Michael Ha Cheng works as Product Manager at Hamburg-based publisher gamigo AG. But what exactly does a Product Manager do? What are the resposibilities, daily duties, and how does one get to that position? In today's interview these and more questions will be answered - and we get a clue of a very diversified occupation that you need a lot of passion for.
What is the job of a Product Manager?A Product Manager does a multitude of things. As a Product Manager within gamigo I define the strategy of the product and a vision for its future. I'm also a direct link between every relevant internal and external department.
I am also responsible for the planning of sales and promotions, keeping track and analyzing the games' KPIs, while coming up with new ideas to make the product even more profitable.
As I already mentioned before, you have to keep track of every department's request to stay ahead of everything. Apply feedback you've been given from the team and base your decisions on said feedback.
Then I also set up sales or future promotions and see to it that everything is going according to plan when a new patch or something similar is coming up.
Finally, I also analyze our KPI's daily and take proper actions if required.
The most important thing is, in my opinion, to be passionate about games in general. You have to know your product well to do a good job so make sure you do. Play your games.
You also need to have a basic understanding of how to keep your product going. That includes theoretical knowledge as well as an analytical mind.
I don't think that having graduated from university is the most important thing when it comes to being a good Product Manager. You need to be up to date with the current trends and look into what the companies you wish to work for require from you.
How long does it take to become a Product Manager?In my case, it took a little while - around five years. I started as a Community Manager. After a few years, I moved on to become the Product Manager of the same game I was working for already.
Gathering experience in how the whole production process works will help you tremendously and give you an insight into what it takes to be a Product Manager.
Working in an ever-evolving industry that never gets old is great fun! There is always something going on. Also, being able to work with great people that all share the same passion for games, is a big reason why I enjoy being a Product Manager so much.
Watching your community thrive in the game, and see it grow is also a very fulfilling part of my job.
Sometimes, it can get rather stressful. Making sure that we are keeping up with the deadlines and that there is no blocker from other departments can be challenging.
If there is an issue with the game/product, you have to be on call, which means that sometimes, you have to be available during weekends too.
Thank you, Michael, for these informative insights and for sharing your passion for games with us! People who now feel inspired to work with gamigo AG, too, can check out all current vacancies on the company's profile.
About the author
