It’s the end of PMs as we know it

Summary

The article discusses the ongoing debate in the product management community sparked by Marty Cagan's critique of the current state of PM roles, clarifying misconceptions and emphasizing the need to understand the role correctly.

Abstract

Recent discussions in the product management sphere have been stirred by Marty Cagan's comments, which highlight the shortcomings of PMs in their roles. The article, however, reassures that this does not signify the end of PMs but rather points out the challenges faced by many PMs who feel they lack decision-making power and are confined to 'feature factories.' It acknowledges the 'academic theater of product management,' a term coined by Claire Vo, which reflects the tension between ideal and practical product management. The author empathizes with the difficult choices PMs must make, balancing their professional roles with financial stability, especially in a tough economy. The community's reaction to Cagan's observations has been sensationalized, leading to misunderstandings about the role of PMs and the future of their profession. The article clarifies that there is no imminent threat to the PM role from other professionals, nor has Teresa Torres suggested that UX researchers are unnecessary. Instead, it suggests focusing on the core issue: the widespread misunderstanding of the product manager's role.

Opinions

The author believes that the product management community has overreacted to Marty Cagan's critique, which is seen as a candid assessment of the current state of PM roles.
There is a recognition that many PMs are frustrated with their lack of decision-making power and the constraints of their company culture or leadership.
The author has personally witnessed and experienced the challenges PMs face in trying to fulfill their roles effectively within restrictive environments.
Claire Vo's concept of the 'academic theater of product management' is referenced to illustrate the dichotomy between theoretical best practices and the practical realities of the job.
The article argues that the community should focus on addressing the misunderstanding of the PM role rather than sensationalizing individual critiques.
Despite the challenges, the author does not entirely dismiss the current state of PM work, acknowledging the necessity of making pragmatic choices, such as maintaining a source of income.

Hold up ✋

The majority of posts on the PM sub are about how product managers are frustrated with their jobs because they don’t have any decision making power and are stuck in feature factories.

I’ve seen and experienced this first hand.

Even though PMs know they could be doing things differently, they simply cannot because the company/culture doesn’t allow them to be. They’re not fully exercising the product management role — that is quite a well known situation for many, and it’s often not easy to get out of it because at the end of the day, a pay check is a pay check.

A few months ago, Claire Vo referred to this as “the academic theater of product management” — the tug between what is “wrong” and what is “right” in product.

Time for a reality check here.

While I don’t necessarily agree with this being the best form of the PM craft, I also understand where it comes from. Sometimes we have to make hard choices or risk losing a source of income. (Not in this economy!)

Fast forward to everyone freaking out over Marty Cagan calling this out.

All he did was speak the truth. Whether it’s because of the company culture, the lack of understanding of product management, or CPOs that don’t fully support their product teams, it is still a reality. It doesn’t mean the PM is a bad PM, the circumstances might not just be there to support them being a PM fully.

Does that mean he’s wrong? No.

Is the community sensationalising something Cagan said ? Yes.

So let’s review…

❌ No, Chesky isn’t killing the product manager. ❌ No, product marketers or software engineers or designers are not taking over the PM job. ❌ No, Teresa never said that UX researchers weren’t needed. ❌ No, Cagan didn’t say you suck at your job.

💡 Is there, however, a larger problem of people still misunderstanding the product manager role?

Absolutely. And that is the problem we should all be focusing on.