First 90 Days - Day 0
After spending two years as a Product Manager in the digital commerce domain and six months in an advertising agency, I'm returning to the field of financial technology. Just to provide some context, before joining this company, I served as a Product Analyst at Astra Credit Companies, one of Indonesia's leading fintech companies.
This write-up is intended to serve as a self-consistency challenge. I aim to document my experience as a Product Manager during the first 90 days of my tenure. As many experienced Product Managers suggest, these initial days can significantly influence my journey in this role.
As a product manager, it's crucial to have a vision and simultaneously tackle immediate challenges. Thus, I have divided this write-up into two sections: a high-level plan for the first 90 days and preparations for the initial days.
High-level plan for the first 90 days
Before diving into planning, it's always beneficial to conduct some research. I'll be doing a quick review of what a Product Manager typically does during their first 90 days. Here are some references:
- "How to make an impact in your first 90 days" by Kyle Poyar (lennysnewsletter.com)
- "The Ultimate Guide to Mastering Your First 90 Days as a Product Manager" (justanotherpm.com)
A quick disclaimer: Lenny's content requires a subscription, so I'll rely mostly on the blog from justanotherpm.com.
The key takeaway from my research is to divide the plan into three phases. The first 30 days should focus on product knowledge, the next 30 days on building relationships and visibility, and the final 30 days on executing strategies and delivering impact. I plan to follow this strategy, making adjustments as necessary to fit within the company's dynamics.
Preparation for day-1
One indicator of a good company, in my opinion, is a robust onboarding process. I'm pleased to note that this company takes its onboarding seriously. I've received several instructions and an invitation to the onboarding session. Although the first day will be filled with these sessions, I anticipate some free time for self-exploration.
To make the most of this time, I believe I need to prepare a few things:
- Download and familiarise myself with the app/product
- Compile a list of questions to understand the product, people, and the organization
It's crucial to have a basic understanding of the product you'll be managing. This not only lends credibility but also creates a positive impression among coworkers and superiors.
A list of questions can also help streamline the work process and enhance efficiency. Here are a few questions at the top of my mind:
- What are the current objectives and directions of the company?
- Who are the key persons I will collaborate with directly and closely?
- How does the development process work here?
- Is there any list of backlogs/ideas/roadmap for my product?
- What are your expectations for me?
These questions will likely evolve during various conversations over time.
Those are just a few thoughts as I prepare for my first day. Do you think they are sufficient? They aim to help me understand the company, the people, and, of course, the product.
See you in the next post.