The&nbsp;rise of online and consumer facing organisations&nbsp;has resulted in a shift in product management over the last 6 years. We live in a&nbsp;data driven society, you might not see it but data is everywhere and it&rsquo;s only going to get bigger. Here we explore the three key areas of product management that are significant for today&rsquo;s product managers.
1. Consumer focus Understanding&nbsp;how consumers use your product&nbsp;is a vital component to a successful long-term strategic plan. More recently we have seen organisations turn their strategy towards consumers and&nbsp;focusing on the customer journey, resulting in product managers working even more closely with UX professionals.&nbsp;
Now more than ever, there is a focus on B2C product management, with a focus on UX to drive certain products and lines&nbsp;to optimise the buying and transaction process. It is key for product managers to ensure that the user experience a consumer is facing is&nbsp;consistent throughout all digital products.&nbsp;
2. Data Good product managers will&nbsp;monitor data trends&nbsp;continuously and should be very data centered in their approach. Consumer facing organisations will encourage examination of web analytics and conversation rates as performance indicators for product managers. As a result it is&nbsp;common for product managers to study click rates to discover what is successful and what can be improved whilst working in an agile environment.
Product Managers are also now the&nbsp;driving force behind customer and user experience. It is essential to measure and report on the&nbsp;effectiveness of product iterations and launches&nbsp;in order to make effective data-driven decision making. Without effective and vigorous analysis products will not improve and instead remain static. &nbsp;&nbsp;
3. The future lies in technical product management As companies look to maximise their online business we are seeing&nbsp;more technical product managers&nbsp;coming from a technical background or who are technically focused. Typically speaking, such candidates will have a software engineer degree or computer science/information systems degree or may have even been a developer.
This brings a sense of understanding of the&nbsp;software development lifecycle&nbsp;into the team as technical product managers are able to roadmap their product or software development lifecycle more confidently.
The <a href="https://www.xcede.com/disciplines/digital/product-management?source=mail.google.com">product management job market</a> is certainly thriving with&nbsp;all elements of the Digital team synergising&nbsp;to create deeper customer connections and an overall better experience for the end user. This approach will certainly aid product managers to innovate and manage the product lifecycle.

3 Key Areas of Product Management

Several factors will influence the product design industry&rsquo;s future in the years to come, including the integration of AI and Machine Learning, adapting designs for multimodal interfaces such as Voice User Interfaces (VUI) and gesture-based interfaces, and integrating Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR).
LinkedIn reports that this industry will see an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/ui-ux-design-software-market-size-2024-business-growth-ieyof/">expected annual growth rate of 22.25% CAGR, in the next 7 years.</a>&nbsp;With this optimistic projected growth, it is essential that designers are aware of what these developments entail.
Key insights:
<ul>
<li>Projected Industry Growth:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/ui-ux-design-software-market-size-2024-business-growth-ieyof/">expected annual growth rate of 22.25% CAGR, reaching USD 3918.48 million by 2031.</a></li>
<li>Integration of AI will assist Product designers through personalisation, predictive design, automation, and usability testing.</li>
<li>In 2023, there were a reported number of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.yaguara.co/voice-search-statistics/">125.2 million voice search users.</a></li>
<li>The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.statista.com/outlook/amo/ar-vr/worldwide">AR &amp; VR market</a>&nbsp;is estimated to produce US&nbsp;$38.6bn in revenue in 2024.</li>
</ul>
Several experts attended our <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJwSzXg0-3A&amp;t=34s">Product &amp; Design: A HealthTech Perspective</a> networking event, offering their insights into the future of the Product industry. The overall takeaway from this event was the emphasis on relying on the mass availability of data available to designers currently and the integration of AI. Follow our <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@xcederecruitment?_t=8mLRVZRHGr2&amp;_r=1">TikTok account</a> to see these exclusive event interviews.
