my PM acts like my manager🍵 just design tea #22
Designers x Product Managers. Common challenges and how to work through them. Part 2/3
My coffee order is now a sentence. I don’t like that. And I don’t like when you feel like you have two managers. Your manager and then the product manager!😅
Some of my theories on why this happens
- designers work more closely with product managers vs design managers
- fine line between being accountable vs being put on deadlines
- you are early in your career so don’t know different
- product org is more influential than the design org
So how do you navigate this at work?
Disclaimer: This is NOT about my product managers. Some of my bestest partnerships have been with product managers, and they have shaped me into the designer I am.
Special shoutout to Dara, Niki, Thiago, Mo, and Miles! 💛 Just to be clear lol.
💬 “My PM constantly challenges my design decisions”
Being constantly challenged on design decisions can chip away at your confidence. It gets more unnerving when you are presenting in a bigger group.
I have been there.
Some things that worked for me.
Reiterate the shared goals. “We are all trying to build the best product for XYZ”
Give early visibility. Never try to have a grand reveal for your designs. Having stakeholders give you early feedback and iterating based on that is the fastest way to act as one team.
Take 1-on-1 feedback with your PM before presenting to the team. When you and your PM are aligned, it’s easier to sell the same narrative to a wider team.
Have 1-2 feedback sessions with smaller groups before(like Android developers only).
If I find a developer particularly difficult/challenging to work with, I take their feedback 1-on-1 before presenting in a group. Sometimes a single open-ended question derails your entire design presentation.At the start of every presentation, set vibes for collaborative feedback.
“I have some proposals for us to go through. I am not married to either of them.” “I have strong opinions loosely held. If you have thoughts on how we could be doing this better, please share.”Be obsessed with your users. Talk to them. Read all reviews on your product. Go through the data you are collecting. Opinions backed by research are compelling.
Present it in a designers-only critique to further build your thinking and confidence + be better equipped for a bigger group.
At the end of the day, you are the expert in design and what’s best for users. Build that confidence in yourself and your skills.
💬 “My PM tries to design screens themselves”
I have heard it often, and I have reframed it as an advantage.
If a PM can tell me what they have in their head visually, I only take it as time saved. I don’t have to guess it.
I have actually empowered my team to come up with wireframes. There is a very simple wireframe library I have in Figma that they can use to visualize their ideas.
The screens/mockups are the very end result of a design thinking process. Creating mocks is one of your skills as a designer, not the only one.
The conflict occurs when a PM makes a mock and says this is what we have to build too.🙃
Or try and take over your design deliverables. Or present these on your behalf.
Some tips.
set up clear ways of working and deliverables (you can use the RACI framework).
some more tips on what to do when when PMs just want designers to mock up their ideas.
💬 “My PM acts like my manager”
I am a firm believer that having a good combo of product manager and designer manager can be one of the best catalysts for your career!
However, it can happen that your PM is
- trying to micro-manage your time
- not understanding your time spent on other teams/projects
- or plain making you feel overwhelmed.
Some tips.
Recognize and articulate your challenges to share back with them and your manager.
Set up systems like weekly check-ins with both of them on a shared call, visual representation of your timelines on Asana/Notion.
Be clear and assertive in your communications. Easier said, I know.
Ideally, your design manager must have full visibility and accountability of your time commitments for various projects, your career goals, and your growth as a designer. Lean on them, or set up clearer boundaries for yourself.
Hope this helps! x
my favorites this week
📕 Hidden Genius by
It’s been a minute since I read non-fiction, but this book tempted me. She is known for her in-depth profiles, so her book is kinda cherry-picked stories of people curated topic by topic.
📕 Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld
Okay, I have never watched SNL, but now I want to?! If you like some intellectual banter and realistic rom-coms, this book is perfect!
📺 Selena Gomaz’s my mind and me
Made me realize - If I were a rockstar I would hate going on a tour. And just be kind to people. You never know what they are going through.
📸 Moment
Growing up, my hometown had an annual rose festival. I loved going there with my family. We would walk through roses, rate them and click pictures. This weekend, S and I went to a rose garden and all those memories came running back.
If you relate to or are loving all the tea, consider sending me a DM here or sending this to your design besties or your PM! 🙃