How is Airbnb’s new approach to product management going to affect PMs?
- Airbnb has merged product management and product marketing into a single functional unit.
- This new approach is aimed at improving communication about products and ensuring alignment between different functions.
- The success of this decision will depend on factors like the effectiveness of the design-led model, the skills of designers, and how well the organization adapts to the change.
- It may cause disadvantages in areas like strategic alignment, business perspective, technical feasibility, customer and market research, etc.
- The PM function is not completely going away; it is being reshaped and evolving to better suit the needs of the organization.
- Product management has always been a multifaceted role, and it will continue to be so in the future.
- Different companies may require different types of PM roles based on their unique needs and structures.
- PMs may take on more hybrid roles, empowering designers and becoming more data-driven and customer-centric.
- The fundamental purpose of a PM, connecting product opportunities with implementation and other functions, will likely remain the same.