Software is different
Software is a whole different game
Let’s talk about something that really flips the script: software.
Product Management has been around forever for physical stuff like cereal, cars, and toasters. But software? That’s a whole new universe, and the rules are wildly different. Buckle up, because we’re about to dive into why managing software is like playing an entirely different game.
The old-school way: Physical products
Back in the day (and still today for bricks-and-mortar industries), Product Management didn’t even get a seat at the table until after the design and manufacturing were done. Why? Because for physical products, everything moves at a snail’s pace.
Want to tweak a breakfast cereal recipe? Cool, but it’ll take months—new suppliers, factory reconfigurations, certifications, and probably a few grey hairs. The point is: physical products evolve in big, clunky steps. And for decades, Product Managers focused on what they could actually control: things like:
The 4 P’s: Product, Place, Price, Promotion.
Or the cooler-sounding 4 C’s: Commodity, Cost, Communication, Channel.
The goal? Understand customer needs and crank up sales and profits. Simple.
The software revolution
Enter software. It’s fast, it’s flexible, and it’s constantly changing. For software, Product Management isn’t something you slap on at the end—it’s baked into the process from Day One. Why? Because with software, you don’t just design it, build it, and call it a day. You’re always iterating, improving, and adapting based on what your customers need (or what they didn’t know they needed until you showed them).
Here’s what makes software so different:
Continuous Development: The work never ends. You’re always tweaking, updating, and releasing.
Discovery as You Go: You figure out what works while building it, not before.
Instant Changes: No need for factories or assembly lines. You can roll out updates at the speed of light (well, almost).
Why the old rules don’t work
For physical products, you could get away with a clear divide between development and Product Management. But with software, that’s about as effective as trying to play rugby without a team. Product Managers need to be in the thick of it, shaping the vision, guiding the design, and working hand-in-hand with developers.
Gone are the days of just focusing on place, price, and promotion. Today’s Product Managers are juggling:
Customer Needs: What do people actually want?
Business Goals: What’s the company trying to achieve?
Tech Realities: What can we realistically build?
The Product Manager’s new role
Modern Product Managers are like Swiss Army knives. They’re not necessarily experts in coding, design, or marketing, but they’re involved in everything. That means:
Coming up with ideas.
Planning and prioritising features.
Collaborating with designers and developers.
Testing and iterating.
Launching (and re-launching) the product.
Eventually retiring it (because all good things must come to an end).
Comparing physical vs software Product Management
Let’s break it down:
Physical Product Management
Product handed to the manager
Long lead times for product changes
Big design upfront
Manufacturing costs time and money
Value added upfront
Software Product Management
Fast iterations and updates
Manager decides what to build
Continuous tweaks and redesign
Duplication is instant and free
Value added continuously
The agile twist
Here’s the kicker: the rise of agile methods has supercharged software product management. Agile’s all about flexibility, speed, and collaboration, and came about because of the endless evolution of software. Forget long lead times: this is about delivering value right now and improving as you go.
The bottom line
Software changes everything. It’s fast, it’s fluid, and it’s fundamentally different from the physical product world. Traditional Product Management? Great for cereal boxes and cars, but it doesn’t cut it here. If you’re managing software, you need a new playbook: one that’s agile, collaborative, and ready to roll with constant change.
Welcome to the future of Product Management. Let’s build something amazing.