An interesting quote from our conversation with Kathryn Ganz, VP of Product at Holland &amp; Barrett, was:
&ldquo;With the level of data and sort of the level of maturity that health tech is now gaining, you see two different sorts of business models emerging. So the first is a type of business that goes really niche and deep on a specific health issue. The other model we now see emerging, I think, because of the opportunity size is these broader businesses that are trying to sort of become your wellness companion or manage the full ambit of someone's health.&rdquo;
Integration of AI and Machine Learning:
While Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) can't replace human designers, they are revolutionising how users interact with digital platforms and, in turn, assisting Product Designers in their roles. Improvements will be seen in the upcoming years as AI algorithms continue to analyse user preferences and behaviours to help create a more personalised experience.
Additionally, user interaction will become more intuitive and efficient&nbsp;through predictive design, offering proactive suggestions based on previous data on users' actions.&nbsp;Moreover, AI will impact Product design&nbsp;in the automation of&nbsp;repetitive tasks, giving designers more time to focus on their creative efforts. Finally, by leveraging Artificial Intelligence in usability testing, designers will have access to data and insights into user behaviour that traditional testing methods may not&nbsp;be able to&nbsp;offer.
How AI in Product Design will impact different industries:
<ul>
<li>Healthcare Industry:
<ul>
<li>Medical Device Design: AI aids in designing medical devices such as prosthetics, implants, and other equipment, ensuring optimal performance and patient safety.</li>
<li>Drug Discovery: AI accelerates the drug discovery process by analysing large amounts of biological data to identify potential drug candidates and predict their efficacy.</li>
<li>Early diagnosis: Computer vision technology and AI are integrated into the design of wearable devices for continuous monitoring of vital signs and can help detect irregularities and diseases for early diagnosis, further enhancing patients&rsquo; ability to treat conditions before they become life-threatening.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Architecture and Construction:
<ul>
<li>Generative Design: AI generates and analyses several design options based on specified parameters, helping architects and engineers explore all the possible solutions available to them.</li>
<li>Energy Efficiency: AI algorithms optimise building designs for energy efficiency, considering factors like orientation, insulation, and natural lighting. Society has placed an emphasis on energy conservation, and this can aid in its promotion.</li>
<li>Construction Automation: AI-enabled robots and drones help with many construction tasks, including site surveying, material transportation, and bricklaying, improving efficiency and safety.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>E-commerce:
<ul>
<li>Recommendation Systems: AI analyses user behaviour, preferences, and past purchases to give customers personalised product recommendations, ensuring the best possible user experience and driving sales.</li>
<li>Inventory Management: AI enhances inventory management by predicting demand, identifying slow-moving items, and automating restocking processes, ensuring fewer instances of understocking or overstocking.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
Designing for Multimodal Interfaces:
Users&nbsp;are increasingly interacting&nbsp;with devices through multiple modalities such as voice (Voice User Interfaces - VUI) and gesture.&nbsp;In 2023, there were&nbsp;a reported number of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.yaguara.co/voice-search-statistics/">125.2 million voice search users.</a>&nbsp;Product designers will need to adapt&nbsp;their design principles to accommodate these diverse interaction modes, ensuring consistency and usability across different platforms.&nbsp;Examples of designing for multimodal interfaces include creating conversational interfaces with a strong understanding of context cues and delivering concise voice prompts for VUI and interfaces that respond naturally to the user's touch.
