How to get into product management

If you are an aspiring Product Manager without a technical background, here are some ways you could break into Product Management and improve your project management skills:

1. Do your homework

There's nothing more irritating than a person who doesn't spend time understanding a process

- Learn about the phases of Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)

- Observe how engineers work - Identify flaws in a product - software or physical item, take things apart

- Learn how to Google things you cannot explain to a 5 year old

You cannot improve something you don't understand.

Read also : How to be a Product Manager.

2. Work with product creators

If you are already employed, identify developers or designers who work on products, then observe how they decide what features are prioritised and when the product is shipped.

Also step up to lead work streams that focus on leading people from different teams to deliver an objective. This doesn't have to be a product in the first instance. It could be something as little as putting together slides for a meeting that needs input of different teams. This teaches you how to get people from different teams to achieve a common goal - content for a meeting.

3. Be visible

Sign up on @Quora, @reddit and @Medium and engage with people in Product Management and Technology as a whole. Trending topics and questions are usually shared on these platforms.