🚨 Airbnb just eliminated its traditional product management function.
This is one of the boldest experiments in product management we have seen in quite some time.
→ Who’s going to own the roadmap?
→ Who will cross-functional teams collaborate with?
→ Who will be…
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Turns out he’s keeping PMs, they just have to focus more on PMM and he’s elevating design:
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@aakashg0
Interesting he quotes the Apple model
Apple has different product managers versus product marketing managers.
Based on the org, you’ll see PMs integrated into the product marketing org while in other divisions at Apple, product management is still a different charter and org…
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@ParvSondhi
Yeah apparently Tony Fadell wrote about this but Apple is a big place with multiple sets of practices
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@aakashg0
I think you missed the part where he said they're turn turned PM into an Apple-style PMM function. They didn't just get rid of PM.
PMM will own roadmap, xfunctional collab, and etc.
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@aakashg0
I remember a new CPO who declared PMs can do data science and let our DS org go. Remember that ending well. This one though feels like much ado about nothing. PMs do Product marketing and GTM stuff in most companies. Must be a new thing for Airbnb.
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@aakashg0
I mean…it looks like product managers will do this? (this is from posted Product Manager role on Airbnb site.)
I think it’s disingenuous the extent to which this comment has been taken as some massive state shift in how teams work.
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@aakashg0
Wow. If I understand correctly (screenshot), they have elevated the role of product marketer.
If so, the concept isn't new. That's how product management started.
I'd argue that there is a massive overlap between product marketing (if done correctly) and product management,…
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@aakashg0
This is the best explanation of what a PM should be doing.
A product manager without a clear narrative on how the product will be marketed and the tactical steps to get there is a glorified to-do list secretary for engineering teams.
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@aakashg0
Nothing is broken with product management that is also not broken with engineering management. Companies will continue to lean on generative AI which will reduce headcount. Companies will keep laying people off or not hiring until they are at their smallest and leanest. Expect a…
Fascinating chart by McKinsey, I wonder how accurate this prediction will turn out!!
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