#ProductDiaries is a documented series of my experience as a product manager — what I’m doing, what I’m learning, and what I’m changing.
What I did:
I meet with my engineering manager biweekly in order to have a forum to ask questions but also to get input on what each other is working on. Today we synced on a final review on quarterly planning since our cut lines are due to the larger product organization tomorrow. We also reviewed feedback from a previous engineering team retrospective that we need to improve product documentation.
Why I did it:
I wanted to make sure we had his final feedback on the feasibility and priority of our plans for the next quarter before committing to projects we don’t have the bandwidth or buy-in for. I also wanted to make sure that our retro feedback isn’t getting lost in the void but the team feels heard and listened to by us actually taking action on their feedback. I asked him if he needs help with updating the documentation process but we aligned on how to make it a part of the product development process as a task for the developer.
What I would do better:
I think that I want to start implementing shared notes & agenda for my 1x1s, not just group meetings. Even though I’ve gotten feedback that people appreciate that I come to 1x1s prepared with topics and clear questions, and they trust that I’m not just using calendar time wastefully, I hypothesize it would be an improvement for them to have clarity on what to expect of our time together. This would also allow them the opportunity in advance to decline the meeting for an asynchronous update or to provide prep materials in advance that might help answer the questions I planned on asking live.
