From Backlog Manager to Product Manager w/ David Pereira — Hands-on Agile #62

ABSTRACT

What does product success mean? In this energizing Hands-on Agile Meetup, David Pereira talked about the challenges of being a product manager and how to move from managing the Product Backlog to driving value. You can expect provoking thoughts, actionable insights, and a bit of unconventional product management.

What does success mean? For many product managers or product owners, it means:

– Maximizing features,
– Increasing velocity,
– Meeting deadlines,
– Pleasing stakeholders.

The above reflects the old ways. The more you face that, the quicker you become a backlog manager.

ABOUT DAVID PEREIRA

David is a passionate Product Leader with over ten years of product management experience. Over the last few years, he led many product teams in successful endeavors. His biggest fear is the comfort zone. His motto is the faster we learn, the faster we succeed.

He has been working as a Product Leader. He’s focused on coaching teams to deliver the highest value for their customers. One of his hobbies is writing articles. He shares his ideas on Substack and loves learning from everyone.

1. David Pereira
From Backlog Manager
To Product Manager
Moving from outputs to outcomes

2. David Pereira
Theory vs. Reality
The world how it is

3. Decision Maker
Product
Manager
Craft the
Product Vision
Partner with
business
Frequently
Exchanges with
Customers
Uncover Ideas
Worth Pursuing
Set the Strategy
Craft Outcome
Roadmaps
Maximize Value
for the Business
and Customers
The Promised Land

4. Decision Follower
Product
Manager
Lack the
Product Vision
Please
business
Frequently
Exchanges with
Business People
Bet on Features
and Hope for
the Best
Follow the Strategy
(If available)
Craft Output
Roadmaps
Maximize
Features Nobody
Uses
The Harsh Reality

5. Promised Land Harsh Reality
Maximize the value for customers and help business thriveMaximize features business wants and lack decision power
Decision Maker
Craft the Product Vision
Partner with business
Uncover Ideas Worth Pursuing
Craft Outcome Roadmaps
Frequently Exchanges with Customers
Decision Follower
Lack the Product Vision
Please the business
Bet on Features and Hope for The Best
Craft Output Roadmaps
Frequently Exchanges with Business

6. Promised Land Harsh Reality
Maximize the value for customers and help business thriveMaximize features business wants and lack decision power
Decision Maker
Craft the Product Vision
Partner with business
Uncover Ideas Worth Pursuing
Craft Outcome Roadmaps
The World of Few Product Managers
When that happens, delivering value is a
piece of cake.
Frequently Exchanges with Customers
Decision Follower
Lack the Product Vision
Please the business
Bet on Features and Hope for The Best
Craft Output Roadmaps
Frequently Exchanges with Business
The World of Most Product Managers
When that happens, delivering value is
almost mission impossible.

7. David Pereira
Product Manager
vs. Backlog Manager
Understanding what leads to value and what distracts from it

8. What’s the difference between
Product Manager and Product Owner?

9. Product Manager takes care of the strategy
Product Owner takes care of the executiond-pereira.com

10. Product Manager takes care of the strategy
Product Owner takes care of the executiond-pereira.com

11. Product Manager goes from strategy to execution
Product Owner is a role best filled by the product managerd-pereira.com

12. Product Manager goes from strategy to execution
Product Owner is a role best filled by the product managerd-pereira.com

13. ✅ Product Managers focus on uncovering opportunities to create value
❌ Backlog Managers focus on writing highly detailed backlog items
Product Manager vs. Backlog Manager

14. Backlog Manager User Story
As a customer, I want to have
Google Sign In so I don't have to
create additional password
Acceptance Criteria
- Users can sign up with Google
- If Users already has an Account
with Google, it can replace the
current user
- The previous sign up methods
work as of now
PM Backlog Item
Context
80% sign up drop. After 10 interviews,
we understood customers find our
sign up process cumbersome and
refuse to sign up before using our tool
Opportunity
Reduce sign up friction
Assumption
If we let customers use the platform
before signing up, this will end up
increasing sign up rate

15. ✅ Product Managers measure the outcome and decide what to do next based
on evidence
❌ Backlog Managers do all they can to ship features faster and continuously
Product Manager vs. Backlog Manager

16. ✅ Product Managers build partnerships with business people and don’t shy
away from conflicts
❌ Backlog Managers strive to please all stakeholders while avoiding conflicts at
all costs
Product Manager vs. Backlog Manager

17. Stakeholders are neither customers nor enemies
Stakeholders are your partners

18. ✅ Product Managers empower teams to solve meaningful problems
however they see fit
❌ Backlog Managers plan by capacity, micromanage teams, and lack an
overarching vision
Product Manager vs. Backlog Manager

19. ✅ Product Managers cause discomfort with management because
they don’t let anti-patterns become the status quo
❌ Backlog Managers follow orders from management and strive to
make them happy in the short term while ignoring anti-patterns
Product Manager vs. Backlog Manager

20. Complain and nothing happens
Take a stand and you have a chance

21. ✅ Product Managers are authentic leaders
❌ Backlog Managers are uninspiring managers
Product Manager vs. Backlog Manager

22. David Pereira
5 Things You Can do Today
Taking action

23. 1. Delete your backlog
5. Don’t pursue multiple goals2. Remove unused features
4. Stop estimating3. Ditch most meetings
5 Actions to Become a Product Manager

24. You’ve got a choice to make:
Bow to the status quo and get stuck
Challenge the status quo and have a
chance of a better tomorrow

25. What’s your choice?

26. Untrapping Product Teams
Supercharging your product knowledge to rock the world
Join 19K+ professionals to get weekly insights dpereira.substack.com
d-pereira.com
David Pereira
Simplifying Product Management
[email protected]
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