Crack the PM

  The Critical Role of User Research in Product Management Akhil Sharma 3 min read Lessons for early PMs Summary Akhil Sharma, Senior Product Manager at Expedia, speaks of the importance user research has for building a successful product. Problem Years ago, when the Internet was taking off in India, I joined an auspicious company with a product likely to develop into a very successful one. Most of the companies back then were exploring new ways to engage users through database apps. My company was interested in increasing customer engagement by having people consume music from their mobile app. However, how to do that was a challenge any product leader would eagerly embrace. Actions taken Havi n g some experience around this from earlier stints, I knew what type of onboarding was the most suitable for different user types. Therefore, I created different user onboarding plans based on different high-value actions users needed to perform, such as creating playlists, listening to a n...

  Stakeholder Management in Product Management                          Securing Support For App concepts / revamp Summary Akhil Sharma, Senior Product Manager at Expedia, shares how he managed to secure support from internal stakeholders for an app that needed to be revamped. Problem I joined a somewhat stagnant company developing a cloud desktop app that was helping users download updated software based on their licensing, subscription plan, and budget. The app was already in its mature stage, and we tried to revamp it by honing our understanding of the product life cycle and reimagining the app’s role. Actions taken We initiated a project to revamp the app by capitalizing on the options the app already had. Sinc e  the app was available on users’ desktops, we had a large user base that we could tap into. I felt that we should start engaging users in a more meaningful way and thus develop a brand valu...