I first saw this concept from Yuhki Yamashita (@yuhkiyam), CPO of Figma, in 2020.
Well before the current AI boom.
It's driven by 3 key trends:
(Video: @productschool)
1. Engineers are taking an active role in the problem space
It's just a pre-requisite for engineering success these days.
Promotion committees don't just ask, how big was the feature, or important the technical innovation.
They ask: how big was the impact?
2. Designers are taking an active role in the business
More than ever, designers are learning and building for metrics.
In a world where OKRs rule the roost, the incentive is natural.
They can't just outsource to a PM fully vetting the business space.
3. PMs are learning design and tech drive performance
The little details of how you design a product and the technical decisions you make determine whether it's successful.
Both product leaders and product managers are realizing they have to get into the details.
4. Finally, yes, AI is accelerating the merge
Now:
β’ Companies are waiting to hire PMs
β’ Design engineer is the hottest thing on Twitter
β’ All disciplines continue to use AI to speed up their work
This will reduce time on finessing details & increase time on the why.
Putting all this together... It seems undeniable the roles have started to merge on the edges.
But, the core responsibilities remain differentiated.
So, in this increasingly overlapped world, how you work with your sister functions becomes a differentiator.
Those who:
β’ Lead with empowerment
β’ Collaborate with empathy
β’ Blend roles, but don't step on toes
Will be the one's leading us into this new era.
So, as a PM, how do you handle these blurry edges with design?
I interviewed 15 folks to help you out with all the tactics, strategies, and conversation starters you need:
Spoiler alert: You shouldn't just immediately try to transform the company.
That a recipe for disappointment at best, and getting exited at worst.
Instead, figure out which of these 3 approaches is best for you:
1. Guerilla Tactics 2. Soft Power 3. The Long Game
They all can make you happier, but are totally different.
OPTION 1 - Guerilla Tactics
The reality is that most PMs donβt have the clout to drive transformation for everyone on their own.
So instead of trying to change everyone, you can just change your immediate vicinity.
For instance:
1. Organize 'innovation labs' that champion product model practices. 2. Offer to manage small 'side projects' that run in the product model, showcasing rapid progress. 3. Embed Agile principles subtly, using phrases like 'quick syncs' and 'priority check-ins' to avoid bureaucratic pushback
These are all little, tactical things that you don't have to be super public with. But they make your life better.
The key with all of these is to have a mindset that βI can shape my job.β
OPTION 2 - Soft Power
Another option that has worked for quite a few people is not to go guerilla - but go soft power.
So you're not under cover. You're out in the open.
You do things like:
1. Bring customer discovery and solution iteration into the process 2. Empower your designers and engineers in the what and why 3. Think like an owner about outcomes to drive 4. Then, you document and share those wins.
This is a really nice middle ground that PMs use to get promoted by bringing state of the art practices to their product domain.
Instead of just bringing happiness to your job, you also try to move the company along.
Especially with that step 4.
OPTION 3 - The Long Game
This final option is a long-shot... and too many content creators jumpt to his.
But it can be done by PMs who want to stay at a company--and also effectuate change.
The idea is you:
1. Get in with some execs: you find and win sponsors 2. Patiently prove out the process: you slowly keep showing proof points of success 3. Celebrate, celebrate, celebrate: act as the on-the-ground cheerleader for the initiative
And you try to be that unicorn IC PM who helps drive transformation org-wide.
But beware: the odds are long. Options 1 and 2 also can make you happier.
Too many people underrate them.
I see so many PMs saying stuff like this. It's a shame.
The books idealized too much. Enjoy what you have.
Too many people get the advice, 'if you're not in this ideal, move to it' and I just think that's too one-size-fits all.