What makes a great VP Product?

Every product needs a VP Product in order to be successful. The role of the VP Product is to look at the needs of their users and figure out what the best product should look like. They have to be very skilled in design, product development, and management.

Here are the key areas where a VP Product will impact the success of a company:

Product Strategy – The VP Product is tasked with figuring out what the product needs to do in order to be successful. They will work on defining product goals and key metrics, and making sure that the product is aligned with the company’s overall strategy. Key Decisions – The VP Product is responsible for making the most important product decisions, including: what features should be included in future releases, which features should be removed, and what new products should be launched. Product Design and Development – The VP Product leads all aspects of the product design and development process. They are involved from conception to launch, and remain involved throughout the life of the product as it evolves. You can read more about how to become a VP Product here.

A great VP Product will:

Understand the needs of their users – The VP Product has to be closely connected with their users, because they are responsible for figuring out what their users want. They have to understand who their users are, how they use the product, where they need improvement, etc. Know when to say no – A great VP Product has an eye for “good enough”. When there are tradeoffs between getting something out now versus getting something more perfect, they know when it’s time to make a decision. Find creative solutions to problems – A great VP Product knows that there are always multiple ways of solving a problem. They aren’t afraid to experiment with unusual solutions if it means finding a better outcome than what was originally proposed. Be data-driven – A great VP Product doesn’t make decisions on emotions alone; instead, they rely on data and objective analysis when making decisions about their product. Understand technical concepts – A great VP Product is able to understand complex technical concepts in order to make informed decisions about how those concepts are impacting their product. Have a deep understanding of product management – A great VP Product knows how their role fits into the larger picture of product management at their company. They understand what makes a good PM and how their role supports that goal. Can effectively communicate with designers and engineers – A great VP Product can efficiently communicate ideas across departments, because they have experience working on both sides of that divide. Make tough calls when necessary – A great VP Product knows when it’s time to make hard decisions that will upset some users or some team members; however, they also know when it’s time to push back against a decision until it can be justified objectively.

The bottom line is that no company can succeed without strong leadership from its top people; that includes its CEO and its VPs. Every company needs a strong leader at its core who can ensure that everything that touches the core competes at an extremely high level of quality — everything from marketing copy to user experience design to code architecture should compete at an extremely high level.