In the domain of digital products, the role of digital product managers (DPMs) is becoming increasingly central to the success of organisations. However, the capability of these professionals to drive product excellence extends beyond their individual expertise: it is not enough to merely hire top-tier talent. Organisational success in building and operating outstanding digital products requires a conducive environment that enables continuous growth and aligns with evolving market needs.
Recognising that securing the ideal digital product manager is only the starting point, the questions presented below are designed to be used as a diagnostic checklist to (i) aid digital product managers in evaluating potential employers and (ii) assist organisations in understanding the necessary conditions to cultivate successful products.
The diagram below presents a visual summary that encapsulates the central themes and key questions to be asked.
People
Products depend on a wide range of people: this includes the individuals or groups involved in initiatives. The people involved in product development are the foundation of success, therefore the right roles, skills and interactions need to be in place to navigate the digital landscape. The success of digital products hinges on the collective capabilities and synergies of the people behind them. The key questions to ask are:
- Active executive sponsorship: “Is there active support from senior management for product management approaches?”
- Product leadership: “Is product leadership represented at the highest levels of the organisation?”
- Empowered product capability: “Are teams empowered with the right mix of skills and decision-making authority?”
- Product manager competency: “Are the right Digital Product Managers in place?”
- Organisational structure: “Does the organisational structure support product development, delivery and operations?”
Processes
Processes are the series of actions or steps taken to achieve a particular end in a business or organisational context: they dictate the workflow and efficiency of product management. The right processes ensure products are managed effectively throughout their lifecycle. They are a cornerstone of product management, ensuring smooth transitions from conception to market success. The key questions to ask are:
- Product lifecycles: “Is a clearly defined lifecycle used to manage products throughout their full lifecycle, from ideation through to retirement?”
- Planning, pivoting and experimentation: “Does the organisation support flexible planning and encourage a culture of experimentation and learning through rapid prototyping?”
- Release strategy: “Is there an effective process in place that enables quick and safe releases?”
- Budgeting cycles and investment horizons: "Does the organisation employ a dynamic approach to budgeting and investing across different horizons?"
- Customer-centric decisioning: “Are customer feedback and direct user research central to product decision-making?”
- Ways-of-working: “Are the organisation's ways of working clearly defined and do they promote agility and innovation?”
Tools and technology
Tools and technology refers to the software and hardware used to facilitate tasks, enhance productivity, build products and enable the delivery of objectives. The right technological resources are vital for the development and management of digital products: they are the enablers of product innovation, growth and sustainability. The key questions to ask are:
- Access to the right development tools: “Do teams have access to the right development tools and technologies to build products effectively?”
- Quantitative insights: “Does the organisation capture quantitative user/customer data and leverage it effectively for decision-making?”
- Qualitative insights: “Are qualitative insights about user/customer engagement and behaviour generated and used to enhance products?”
- Inclusive usability: “Are solutions built to support diverse and inclusive usability needs?”
- Build automation and quality control: “Are technologies and tools employed to enable rapid and reliable software delivery while ensuring products maintain quality and security standards?”
Initiatives, projects and portfolio
Initiatives, projects and portfolios encapsulate the organisational efforts towards achieving specific goals. They are useful vehicles to manage and prioritise work and pursue strategic objectives. When they are well-formed, they support the organisation by creating alignment and clarity of vision across all efforts so that it can move forward cohesively. The key questions to ask are:
- Clarity of vision: “Is there a compelling and clear product vision, and is this used to guide all activities?”
- Strategy alignment: “Are resources and efforts aligned to a product strategy with full traceability through plans, backlogs and deliverables?”
- Clearly defined set of products: “Is there a clear set of actively managed complementary products?”
- Established product check-Ins: “Are there regular 'product check-ins' in place that assess and govern health and progress?”
- Hypothesis-driven value management: “Does the organisation use value hypotheses, focus on outcomes over outputs, and leverage clear strategic metrics that are revalidated frequently?”
Environment
The environment includes the external and internal factors that shape the operational dynamics of an organisation: it can make or break the success of a product. The environment within which digital product managers operate can significantly influence the success of product management efforts. The key questions to ask are:
- Product positioning and differentiation: “Is clear market analysis, product positioning and value differentiation established?”
- Integrated support from business functions: “Do business functions like marketing, sales, and communications effectively complement product management?”
- Flexibility in vendor relationships: “Do vendor relationships allow flexibility to accommodate product evolution and unexpected shifts?”
- Relentless improvement: “Is there a commitment to a culture of relentless improvement in working methods, environment, and people development?”
- Holistic solutions: “Are solutions built to solve whole problems for users?”
Conclusion
The landscape of digital product management is complex and demanding, requiring not just skilled digital product managers but also an organisational framework that cultivates their success. Using the diagnostic questions across each of the five fundamental themes (people, processes, tools and technology, initiatives, projects and portfolios, and environment) can help to create an ecosystem where digital product managers can thrive.
For digital product managers to lead successfully and deliver value-generating products, they must operate within a responsive, supportive, and strategically aligned organisation. Organisations, in turn, must recognise that investing in their structures, processes, and culture is not ancillary but essential to their overall growth and sustainability in an ever-evolving digital landscape.
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