Design: Product Life Cycle

Source: Dribbble

Source: Cracking the PM Interview by Gayle Laakman and Jackie Bavaro

As you recall, They are 4 stages in the product life-cycle which are:

• Research & Planning
• Design
• Testing & Implementing
• Launch

Today, we are going to discuss the “Design” in the product life-cycle.

Once the PM has formed agreement on what the team is going to build its time to design the product and features. Product design does not just mean user interface or product sketch. It means specific details of the product, its features and its functionality. PM role in product design varies substanially between companies and teams.

Type of Team Design set-up:

• Team with shipped product like Microsoft (as opposed to online software): The PM has to create a detailed functional specification. This can include things like: goals, use-case, requirement, wireframes, bullet-point that describe every possible state of a feature, internationalization, security. The PM is expected to represent the user and answer any user-facing question/decision.
• Other teams have looser spec and more rapid design process: The PM would usually meet with an interaction designer to discuss about goals and brainstorm on a whiteboard. Afterwards, they iterate by giving feedback on a designer mock-ups. When mock-up is ready, PM sends it to engineer with a few sentences. At this point, engineers usually start working on the product based of the design mock-ups by making the mock-up a reality. In the process of doing so, they usually make minor product decisions on the spot (small details etc.). For major product decision or more complex issues, they consult with the product manager
• For companies like Apple: There is a specific design team that handles everything related to the design of the product. Here PM just give minimal inputs. In companies like this, the PM role is more project management based and fighting fires as they arise.

“PM during design can vary a lot and it is a great thing to ask about in interviews”

You can ask the following questions:

• Who will be in your core team and extended team?
• How detailed will your product specification be?
• How much of your time will be spent working on product specification?
• How much of your time will be spent working with designers?
• What is the balance between PM/Designer/Engineer in making product decisions?