Product managers need to know everything about their prospective markets and customers, and be passionate about making their product work. A huge element in making products work is timing. This deals with the organising all aspects and people that surround a product’s development and launch.

• First and foremost, timing begins with deciding if the product you have in mind will hit the market at the right time. Most products are developed as solutions to problems you see in the market. Good product managers will see if this problem is worth solving at that moment in time and if it will be financially feasible for their company. If the product goes ahead with development, a timeline should be created at the very beginning that sets goals as to when certain targets should be met.

• A product launch timeframe should also be made at the beginning. This will ensure the team surrounding the development has clear ideas on when exact goals should be met. Don’t start with a specific date at the beginning, as adjustments will more than likely be made during the product development stage. Instead choose horizons that can be turned into specific dates as the product becomes more finite.  This timeline should be tracked along all stages by both the development team and the product manager.

• Check-in with your team regularly. This will not only help you make sure that tasks are running smoothly in all areas of product development, but will also give your team the ability and knowledge to come to your with potential problems or questions. Regularity will also help with forecasting when the product will be able for launch, another reason to choose horizons before dates for a product launch into the market.

• While a product manager may want to make their product and launch as perfect and important as possible, they need to manage their time properly. Managers need to be able to pick and choose their most important tasks surrounding the product. Their attention should be focused on these tasks. Managers should also realize the ability of the team that surrounds them, and in turn the team needs to work their schedules around the times given to them to develop the product.

• Once a product is ready to be released and a specific date has been marketed to the public, a product manager needs to make sure that all other aspects surrounding the product are also ready. These can include features such as an online shop or a customer support team. Customers will expect the complete experience that was marketed to them. When these aspects are all accessible, along with the product, on the given launch date trust will be instilled in potential customers.

Faye Constance, Business Manager at Alternatives