We’re all familiar with Product Managers, but you may have also heard of other “Product Management” roles - program manager, project manager, or even product marketer. Just what do all of these other roles do? Susan Song, Product Manager at Walmart shared her insights on the responsibilities for each of these roles, having worked with all of them in her career as a Product Manager. She also discussed why if you’re not starting out as a Product Manager, it’s okay - you can still leverage your “Product Management” skills into your next product job.

1. What Are the Product Management
Success Skills by Walmart Product
Manager
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7. Susan Song
Tonight’s Speaker

8. a
PM
by any other name

9. Who am I?
Susan Song
Senior Product Manager at Vudu / Walmart Labs
linkedin.com/in/susansong
Previously...
Microsoft Xbox Seattle, WA
McDonald’s Global Digital Chicago, IL

10. Goals for the next hour...
the basics
what is a PM? skills, responsibilities, and more
what are some other PM roles?
so what?
how to break into Product through other PM roles
practice
go over some sample PM job posts

11. What is a Product Manager?
Let’s say we need to build a new mobile app...
❏ Why is this app needed?
business case
❏ How will the app benefit our customers? customer value
❏ What will be its features?
feature requirements
❏ Who will build this?
resourcing
❏ When will the app launch?

12. Pivoted differently….
Planning Execution
Launch &
Evaluation
Why / What / When
● Business case +
strategy
● Competitor analysis
● Requirements
● Roadmap
How / Who
● Design / UI / UX
● Technical
implementation
● Cross-functional
teamwork
Now what?
● Launch marketing (“go-to-
market”)
● Analytics / KPI
● Customer feedback

13. Some other PM roles
product marketing manager
program manager
project manager
product analyst
technical product manager
…. etc

14. Planning Execution Launch & Evaluation
Why / What / When
● Business case + strategy
● Competitor analysis
● Requirements
● Roadmap
How / Who
● Design / UI / UX
● Technical implementation
● Cross-functional teamwork
Now what?
● Launch marketing
● Analytics / KPI
● Customer feedback
project management
product marketing product marketing
product management
program management product analyst

15. Caveats
Exact role will vary depending on…
company
industry
role level
project team
….be sure to read the job description and tease out what skills are really
needed!

16. Case Study

17. Key Takeaways
★ Don’t be afraid to use other PM roles to break into product
★ Be careful: a product manager role may be more project, marketing, or
program
★ If you’re in a non-product role, figure out what product skills are needed to
transition
★ Bonus tips
○ Learn the language
○ Ask the recruiter about lateral moves / training

18. Q & A
stay in touch
linkedin.com/in/susansong

19. Part-time Product Management Courses in
San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Los Angeles,
New York, Austin, Boston, Seattle, Chicago,
Denver, London, Toronto
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