10 Pro Tips and Techniques Product Managers Need to Know

As a guest on The Frictionless Experience, I challenged the community of Friction Fighters to go above and beyond delivering 5-star customer experiences and shoot for 10 stars.

While a 5-star experience means the minimum was achieved (table stakes like omnichannel engagement, seamless checkout, etc.), 10 stars involve over-delivering value to earn even greater customer trust and loyalty.

During the episode, I provided my frictionless product management framework, which all product managers can use to improve the way they create their digital products and experiences.

But going even deeper, mastering advanced strategies can make all the difference between good and exceptional outcomes. Beyond conventional advice, innovative techniques such as the "Jobs to Be Done" (JTBD) framework, dark launching, and leveraging behavioral economics can propel your product to new heights of success.

Each approach offers a unique perspective that not only enhances user engagement and satisfaction but also fosters a culture of continuous improvement within your team. 

Here are 10 techniques that every product manager should integrate into their toolkit to drive innovation and efficiency in product development.

1. Embracing the "Jobs to Be Done" Framework

Beyond traditional user personas, the "Jobs to Be Done" (JTBD) framework provides a nuanced approach to understanding user needs. Instead of focusing solely on demographics, JTBD emphasizes the underlying tasks users are trying to accomplish with your product. This shift in perspective can lead to more innovative solutions and better product-market fit.

Example: For a travel app, instead of targeting "young professionals who love travel," consider the job: "helping users effortlessly plan and book spontaneous weekend getaways."

Tip: Conduct in-depth interviews to uncover the real jobs your users are trying to get done. Ask questions like, "What motivated you to use our product?" and "What obstacles did you encounter?"

JTBD Framework Table:

2. The Hidden Value of "Dark Launching"

"Dark launching" is a technique where new features are released to a small, hidden segment of users before a full rollout. This allows you to test functionality and gather feedback without impacting the broader user base. It's a stealthy way to mitigate risks and refine features based on real user interactions. Imagine being able to launch to only 5% or 10% of your audience to get feedback and monitor performance before making it available for all of your customers. 

Example: Facebook often uses dark launching to test new features with a subset of users before making them available globally, ensuring they are optimized and bug-free.

Tip: Implement dark launching by using feature flags and toggles. Monitor user interactions closely and gather qualitative and quantitative feedback to make necessary adjustments.

3. Leveraging Behavioral Economics in Product Design

Behavioral economics can profoundly impact product design by tapping into the psychological factors influencing user decisions. Techniques like nudges, defaults, and social proof can significantly enhance user engagement and conversion rates.

Make sure to have your UX team review Spike Stories (which you can learn more about how to write in the Product Protégé Guide) to review which approaches are appropriate for your digital experience. 

• Nudges: Nudges are subtle prompts that encourage users to make certain choices without restricting their freedom. For instance, setting a default option that benefits the user, such as pre-selecting the most popular or recommended choice, can significantly influence their decision-making.
• Defaults: Defaults are powerful because users tend to stick with pre-selected options. By setting beneficial defaults, such as opting users into a newsletter or a premium feature trial, you can increase the likelihood of user engagement with those options.
• Social Proof: This leverages the influence of others' behaviors to encourage similar actions. Displaying testimonials, user reviews, or the number of people who have taken a particular action can create a sense of trust and urgency, prompting users to follow suit.
• Scarcity and Urgency: Highlighting limited-time offers or low stock levels can create a sense of urgency, driving users to take immediate action to avoid missing out.
• Framing Effects: The way information is presented can affect user decisions. For example, framing a subscription plan as a small daily expense rather than a larger monthly fee can make it seem more affordable.
• Anchoring: Providing a reference point (or "anchor") can influence how users perceive value. For example, displaying a higher-priced option alongside a mid-range option can make the mid-range option seem more reasonable and attractive. Consider a scenario with only one soda machine in a lobby; the customer's decision is limited to "Do I want a soda or not?" In contrast, if there are two competing soda machines, the question shifts to "Do I want a soda from Brand A or Brand B?" This subtle shift increases the likelihood of a purchase as the customer is now comparing options rather than deciding on a single choice.

Example: Incorporating scarcity and urgency, such as showing limited-time offers or low stock warnings, can drive users to take action faster.

Tip: Experiment with different behavioral economics techniques and A/B test their effectiveness. Use insights from these experiments to refine your approach and increase user engagement.

4. The Art of Storytelling in Product Development

Storytelling is not just for marketers. Compelling storytelling in product development helps to align the team, communicate vision, and build empathy with users. Crafting compelling narratives around user journeys and product missions can inspire and guide your team's efforts.

Example: When building mobile apps at the various companies I've worked for, I ensured the team was always aligned with our strategic tenets. I started every standup with a brief 45-second summary of our strategy, emphasizing why their work (developers, QA, and designers) was crucial.

