Hope you’re doing well, Soch fam!
Aaj ka mozu’ yaqeenan har PM dil ko chhooh jayega. The perils and perks of product management lie in one thing alone - managing time.
In this edition of Sochnama, we bring you:
A Typical Day in the life of a PM
LNO Framework to save the day
Product Jobs in Pakistan
What a Day in the life of a PM looks like
Disclaimer: While we are sure most of you would resonate with this, there are certain tasks that accompany a PM based on their organization and role. E.g. Strategy PMs spend more time on Roadmap and Stakeholder Management than Backlog Grooming, Growth PMs work on launching product campaigns more closely with the marketing teams, etc.
🕘 9:00 am - Try to soak in good vibes and great content
Arrive at the office, after a painstaking ride (shoutout to Karachi walay)
Sip chai as a means to regaining clarity
Review the checklist of things to do
Skim through email and priorities which ones need immediate attention (🔔: a great framework for this is discussed in the next section)
Enjoy Tech, Business, UI & UX content to freshen perspectives (newsletter, blogs or just browsing the internet)
🕙 10:00 am - High energy, focus on brain-racking tasks
Review various metrics and dashboard that are awaiting action as well as look at trackers related to on going projects
Gauge customer feedback from comments on App Stores, support tickets, recorded client calls and correlating those with the metrics from the last day for deeper insights
🕚 11:00 am - Get done with the daily rut of things
Hold a stand up meeting with the team and go over everything that was done yesterday, what we plan to do today and understand if there are any blockers. (Normally takes 15 - 20 minutes and that should be it)
Clear impediments, resolve blockers, and create alignment in cross-functional operations
Review Backlog and groom the upcoming sprints based on evolving priorities
🕛 12:00 pm - Try wrapping up repetitive tasks before the break
Writing PRDs documents, creating use-case diagrams and detailing acceptance criteria for user stories
Drafting low fidelity mock ups to be shared with designers
Holding a meeting with Designers and Dev to discuss the Requirement Document
🕐 1:00 pm - Unwind
Lunchtime - Grab a bit to eat
Use that time to gupshup with the engineering squad and build lasting relationships
Power nap or taking a Namaz break to recharge self
Stroll around and catch up with colleagues from other departments
🕑 2:00 pm - Use slot for effective collaboration
Meeting with stakeholders to discuss new features, bugs or anything related to the product
Testing a feature if it has come in for a PM review
Training or demonstration of a feature to a client or stakeholder
Answering emails
🕒 3:00 pm - Go back to the mundane
Reverting back to PRD details and continuing the remaining work
Another cup of steaming chai with a dash of halka-phulka banter
🕓 4:00 pm - Collaborate cross-functionally and help engineering with hiccups
More meetings with internal or external stakeholders for roadmap alignment
Helping sales with a product pitch and answering questions wherever needed
Answering engineers for any questions they may have on ongoing features
🕔 5:00 pm - Recap and wind up
Planning for the next day: to-do list
Quick peek at the inbox one last time before leaving
LNO Effectiveness Framework to save the day
While there are only 8 hours in a day you could use to rescue yourself - here’s a framework that helps you compartmentalize your tasks with respect to the ROI on each!
This can be a gamechanger if done right.
More can be read from the actual thread here:
Product Jobs in Pakistan
Looking for a job? Check out these vacancies and fill out the Google form linked out from the page to apply OR feel free to forward them to someone you know.
Product Manager at Rush (Remote)
Product Manager at Taleemabad (Islamabad)
Product Owner at Yieldwerx (Lahore)
Product Manager at Ailaaj (Remote)
Junior Product Owner at Ailaaj (Remote)
What’s the Process?
A Product Soch member will screen your application. If they see you’re a good fit, they’ll reach out to have a chat & guide you on what to expect. In certain cases, you may be asked to do an assessment that will kept as a record item even for future opportunities. If all goes well, Product Soch will internally recommend you to the company’s HR and lobby to get you into the main interviews.