


However, technical product managers are still product managers they’re not writing code or creating networking diagrams. Technical product managers may also be better at certain types of competitive analysis, given their deeper understanding of how the products actually work. This role may also be called upon when it comes to working with third parties, whether it’s evaluating APIs and capabilities, mapping out integration plans or evaluating different technology options.

Thanks to their technical acumen and deeper familiarity with the nuances and inner workings of the engineering organization, they are better able to properly assess whether engineering estimates are correct, review technical specifications, architecture and networking plans, and participate in security, scalability and infrastructure activities. Technical product managers may end up owning certain aspects of the product suite, or they may be used on a more ad hoc basis as a subject matter expert able to consult on the more technical aspects of different initiatives. While this is sometimes achieved by simply divvying up responsibilities for different products or features among the team members, they tend to be assigned to areas demanding a more rigorous understanding of technical issues to be successful. Technical product managers are typically only present when the product management team is large enough to support specialization. Often former engineers or computer science majors, these individuals sink their teeth into the more technical parts of the product strategy and form close working relationships with development, engineering, infrastructure, and networking teams. While every product manager at a technology company must have some level of technical proficiency to be effective, technical product managers come to the role with a strong technical background. A technical PM works more closely with the engineering team than the business, sales, and marketing teams of the organization. A technical product manager (PM) is a product manager with a strong technical background that is typically focused on the more technical aspects of the product.
