So, what is product management?

Welcome

Welcome to Darryl’s Blog on the Statler website.

The intention is to collect Darryl’s thoughts and musings on product management, with lots of practical tips scattered throughout.

Hopefully you find something useful that changes the way you see things and/or helps you solve a gnarly product problem.

So, what is product management anyway?

Product management is like being at the coolest intersection ever - where technology, business, and design collide.

It’s the ultimate balancing act. Skip one of these, and your product dreams can end up in the bin.

Design. It’s all about making your product desirable. Sure, you can build it - and maybe it even makes business sense - but if no one wants it… Game over!

Technology. This is your capability. Even if you know what’s desirable and viable, without the tech skills to bring it to life, you’re stuck in idea-land.

Business. Here’s the viability part. Your product might look amazing and work like magic, but if it’s not making money or at least sustainable? Bye-bye budget.

Desirability: What do people really want?

Want to know the secret to successful innovation? Solving problems people actually care about. It’s all about finding those unmet needs, annoying frustrations, or better ways to get things done.

Old-school market research like surveys and focus groups? They’re fine, but let’s face it: in a world where the internet and AI changes everything daily, they don’t cut it anymore. The real nail-on-the head here is design thinking. It’s like wearing your customer’s shoes and walking a kilometre (or scrolling through their feed) to figure out what they need before they even know it themselves.

Bottom line: If your product isn’t tuned to what people really want, it doesn’t matter how slick it looks or how smart it is. Nail desirability first.

Capability: The tech that makes the magic happen

In academic-speak, we’re in the fourth industrial revolution (cue dramatic music). Thanks to mobile tech, social media, IoT, and more, the world is evolving at warp speed. There is no treading water: if you’re not keeping up, you’re falling behind.

Quick history lesson:

• The first industrial revolution? Steam engines and rail. Cool.

• The second? Electricity, the telegraph, and mass production. Very cool.

• The third? Computers and automation. Super cool.

• And now? The fourth is a mash-up of all things digital, and it’s downright mind-blowing.

The takeaway? If you’re in the business of innovation, you must stay ahead of the tech curve. That means:

• Knowing the skills and tools you need.

• Figuring out how to get them (build, buy, or buddy up with someone who already has them).

Because without the right tech capability, even the best ideas fizzle out.

Viability: Show me the business model

So, your product is desirable and you’ve got the tech chops to make it happen. High five! But wait… can it actually survive in the wild? Enter: the business model.

Forget the “sell widgets for a profit” playbook. We’re in a new era where success means thinking beyond products-in-a-box. Today’s winning business models are all about:

• Providing services.

• Building platforms.

• Aggregating valuable data.

• Connecting people and enabling value exchange.

The trick is figuring out how to deliver real value to customers while making sure you stay in the black. It’s about experimenting, adapting, and understanding what makes your product financially viable in a competitive world.

The sweet spot: Not too new, not tool old

The best products? They’re like Goldilocks’ porridge: just right. Here’s the recipe:

• New, but not so new that it scares people.

• Innovative, but grounded in tech/processes that are too ahead of their time.

• Based on real customer needs, not wild guesses.

It’s about hitting that sweet spot where desirability, capability, and viability meet. That’s where the magic happens.

Final thought: Keep it real, keep it balanced

At the end of the day, the most successful products find that perfect balance: they’re what people want, what’s technically possible, and what’s viable as a business.

And crucially, it’s not about being the first or the best at any one thing. It’s about finding that golden intersection and making it work.

So go out there, build something awesome to make the world a better place, and have fun doing it!