AMA: Jit.io VP of Product Management, Orit Golowinski on Building a Product Management Team

When interviewing potential product managers, my goal is to assess their skills and abilities to determine their potential for success on the team. I also consider the knowledge gaps within the team and whether the candidate can fill those gaps effectively. If I believe that the candidate lacks the necessary strengths to address the team's missing skills, I will not move forward with hiring them. Doing so would only result in having to hire again soon, which would not improve the team's producti ...Read More

Updating product management activities to the rest of the organization involves communicating changes, updates, and progress made by the product team to the wider company. This helps to keep all stakeholders informed about the product's direction, the features that are being developed, and any changes that may affect the company or its customers. The content of the updates may vary depending on the company's needs and objectives. Some possible elements of product management updates could include ...Read More

As someone who has recently joined a small and growing team, I can relate to the challenge of creating and improving the product management process in a company with little structure. When joining such a team, it's essential to take the time to learn about the existing product management process. Observe how the team operates and identify what works well and what needs improvement. Additionally, familiarize yourself with the product, strategy, and vision to determine whether the current team is ...Read More

When starting out in a rapidly growing company with a small team, the main focus should be on building the team. While there may be some best practices that can be embedded right away, such as documentation and customer feedback, it's important to establish a strong foundation of team members who can work together effectively. As the team grows, especially during times of rapid growth, some processes may need to change in order to set the team up for success. For example, a well-defined onboardi ...Read More

As someone who has worked in various roles and companies, I've found that the top three skills that have helped me succeed are adaptability, self-learning, and collaboration. 1. Adaptability: In the fast-paced tech industry, things are constantly changing, and being able to quickly shift priorities and refocus your team is critical to staying on track. I've learned to be flexible in my thinking and open to new ideas, which has helped me identify opportunities that others may have missed. 2. Self ...Read More

When building a well-rounded team, I start by understanding the product vision, product maturity, and organizational culture. This helps me define the ideal team composition and identify the right candidates, whether it's for a first product manager (PM) role or improving an existing medium-large team. If I join an organization with an existing team, I evaluate their skills and experience to see if they are suitable for their roles. I also assess the processes in place and identify areas that ne ...Read More