How multimodal interfaces in Product Design will impact different industries:
<ul>
<li>Healthcare:
<ul>
<li>VUI: Voice-controlled interfaces assist healthcare professionals in accessing patient records, scheduling appointments, or transcribing notes, improving efficiency and allowing for hands-free operations, promoting clean environments.</li>
<li>Gesture Interfaces: Gesture-based systems enable surgeons to navigate medical images or control surgical tools without physical contact, minimising the risk of contamination and streamlining procedures.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Education:
<ul>
<li>VUI: Voice-activated learning platforms provide students with interactive tutorials, quizzes, or language practice exercises, facilitating personalised learning experiences and accommodating diverse learning styles.</li>
<li>Gesture Interfaces: Gesture-controlled educational tools allow students to interact with digital content, simulate experiments, or participate in virtual classrooms through intuitive gestures, encouraging active engagement and teamwork.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>E-commerce Industry:
<ul>
<li>VUI: Voice shopping assistants let users search, buy, and receive personalised recommendations through voice commands. They streamline tasks like tracking orders and managing returns, creating greater convenience and customer satisfaction.</li>
<li>Gesture Interfaces: Gesture recognition tech enables interactive browsing, zooming on product images, and virtual try-on experiences.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
Integration of Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR):
The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.statista.com/outlook/amo/ar-vr/worldwide">AR &amp; VR market</a>&nbsp;is projected&nbsp;to generate&nbsp;revenue of&nbsp;US$38.6bn in 2024. Product designers&nbsp;will need to&nbsp;harness AR and VR's immersive capabilities to create compelling experiences across various domains, from gaming and entertainment to education and enterprise. Designing for AR and VR requires a deep understanding of spatial interactions, user perception, narrative storytelling, and the technical constraints and opportunities inherent in these emerging mediums.
How AR and VR in Product Design will impact different industries:
<ul>
<li>Entertainment:
<ul>
<li>Immersive Experiences: AR and VR create fully immersive environments for gaming, movies, and interactive storytelling. Designers must ensure they are creating as life-like as possible environments.</li>
<li>Live Events: AR enables users to attend live events virtually, such as concerts, sports events, or conferences. VR can provide a front-row seat experience, complete with 360-degree views and interactive elements.</li>
<li>Interactive Merchandising: In the entertainment industry, AR is used for interactive merchandise experiences. Fans can use AR to see 3D models of their favourite characters or scan movie posters to unlock exclusive content.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Healthcare:
<ul>
<li>Training Simulations: Medical professionals can use VR simulations to practice surgical procedures or patient diagnosis in a risk-free environment. This helps in enhancing skills and reducing errors in real-life scenarios.</li>
<li>Therapeutic Applications: VR is utilised for pain management, phobia treatment, and rehabilitation therapies. Patients can be immersed in calming environments or guided through exposure therapy sessions, enhancing the effectiveness of treatments.</li>
<li>Patient Education: AR is employed to provide patients with interactive educational materials about their conditions or treatments. For instance, patients can use AR apps to visualise how medications work in their bodies or to understand complex medical procedures.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>E-commerce:
<ul>
<li>Virtual Try-On: AR enables virtual try-on experiences for clothing, accessories, and cosmetics. Users can see how products look on themselves in real-time, enhancing their confidence in making purchase decisions.</li>
<li>Interactive Product Visualisation: VR is used to create virtual showrooms or product galleries where users can explore items in a realistic environment. This helps to provide a more engaging shopping experience, especially for products like furniture or home decor.</li>
<li>Augmented Shopping Assistants: AR-powered shopping assistants guide users through the shopping journey by providing product recommendations, reviews, and personalized suggestions based on their preferences and browsing history.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;

What Does the Future Hold for Product Designers?

Bridging the Skill and Talent Gap in the Automotive Industry

It&rsquo;s an extremely rare thing to watch, listen, or read something that changes not only the way you view yourself, but the way the world around you functions. Susan Cain&rsquo;s &ldquo;Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a world that can't stop talking&rdquo; is a fantastic read that discusses the role of an introvert within a modern era.&nbsp;
<blockquote>
&ldquo;The introvert/extrovert divide is the most fundamental dimension of personality. And at least a third of us are on the introverted side. Some of the world&rsquo;s most talented people are introverts. Without them, we wouldn&rsquo;t have the Apple computer, the theory of relativity, or Van Gogh&rsquo;s sunflowers&rdquo;. -&nbsp;Susan Cain, Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a world that can&rsquo;t stop talking, 2013
</blockquote>
Xcede are leaving no stone unturned in helping us all understand ourselves better, primarily with the aim of improving our professional strengths and weaknesses alike. Through the measurements conducted by our Learning and Development Manager, it became clear very quickly that I was quite intensely positioned at the introverted end of the personality spectrum - a &lsquo;theorist&rsquo; and an even stronger &lsquo;reflector&rsquo;.
