Who are the 12 product people that stepped up to form the Product Management Manifesto working group? Meet Victoria!
Each week we’re introducing you to working group members with Q&A on their perspective on why a manifesto is so critical today.
This week’s spotlight is on Victoria Ku, Product at Airbnb. Find out her thoughts on:
How Product Management has evolved
Key challenges that a manifesto must address
Why do we need a manifesto now
What’s motivating Victoria
What drew you to this Product Management Manifesto and working group?
Product Management has been (relatively) recently defined in the industry and has incredible opportunities as businesses become fluid and cross-functional. Too often I see newcomers to the space fall within the “gaps” of plugging holes or fulfilling a need that can also be described as project management and program management, leading to burnout and confusion. I hope to contribute to the clarity of what the role is and should be!
How have you personally seen the Product Management role evolve in your career?
I’ve noticed there can be significant overlaps between project and program management for the role, especially when working with those who are Junior Product Managers or with cross-functional stakeholders who have never worked with PMs before.
What is one major challenge you see product people grapple with frequently that our principles should address?
There is a difference between Product Owners vs Project Managers vs Program Managers vs. Product Managers. They might draw upon the same skills and tools, but their direction and goals are different.
What are some of the reasons you feel a Manifesto specific to Product Management is needed now?
Tech is going to continue to drive industrial growth. The industry is bursting with new talent and people who desire to break into the space, leading a perfect time to create clarity for all the highly talented newcomers.
In what ways do the Agile Manifesto and/or other existing frameworks fall short for Product Management?
Agile Manifesto is dependent on leadership also being aligned with the determined ways of working. Oftentimes, if there is not the proper alignment, you get a combination of Agile and Waterfall, which is pretty painful for operators. We call this “scrum fall” and it can affect attrition.
We’re in a critical moment for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I). In what ways do you hope to see greater DE&I reflected in the work and contribution of product people?
I hope to see more underrepresented minorities (URMs) in the industry, with equal representation at the leadership level. In order for that to happen, we need to truly create clarity so that all people at all levels know what is expected of them to do their best and can also be held accountable. While equal representation is not a guaranteed solution for an egalitarian society, it is one area of contribution, in addition to making sure diverse backgrounds and voices are also represented at all levels.
When have you felt lost as a PM where principles could help you navigate that situation?
I've felt lost as a PM typically when there is a misalignment with leadership guidance and the team's vision and goals, or when there is a large overlap in scope with other teams which indicates some organizational misalignment. As a PM it's my job to ensure that what we're building as a team is feeding into the company's overall mission and goals for our users, but that can be incredibly difficult as the company gradually shifts direction and leadership doesn't provide the proper timely clarity and guidance. In these cases, I've learned to fall back on a mix of PM skills and organizational development skills to take initiative and create clarity between teams, document the assumptions, communicate strategy out to all parties, align on the plan moving forward until we receive new information, and encourage teams to remain flexible.
How will you personally use the Manifesto in your day-to-day?
I think the manifesto should consider all levels of PM development from beginner to advanced and can be a great way for PMs to refer back to whenever misinformation might be present, utilizing the manifesto as a guiding industry principle of accountability and north star for what we want to achieve.