Product Nerdistry: The State of Product Management in 2024

It’s 2024, and I believe we’re at an inflection point in Product Management and Product Operations, where the market has slowed overall*, lots of “big tech” companies are laying people off, the money is drying up, and startups are struggling to find purchase.

But there are green shoots all over the place, and while that’s encouraging, it has significantly changed the landscape for Product professionals in 2024.

In this blog, I’ll share my thoughts on what’s happening on the ground. I think it’s important to hear from those working day in and day out in a progressively shifting, always-changing environment I call “Product Operational Chaos.”

*I’m thrilled to say that the market is starting to pick up. This is great and should be celebrated, but we’re not there yet. There’s still a long way to go.

The art of Product Nerdistry, and defining Product Operations

Product Operations, similar to Sales Operations, Development Operations, and Marketing Operations, is a relatively new concept within Product Management (which itself is a relatively new function within business environments or software development organisations).

To ensure we’re on the same page, here’s how I define Product Operations. It is the function within a Product team that focuses on optimising and streamlining the processes, tools, systems, and software that support a company’s product management team(s), and acts as the bridge between different departments, ensuring that product strategies and initiatives are executed efficiently and effectively.

For a long time, the “operational” side of being a Product Manager was managed by the individual Product Managers and the leadership within the Product function. This largely consisted of “figuring it out as we go.” That’s changing, especially since COVID-19, due to the dispersed nature of teams, the need for virtual communication, the necessity for more complex and tailored processes, and the organic maturation of the Product function into an established requirement for many companies.

This shift means there’s a clear delineation between the role of Product Manager and Product Operations. Product Management involves hard skills (like software knowledge, agile software development methodologies, product discovery methodologies, backlog grooming and refinement, etc.) and soft skills (like stakeholder management, dot-connecting, user testing, working within a team environment with software developers, designers, scrum masters, etc.), while Operations focuses on optimising processes and workflows within the team.

We’re now seeing a surge in people reskilling into Product roles or starting their careers in Product, which puts Product Operations in a state of transition. The Product profession and the wider Product career path should welcome more diverse voices with different experiences, mindsets, and ways of working. However, it also means that those of us who have been in Product careers for some time need to encourage and protect the art of Product; the “nerdistry” in what being a Product professional means.

Protecting the art of Product, and understanding what the job entails

There are many Product-focused bootcamps teaching professionals how to “be a Product Manager” and numerous LinkedIn posts from LinkedInfluencers claiming to know the secrets to being a perfect Product Manager. However, I encourage those starting their Product career journey to be cautious. My concern with these paths is that they often overlook critical aspects of the job. It’s essential for new Product professionals to understand the job’s realities before investing significant time and money into reskilling as a Product Manager. It’s my responsibility, along with my fellow experienced Product professionals, to teach, coach, and mentor others, sharing the nuances of the profession and how to leverage them effectively.

I aim to cut through the gloss of those “how to be a perfect Product Manager” bootcamps or LinkedIn posts and describe what being a Product professional in 2024 requires—grit, resilience, soft skills, nuance, and hard work. It means being a Product Nerd!

Who a Product Nerd is and what they do

A Product Nerd appreciates the complexities, contradictions, impossibilities, and difficulties of the job but continues to persevere in what is often an extremely challenging situation. This can be due to various reasons, such as lack of autonomy or authority within the organisation’s structure, a boss with no experience in Product who doesn’t provide advocacy, a “Sales-led” organisation, or working in a “feature factory.”

A Product Nerd understands that soft skills are as important as hard skills. They know how to navigate different stakeholder styles and needs, understand that listening is as important as talking, and recognise that building relationships is key to a respected and trusted Product function. A positive attitude, backed by solid data, a well-thought-out business case, and user feedback, can make all the difference in winning over sceptical stakeholders.

A Product Nerd loves their job, thrives on the challenge of predicting, anticipating, understanding, and proving their product’s worth to users. They also understand the intricacies and uncertainties that come when the company hasn’t invested in proper data collection, can’t communicate with users, or lacks Product strategy or vision. A Product Nerd navigates these challenges, remains resilient in the face of obstacles, and perseveres using all the tools in their toolkit.

A call to other Product Nerds and soon-to-be Product Nerds

In this blog, my intention is to address the aspects of the job that aren’t often discussed, allowing other Product Nerds to share their experiences and be open about the difficulties of the job. Being a Product Manager in 2024 (whether you’re a CPO, a junior Product Owner, or a Senior Product Manager) is challenging. It’s really challenging.

I’m here to offer support, share my own difficulties and how I’ve overcome them (or where I’m still working to figure things out), and perhaps share some knowledge I’ve picked up along the way. I’m no expert and would never claim to be because part of being a Product Nerd is acknowledging that you never fully know everything, and that’s okay! Embracing a growth mindset, always learning and improving, is at the core of being a Product Nerd.

So welcome, fellow Product Nerds. Welcome to the journey; we’re happy to have you with us!