help to figure out a solution, the relationships you have built will be a determining factor in your success.

Take advantage of networking opportunities. Often conferences are held in regional and national areas. Local groups often meet as well. These are great opportunities to build relationships and network with people that may be available in the future for quick projects, solution ideas, and future hires for longer-term projects.

Knowledge is key. This part is up to you alone. You have to decide what information is valuable to you and will help you think creatively for solutions. Reading and studying industry information and even non-industry specific information will help expand your understanding and knowledge so you can do your job better.

Understanding what your customers want and need is critical. Your customers are not just the end consumers that buy the merchandise but include your team, manager, and outside partners. Understanding their needs will help you design and manage the system better.

Software is also a part of the equation. When you move from one company or project to another, you will find that each one has its own preference for software. Spend time learning the major packages so you can be prepared when you walk into any project to navigate the system quickly and reduce downtime. By learning the various software packages you will be able to take advantage of the systems quickly and navigate the data to provide better communication with the people who need it.

Influence, relationships, networking, and technology are all part of a bigger system. It is up to each manager to develop the various areas in order to do the best he or she can. Focusing on what is needed in your toolkit gives you the advantage.




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