What is Agile Product Management?

Every process needs a methodology, right? If we are going to cook, we need a recipe; if we go to a place, we need directions to get there. And, if we are going to develop a software product, we need an efficient methodology to create the platforms we have in mind. That is where Agile Product Management comes into play with agile methodologies.

Agile software development methodologies are based on the Agile Manifesto, which was published in February 2001 and created by 17 software development professionals who were looking for alternative ways to optimize the creation of software products, to make this process more efficient. , faster and with fewer errors.

This manifesto is made up of 4 values and 12 principles that set the guidelines for agile software development:

Agile Software Methodology Values

• Individuals and interactions over processes and tools
• Work software on complete documentation
• Collaboration with the client on the negotiation of the contract
• Responding to change over following a plan

As for the principles of the agile methodology, they focus on customer satisfaction through early and continuous delivery of the software that is being developed. In this methodology, changes are taken as an opportunity for improvement and not as a problem. Likewise, a characteristic that completely defines agile development methodologies is the continuous delivery of results. Here the project is divided into small parts, in order to deliver continuous progress to the client, approving features quickly or making timely adjustments on the fly.

What is Agile Product Management?

Now that we have a base on what agile software development methodologies are, we can talk about what Agile Product Development is: it is about managing the development of a product during each stage of the life cycle. On the one hand, agile product management focuses on creating the best possible product, and on the other hand, it is very aware of the market and the competition to determine the best way to bring the product to that market and satisfy customers.

"Its appeal is obvious: shorten deadlines, maximize productivity, promote agile decision making", they say in an article on the Product Plan portal about Agile Product Management.

The role of the Agile Product Manager is much more flexible under this approach since, although the stipulated development plan will always be followed, it allows more adjustments to be made in the product development cycle.

When talking about Agile Product Lifecycle Management, it refers to a very important characteristic within the world of agile methodologies: although it is true that from the traditional approach, the main thing is to have a finished product, in agile product development this changes Quite: In Agile Product Development, development is fundamentally iterative.

“Agile product development typically divides work into sprints versus releases. Cadences can vary, but the basic idea is to divide the work into sprints, which typically last two to four weeks. Assuming the outcome of the sprint is ready for prime time, the new code is released after passing acceptance testing", Product Plan emphasized.

The division of labor by sprints allows the client to see results faster and, in addition, it allows the developers to see how what they are creating works, whether to continue with the development or fix what is necessary to continue.

At the end of the day, agile product development focuses, first, on transparent communication between the members of the work team so that the flow is efficient and, second, it focuses on the needs of the user, since the priority is that the software meets your needs. The fundamental thing in an agile development team is that everyone has a clear north of the project, so that everyone has the same vision and mission.

Agile Product Management Certification

A valid question is: Do I need a certification to work in the Agile Product Management area? In theory, no. The role of product manager can be improved with practice and the experience that you acquire project after project, but the ideal would be to have previous training so that you know the basic aspects of Agile Product Management.

There are many institutions that offer online certifications in this area, such as Columbia Business School and Google, through the Coursera academy. The most important thing you can learn in these and other certifications is the basis to start working with agile methodologies and how to manage a project under this particular approach.

What is the role of the Product Manager in Agile?

Now that we are talking about certifications in Product Management, it is convenient to talk about the role that a product manager has and what are the specific responsibilities that he has within a project.

“The product manager is the person who identifies the customer need and the broader business goals that a product or feature will meet, articulates what success for a product looks like, and assembles a team to turn that vision into a reality”,  Atlassian explained in an article published on its website.

This role is responsible for analyzing the general landscape of the product and making the most convenient decisions in terms of UX, technology and business. “They set goals, define success, and help motivate teams and are accountable for the outcome”, they added in the same article.

The job description of a product manager includes:

• "Coordinate with designers and other members of the development team to ensure that product development matches customer needs," they comment in an article on the CLIMB portal.
• “Communicate with stakeholders throughout the organization to ensure they have the information they need to make decisions,” they added.
• A fundamental responsibility of every product manager is to make sure that the project is aligned with the objectives of the company or the particular client. Do everything possible so that the project stays focused and does not get sidetracked.
• Of course, on your shoulders falls the responsibility of creating the product management roadmap, based on management requirements and user needs.

Now that you know more about Agile Product Management, would you consider implementing it in your company and processes? At Rootstack, we have the experts your project needs. Contact us!

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