Eventually, I would ask if anyone remembered our strategy, and those who did would receive a gift card. This practice not only reinforced our strategy but also excited the team. The best part was that when developers encountered incomplete user stories and had to make minor decisions, knowing the strategy allowed them to confidently choose the right path without needing to ask for guidance. This autonomy led to greater efficiency and smoother workflows.

Tip: Develop user personas and customer journey maps that tell a story. Use these narratives in team meetings and presentations to keep everyone focused on the user's experience.

5. Cultivating a Culture of Continuous Learning

Product management is a fast-paced world. Fostering a culture of continuous learning is crucial. Encourage your team to constantly seek new knowledge, experiment with new methodologies, and learn from failures. This mindset not only drives innovation but also ensures long-term success. I recently wrote about hosting your own AI Hackathon, another great way to foster continuous learning and innovation in your organization. 

Example: Atlassian's "ShipIt Days" are quarterly events where employees can work on any project they're passionate about, fostering creativity and continuous learning.

Tip: Schedule regular knowledge-sharing sessions, encourage attending industry conferences, and create a safe environment where experimentation and learning from failures are valued. Also, take a chance to host your own Hackathon at work! 

6. Contextual Error Handling

Error messages are often generic and unhelpful, but providing contextual error handling can significantly enhance user experience. Tailor error messages not only to inform users of what went wrong but also guide them on how to fix it, making the process less frustrating.

Unique Aspect: Implementing AI-driven error resolution suggestions that adapt based on user actions and historical data can turn a negative experience into a learning opportunity, increasing user satisfaction and retention.

Tip: Use AI to provide dynamic solutions in error messages, transforming errors into educational and entertaining moments.

7. Seamless Real-Time Updates

While many platforms offer real-time updates, integrating these updates seamlessly into the user interface without disrupting the user experience is crucial. Users should feel the platform is alive and responsive without it being intrusive.

Unique Aspect: Use micro-interactions and subtle UI animations to notify users of updates, ensuring they are informed without feeling overwhelmed or distracted. This approach maintains the flow and focus of the user experience.

Tip: Design real-time updates with micro-interactions to keep users informed and engaged without interrupting their flow.

8. Interactive User Education

Static help documents and FAQs are outdated. Interactive user education, such as in-app tutorials, guided tours, and contextual help, can drastically improve user onboarding and ongoing engagement.

Unique Aspect: Incorporating gamification elements into user education makes learning about new features fun and rewarding. For example, awarding badges or points for completing tutorials can motivate users to fully explore and understand the platform.

Tip: Gamify user education with rewards for completing tutorials to enhance engagement and understanding.

9. Proactive User Feedback Collection

Instead of waiting for users to report issues or suggest improvements, proactively seeking feedback at strategic points in the user journey can provide invaluable insights. This means embedding feedback prompts during critical interactions, such as after completing a task or reaching a milestone.

Unique Aspect: Implementing sentiment analysis on collected feedback allows for real-time adjustments and improvements. This proactive approach ensures the platform evolves continuously based on user needs and preferences, fostering a user-centric development cycle.

Tip: Use sentiment analysis to interpret feedback and make real-time adjustments to your product.

10. Counting Taps Per Task or Clicks per Task

Understanding the number of taps (or clicks) it takes users to complete tasks on your app or website can reveal significant insights into user experience. By counting and analyzing these taps, product managers can identify inefficiencies and areas for improvement.

Insight: Product managers often overlook the importance of minimizing user effort. Counting the taps required for core tasks and reducing them by 20-30% through collaboration with the UX team can significantly enhance usability and satisfaction.

Example: If a task currently requires five taps, aim to streamline the process so it takes only three or four taps.

Tip: Regularly audit your app's core user flows and work with your UX team to simplify interactions. This can lead to a more intuitive and efficient user experience.

Additional Resources to Master the Art of Product Management 

Some of these advanced strategies and perspectives in your product management practice will require partnership with your UX and Development teams. But you should absolutely explore these approaches to unlock new levels of innovation and efficiency.

Each strategy offers a unique angle that, when applied thoughtfully, can significantly differentiate your product and drive greater success.

And for more resources, I highly recommend checking out the below:

• Product Protégé Guide: Unlock the secrets of successful product management with the Product Protégé Guide – your comprehensive guide to mastering strategic thinking, user-centric design, and our full review of our authentic E3 Framework: Envision, Empower, and Elevate, which builds a top-tier product management discipline.
• Product Protégé Product Management Courses: Elevate your product management skills with our in-depth Product Protégé online courses. Dive into strategic thinking and user-centric design with real-world examples, downloadable templates, open office hours, and a certification of completion.
  
  EXCLUSIVE OFFER: Plus, get 20% off with this limited-time coupon, BT20 , only available for Blue Triangle newsletter subscribers.

Stay curious and keep pushing the boundaries of what's possible in product management!

Written by Jason Abdo, Guest Author

Jason is the founder and CEO of Product Protege, an educational community for individuals, teams, and businesses venturing into digital product management. He is also the author of The Product Protege Guide: The Art of Product Management for E-Commerce and Beyond.