Product Sense: Definition and How to Develop It

What Is Product Sense?

A product-sense person can recognize possibilities, evaluate threats, and make knowledgeable decisions that direct successful product developments.

To develop product sense, one must understand the technology behind it because the synergy of technical expertise, analytical skills, and creative thinking is to go all the way. This also includes comprehension of user behavior, compiling customer feedback, and studying data to make informed decisions.

With the growing technology day-to-day, staying updated with the industry trends is necessary, as learning successful products and gaining feedback from users and peers to apprehend how to develop product sense. It’s also essential to cultivate a perspective of experimentation and risk-taking and be receptive to learning from failures.

Today’s fast-paced and competitive market demands you to create a solid product to have an edge over the competitors. And this is only possible with the right skills and mindset. Therefore, making this might be an easy game once you acquire the knowledge. 

Let’s understand this more thoroughly.

Key Skills and Traits Associated With Product Sense

Let’s look at some of the essential aspects of building product sense. 

• Customer empathy: First, you need to understand your customer’s requirements, what they want, and pain points to build products people will love. Remember, compassion for the customer lets product managers create products that resolve real problems and provide value.

• Market research: Next is having extensive market research; this skill is crucial for product managers. It allows managers to gather and evaluate data for insights into the market, competitors, and customer behavior. With market knowledge, managers have the right mindset to make impactful decisions regarding product strategy, costs, and positioning.

• Data analysis: Analyzing the data has always been the crux of product development for managers. And for this, the professionals need to learn ways of collecting, performing their research, and assessing the data most beneficially. Moreover, in this data-driven era, you must learn to use it in your favor.

• Creativity: Next comes being the creative thinker to develop product sense, who can create out-of-box yet practical solutions to complex problems. Also, creativity will lead your product to stand out in the sea of products that might have used the “regular prototype” to create their product.

• Technical knowledge: Technical proficiency is one of the strongest suits of product managers. Apart from communicating with the engineers and developers, the manager must be well-versed in the development specification to have the most sort-out product.

• Strategic thinking: With competitors in every corner, the manager should be a strategic thinker who can develop and execute a product strategy that harmonizes with the company’s goals. This means prioritizing, making trade-offs, and balancing short and long-term objectives.

• Leadership: Product managers require influential leaders who motivate and inspire their teams to deliver great products. They need to communicate a clear vision, set goals, and provide feedback and support to their team.

Developing Product Sense

Developing product sense is an ongoing process that involves continuous learning and improvement. Here are some tips for creating product sense:

• Study successful products: Get insight into thriving developments and try to comprehend what causes them to be excellent. Explore their elements, user experience, and value proposition. This will provide you with a fairer sense of what creates a terrific product.

• Gather customer feedback: Communicate with customers and compile their feedback on your outcome. This will allow you to apprehend their requirements and pain points and determine areas for improvement.

• Keep up with industry trends: Be on the front with trends and rising technologies. Attend conferences, read industry journals, and follow thought leaders in your field.

• Experiment and iterate: Product development is an iterative process. Feel free to experiment with different features and ideas; be willing to pivot if something isn’t working.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams: Product development involves collaboration across different groups, including engineering, design, and marketing. Collaborate with these teams to ensure everyone is aligned and working towards the same goals.

These tips can help you develop your product sense and become a more effective product manager.

Examples of Product Managers with Strong Product Sense

There are many examples of product managers who have demonstrated strong product sense. One example is Steve Jobs, who is widely recognized as a master product manager. He had a deep understanding of the market and customer needs and was able to create products that people didn’t even know they wanted, such as the iPod and iPhone.

Another example is Julie Zhou, the former VP of Product Design at Facebook. She is known for her customer-centric approach to product development and ability to create products that solve real user problems.

Finally, there is Andrew Bosworth, the VP of Facebook Reality Labs. He is known for his technical expertise and ability to drive product innovation. He has been instrumental in developing products such as Oculus VR, which has helped redefine the virtual reality industry.

Wrap Up

In conclusion, product sense combines skills and traits that enable product managers to understand the market, customer needs, and the technology behind their products. By developing product sense through continuous learning and improvement, product managers can create successful products that solve real customer problems and drive business growth.