This week, Product Faculty hosted Johnny Chang, Product Chief at Google, for a particular #AskMeAnything session. Johnny talks about how essential persistence and a progress mindset are in Product Administration, whether or not you’re simply breaking into the business or trying to develop in your position.
Meet Johnny
Johnny is at present a Product Chief at Google. He beforehand labored as a Product Lead at Lyft. Earlier than that, he was a Principal Product Supervisor with them and previously was Senior Product Supervisor at Netflix and Linkedin.
He initially transitioned from an engineering background with 10+ years of profitable product expertise in these main tech firms, he’s uniquely positioned to share his expertise to assist those that need to transition into and reach product administration, which he’s additionally keen about.
You may additionally comply with him on https://IntrovertInProduct.com the place he blogs about his experiences and suggestions to assist individuals at scale.
How do you synthesize new insights or give you the vocabulary to explain a theme when confronted with a bunch of qualitative information?
I feel first step is to ensure you perceive what you examine broadly. As you progress, kind patterns and classes to attempt to group what you’ve realized from the qualitative information. And proceed doing so till you’re feeling you might have a great classification of data. There’s no magic reply to this, and it takes apply!
What’s the most satisfying a part of your present position?
I feel the reply is sort of the identical throughout all my product roles: have the ability to work on complicated and fascinating issues, work with all kinds of cross-functional groups (and empower them to achieve success), and in the end ship merchandise to enhance buyer/customers’ lives!
What framework do you utilize to determine person persona whereas beginning on any new product?
I won’t be very particular within the frameworks I exploit. Within the previous days I used extra person tales, now extra ceaselessly I exploit “jobs to be performed” and “crucial person journey.” Are all good ones. My factor about “framework” is all the time that it gives construction, however ensure you don’t apply it rigidly.
Try: Product Templates: Person Persona
How did you go about transferring from PM to Product Lead? Any recommendation for PMs wanting to maneuver extra right into a management position?
The principle factor would nonetheless be to ensure you do the very best in your present position as a PM. You’d be uncovered to (promotion) alternative solely after you display your worth on the present stage or beat expectations. Clearly, you’ll nonetheless must let individuals (together with your managers) find out about your objective to need to develop into management roles.
What are you at present studying?
Suppose Like a Monk 
Which books would you advocate for design pondering?
Design of Every thing Issues by Don Norman is an efficient one.
I see that you’ve got labored in quite a lot of firms. What has helped you most as you might have transitioned from being a PM in a single firm to a different?
Ah, I like this Q. To all the time have a newbie’s mindset and simply have the ability to rapidly throw away your preconception of “what used to work for me”, and relearn what works on this new position. Having that stated, do look prior to now and leverage among the related expertise that’s relevant within the new position.
You may additionally be eager about: Each Product Supervisor’s First 90 Days
What’s the single most essential recommendation you’ll give to a brand new Product Supervisor
it’s a journey, not a vacation spot. In case you’re passionate concerning the product profession, hold going, continue learning, don’t cease.
PM is a sizzling position, how can a candidate trying to pivot stand out amongst a sea of aspiring PM’s?
I won’t have a single straightforward reply, however maintaining the abundance mindset is a vital one. As a result of whereas it’s aggressive, there are many totally different product alternatives throughout business and firms you possibly can all the time attempt to begin from. Be open-minded.
What was your greatest useful resource in studying to be a Product Supervisor?
Along with my e-newsletter?
Simply kidding. The very best useful resource is on-the-job studying. You don’t should be a PM with a title to do product work. Maintain that in thoughts.
What would you do in the event you needed to create a brand new product that has little information to backup its speculation?
I feel the rationale why you create a speculation is as a result of you don’t have sufficient information. So the subsequent step could be determining the best approach to validate that speculation by gaining the information you want! Both by speaking to the customers, digging in logs to extract insights, or by operating an A/B take a look at and so on.
As a PM for client merchandise, how do you add worth as a PM when a robust engineering group can determine person personas and buyer painpoints?
Among the finest values a PM can uniquely deliver is to supply construction to have a look at a WIDE vary of issues and alternatives. Everybody on the group is wise sufficient to determine alternatives and options. Nobody else is devoted to enthusiastic about it holistically and structurally. So it’s your job.
As a PM, how do you greatest add worth to your group?
Observe what your group wants the most and supply that to them. It may be imaginative and prescient, understanding prospects, construction for choice making, or a niche in a particular space that requires you to roll up the sleeves to do your self.
For extra on groups: What Nice Product Groups Look Like in 2022
How would you lead a shift in a corporation that’s transferring from a venture mindset to a product mindset, particularly in the event you had been new to the corporate?
I feel in the event you’re new to a corporation, step one all the time continues to be to be taught, to slot in, and progressively search for alternatives to affect the group within the route you assume is true. You won’t get rapid success because it takes time. Be affected person and be thoughtful, and within the meantime assess whether or not it’s actually the group that matches you in the long run.
For an early PM (0-2 years), which is a greater environement to be taught: Generalist PM position in a small group (0-2 PMs) or a specified PM position in a giant group (8-10 PMs)?
I imagine the dimensions of the PM group you’re on is basically irrelevant to your studying. I feel the product/issues you’re employed on and your cross-functional groups are extra essential.
What do I do if my PM purposes go chilly & unnoticed?
Endurance and persistence, trial and error, reflection and enchancment. Don’t be afraid of searching for assist (coach, mentor, circle, on-line sources).
Is turning into Affiliate Product Supervisor of Google a great way to interrupt into product?
Completely! However APM is designed to be principally for brand new grads they usually often wouldn’t take into account professionals who’ve years of expertise within the business. In case you’re beginning out and you will get into an APM program in any main tech firm, that’s in all probability among the best methods.
What are a few of your greatest suggestions for being a greater public speaker and rising confidence?
Not being modest, I’m nonetheless a horrible public speaker
I’ve improved lots over time, however as a result of I’ve labored onerous on it. Some recommendation to share: be your self, put together onerous, be current (vs enthusiastic about the what-ifs or linger on what you’ve misspoken and so on.)
How do you mix proof and relationship with execs (to correctly set technique) in a tradition that’s biased for motion and transferring very quick?
At all times a stability however they may not should battle. Generally bias towards motion doesn’t all the time imply launch merchandise with out information. It could possibly additionally imply appearing on gathering the best information to tell subsequent steps.
Learn subsequent: Tips on how to Use Information to Drive Product Selections by PayPal Senior PM
What would you recommend for an early product particular person that wishes to work on a number of initiatives throughout totally different domains and never work lengthy for a similar product?
It’s principally as much as you ways lengthy you need to keep in a website earlier than you alter. However I feel a great rule of thumb is to ensure you have already achieved one thing and delivered some success earlier than you transition once more. It’s not solely good in your personal studying and progress, nevertheless it additionally comes throughout as not as hopping round too ceaselessly.
Would you advocate a legacy/mature product or a more moderen one for a brand new PM?
I’d say you’ll get totally different learnings. I feel engaged on present product might be good since you get to see the previous which helps inform the best way to go ahead.
