Technical Product Manager vs. Product Manager

Technical Product Manager vs. Product Manager - What Is the Difference?

Under the umbrella of product management, you’ll often hear terms such as new product development and business justification bandied about.

The product manager is the head of such operations within an organization. Their main responsibility is to oversee the various stages of a product’s life cycle. Yet, this isn’t the only role in product management, as the role of the technical product manager is also common in many companies.

While the product manager will handle logistics and day-to-day operations, the technical product manager will oversee the technical aspects of product management.

To give you an idea of the duties of each position, here’s a brief overview of the technical product manager vs. product manager.

Role and responsibilities of a product manager

Outlines product features

The product manager maps out the functions and features of a product, drawing upon marketing knowledge and internal business needs. The product manager will usually come from a business background with a related degree. They’ll be more than familiar with the marketing mix and everything that goes into bringing a product to market.

Brings new products to market

The product manager will be very involved in the product’s lifecycle at every stage and should know what will work with the company’s demographic. Using past data and prediction based on consumer behavior, the product manager will oversee the launch of new products to market.

Handles logistics 

Product managers who have worked their way up to the top of an may also be responsible for handling logistics and shipments to customers.

Role and responsibilities of a technical product manager

Evaluate product design

As a role for the more technically gifted, the technical product manager position will usually require a keen eye for engineering design. The role typically involves assessing a product’s design and troubleshooting if necessary.

Assess specifications

Another common role for the technical product manager is to assess the specifications and capabilities of the products. Not only does it have to be structurally sound, but it also has to serve a purpose. It is the technical product manager’s job to check that it does before it can be released to market.

Liaise with product management 

While the roles may be separate, the technical product manager must constantly communicate with the product manager and their team. The development of all aspects of a product throughout its life cycle needs to be harmonious, otherwise, the plan to get it to market might fall through.