I worked 11 years in startups and worked with many product managers. I found that the product managers face challenges in technical things. I know they are good in product management but not good at technical skills. Sometimes I found the developers did not behave in a good way with them due to lack of technical skills.
There is a limiting belief that product managers think that why should I learn technical skills?
I say why not?
A good product manager should have an end to end understanding of a product whether it’s technical or non-technical.
I am not saying you have to write code but for your career growth and better understanding of a product how the things work internally at least every product manager should have a good understanding of technical things like
Front-end vs Back-end Technologies
Front-end Caching vs Back-end Caching
REStful APIs
Different Types of Databases
Query Optimisation and Reasons of Slow Page Loading
Queuing Techniques
System Logging and Monitoring Techniques
Basic Understanding About Database Structure
Basic Understanding About System Architecture Design
What are the challenges a product manager faces due to lack of technical skills?
A product manager faces various challenges due to lack of technical skills few are given below as
- Communication with Technical Team: One of the biggest challenges a non-technical product manager faces is effectively communicating with the technical team. The technical team may use jargon or technical terms that the non-technical product manager may not understand, which can make it difficult to have productive conversations and make informed decisions.
- Balancing Technical and Business Needs: A non-technical product manager may struggle with balancing technical requirements with business needs. They may not have a deep understanding of the technical aspects of the product, which can make it challenging to make informed decisions about product features, timelines, and development trade-offs.
- Making Data-Driven Decisions: Product managers need to make data-driven decisions based on metrics, customer feedback, and user research. Non-technical product managers may lack the technical skills to analyze and interpret data, which can make it difficult to make informed decisions.
- Understanding the Market and Customer Needs: Non-technical product managers may lack the technical expertise to fully understand the market and customer needs. This can make it difficult to develop product features that will resonate with the target audience.
- Collaborating with Cross-Functional Teams: Product managers need to collaborate with cross-functional teams such as design, engineering, marketing, and sales to ensure that the product is successful. Non-technical product managers may struggle to communicate effectively with these teams and build strong working relationships.
- Struggle with Right ETAs: Due to lack of technical skills product managers depend on the technical teams and are unable to meet deadlines of the products.
How to overcome it?
By learning technical skills you can overcome it. I help people to become technical product managers. I would be more than happy if I can help you.