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Steps to become a product manager

From the basics of discovery and prioritising to a portfolio and your first interviews.

19 items · 4 sections · study, career, product, tech

Start this checklist

Learn the basics (4)

  • Understand what a product manager does: problems, users, priorities, deliveryOpen
  • Read Inspired by Marty Cagan or Cracking the PM InterviewOpen
  • Learn how a product team works: designers, engineers, data and support
  • Learn the product lifecycle from idea to launch to improvementOpen

Build the skills (6)

  • Practise talking to users: do five short interviews about a real problemOpen
  • Learn to write a one-page product brief with a problem, goal and success measureOpen
  • Learn simple prioritising: impact against effort, RICE or MoSCoWOpen
  • Learn to read basic numbers: sign-ups, conversion, retentionOpen
  • Learn enough SQL or spreadsheets to answer your own questionsOpen
  • Learn to write short user stories with clear acceptance criteriaOpen

Show your work (4)

  • Pick one app you use and write a short teardown: what works and what you would change
  • Build a small product or run a side project from idea to launch
  • Write up a case study: problem, research, decision, result
  • Put two or three case studies in a short portfolio page

Get the role (5)

  • Ask for a chance to do product work in your current job
  • Talk to three product managers and ask for feedback on your portfolio
  • Prepare for product sense, estimation and prioritising questionsOpen
  • Apply to associate product manager and product analyst roles
  • Review your first year and set learning goals

Written from www.svpg.com

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