4. How to Allocate Product Managers Based on Different Profiles

In this lesson, we'll dive deeper into how to allocate Product Managers (PMs) effectively according to their unique profiles. When looking for a PM, you might have heard the term "generalist" being thrown around. But the truth is, Product Managers aren't one-size-fits-all, and it's crucial to understand the various PM profiles to make the right allocation decisions. Let’s explore different ways to categorize PMs and how to best align them with the needs of your product.

Types of Product Managers

Product Managers can be categorized in several different ways:

1. By Knowledge Pillar: PMs can specialize in different domains such as technical expertise (Technical PMs), data analytics (Data PMs), business focus, design-oriented, or growth-focused. Each specialization brings its unique set of skills to the team.

2. By Professional Experience: Some PMs have specialized experience in specific sectors, such as B2B or B2C, or even niche areas like AI-driven products. These PMs come with a deep understanding of the industry and relevant regulations, making them well-suited to certain product types.

3. By Profile and Preferences: This categorization is based on the working style and strengths of the PM. In this lesson, we'll focus more on these types—Builder, Tuner, and Innovator—which can help you understand how to match the right PM with the right product challenge.

The Three PM Archetypes

1. Builder PMs

The Builder is a generalist who excels at improving existing products by adding new features, refining existing ones, and generating value through a customer-centric approach. Builders focus on creating tangible value, enhancing customer experience, and iterating upon existing products. The core strengths of a Builder are:

• Customer Empathy: They understand customer needs well and use this insight to build features that matter.
• Constant Prioritization: Builders can effectively decide what features or improvements to focus on next.
• Strong Delivery Execution: They excel in getting things done and delivering consistent improvements.

2. Tuner PMs

Tuners are data-driven PMs with an analytical mindset. They are great at understanding product metrics and making data-informed decisions. Tuners are often seen in growth roles, where they identify opportunities, develop hypotheses, and run experiments to move key metrics. The strengths of a Tuner are:

• Analytical Mastery: They understand data deeply and can use it to derive valuable insights.
• Creativity in Experimentation: Tuners come up with creative ways to optimize existing funnels and processes.
• Hypothesis-Driven Approach: They are skilled at formulating hypotheses and running experiments to validate them.

3. Innovator PMs

The Innovator is the PM who starts from scratch. They excel in zero-to-one product development, connecting unaddressed customer needs to new opportunities. Innovators are often associated with entrepreneurial traits and a high tolerance for uncertainty. Their core strengths include:

• Product Sense: Innovators have a strong ability to identify potential opportunities and understand what makes a great product.
• Product-Market Fit: They focus on identifying and achieving product-market fit.
• Comfort with Uncertainty: Innovators are comfortable working in ambiguous environments where there are few clear answers.

Matching PMs to Product Needs

Matching the right type of PM to the product's current needs is crucial. For example, if you assign a Tuner to create a brand-new product, you may end up with a sub-optimal result, as Tuners thrive on optimizing existing metrics—which are often absent in a new product. On the other hand, Innovators are better suited for developing initial versions of a product, while Builders can effectively enhance and iterate upon an existing solution.

As a leader, it’s your responsibility to expose your PMs to diverse situations to help them grow and identify their strengths. Each archetype has its role, and sometimes stepping into a new type of role can be a valuable learning experience.

Evaluating PMs

When it comes to evaluating Product Managers, you should start with two main components:

1. Define Skill and Competency Lists: Identify what skills (hard skills) and competencies (soft skills) are essential for your company and your context.
2. Set Expectations by Level: Define what’s expected at different levels. For example, a junior PM should focus on mastering delivery and developing product sense, while a senior PM should be highly proficient in communication and strategic thinking.

There are also excellent references to help you develop your evaluation criteria:

• Marty Cagan's Articles: Marty Cagan provides a comprehensive list of skills that PMs should possess.
• Product Competency Toolkit by Ravi: This toolkit provides a framework to classify and evaluate PMs at different levels.

Allocating Product Managers Effectively

When it comes to allocating PMs, leaders must ensure they match the right PM to the right role. Here are some important considerations:

1. Product Challenges and Stage

What are the challenges of your product? Is it in an innovation phase? Are you adapting something from an external market to a local market? The answers will guide you towards the type of PM you need—an Innovator, Tuner, or Builder.

The product stage also matters. If you are developing a product from scratch, an Innovator is ideal. If the product is in growth and optimization stages, a Tuner or Builder could be a better match.

2. Product Specificity

Is the product highly technical? For specialized products like AI, you may need a PM with a technical background. This is more evident when the product is new, and you need deep domain expertise.

3. Team Composition

Consider the strengths and weaknesses of the team. A complementary PM may be needed to fill a skill gap. For example, if you have a design-heavy team, you might need a PM with strong business acumen to balance the team’s focus.

4. Team Dynamics and Soft Skills

Sometimes the team’s dynamics dictate the competencies you need in a PM. If you have a team with strong technical skills but lacking in collaboration, you might need a PM who excels in soft skills like conflict resolution and team cohesion.

5. Train vs. Hire

The question of whether to bring in someone ready or train someone for the role is also significant. Product management is a hot area, and finding fully skilled PMs can be challenging. Training talent is an important trade-off to consider, especially when immediate hiring isn’t feasible or budget-friendly.

Conclusion

Allocating Product Managers based on their profiles and the needs of the product is key to building high-performing teams. Recognize the different PM archetypes—Builder, Tuner, and Innovator—and align them with the product’s challenges and life cycle. As a leader, it is also essential to continually evaluate and guide PMs, helping them grow into new roles while ensuring that their skills are matched appropriately to the business needs.