Product management is an essential part of the software development lifecycle, as much a key part as the technical side to software engineering. The essence of product management is to be able to develop a new product, with a clearly defined roadmap and goals/milestones outlined from the requirements of the customer - keeping a clear view of the overall vision and strategy. This is different to the role of a project manager, who is responsible for the internal organization and operation of the development team, to make sure goals are achieved and timelines are met.
Some key features of a successful product manager:
- Able to efficiently and clearly prioritize tasks.
- Understand the product, people and environment that you are working with.
- Guide your development team without being authoritative.
- If you are making tradeoffs, be sure to explain and outline the opportunity cost.
The following article outlines the product manager role and responsibilities, the main points that it entails and some tools and methologies to promote successful product management practices: Product Management: Main Stages and Product Manager Role
This article goes into a little bit further detail from a beginner's perspective on steps to take to become a successful product manager: Product Manager: The role and best practices for beginners