<h4 align="start">Insights into Cain's Book</h4>
Naturally, I was intrigued to delve into Cain&rsquo;s book further after seeing our results, given that it was said to, &ldquo;show how the brain chemistry of introverts and extroverts differs, and how society misunderstands and undervalues introverts. (Cain) gives introverts the tools to better understand themselves and take full advantage of their strengths.&rdquo;
In a throw away comment, someone had mentioned that these traits in my character were probably caused by the fact that I have recruited within the Data Science field for over three years. Clearly, it was a comment made with tongue firmly in cheek, but actually made me think more deeply about the characteristics of those that I try to help.
<h4 align="start">Different Personality Types</h4>
Data Scientists and Data Engineers (like any other profession) across the globe have a multitude of personality types.&nbsp;One of the most measured and careful people that I know in the industry is a Senior Scientist at one of the most important banks in the world.&nbsp;Likewise, one of the real live-wires who attended our last&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDixMaf3bAU">Data Science Networking Event</a>&nbsp;is a Lead Scientist at a major tech institution.
Within the Data Science recruitment space one of the frequent requests and frustrations we get from hiring managers is centred around their inability to find a Data Scientist who can also engage with clients, stakeholders and an audience. The value placed on these Data Scientists is incredible.
It&rsquo;s also understandable, because Data Scientists are trying to derive insight from businesses. Someone has to be able to get the results across. Within a business context, Cain suggests that,&nbsp;&ldquo;extroverts have taken over. Shyness, sensitivity and seriousness are often seen as being negative. Introverts feel reproached for being the way they are&rdquo;. Hence, there is a common acknowledgement that Data&nbsp;Scientists with this type of ability, personality type, and motivation are in far shorter supply.
<h4 align="start">The Importance of Learnt Activities</h4>
A really useful and insightful piece in&nbsp;Cain's&nbsp;book describes studies that show that there is a strong direct correlation between isolated learning and skill levels in &lsquo;learnt&rsquo; activities (coding and modelling would be prime examples of such &lsquo;learnt&rsquo; skills). Similarly, Cain also explains that proficiency in public speaking is also something that increases with practice as a &lsquo;learnt&rsquo; skill, and is simply not as effective when repeated in isolation&nbsp;(no live audience, etc).
So is the Data Science field an overwhelmingly Quiet one &ndash; and if so, is that a problem?
At this point, we&rsquo;re dealing in opinions rather than fact. Things are starting to change over time &ndash; some units are choosing to share responsibilities (employing a &lsquo;Consulting Data Scientist&rsquo; alongside their &lsquo;Data Scientist&rsquo;), whilst others elect their &lsquo;Lead Data Scientist&rsquo; to shoulder all of these responsibilities.
Whilst there is a lot of weight placed on technical training that can be provided in companies,&nbsp;
<blockquote>
&ldquo;We&rsquo;ll teach you Scala!&rdquo;
&ldquo;We&rsquo;ll teach you Spark!&rdquo;
&ldquo;We&rsquo;ll teach you how to build deep learning frameworks that can be used for large scale object recognition with whatever tool is hot this week!&rdquo;
</blockquote>
There is a place for internal training at companies that would enable Scientists who may be introverts and not natural &lsquo;Consultant Data Scientists&rsquo; or &lsquo;presenters&rsquo; to improve their skills in this area and thrive&nbsp;in senior roles that have these responsibilities.
I&rsquo;d be interested to hear your thoughts and whether you&rsquo;ve had any training as a Data Scientist in these &lsquo;softer skills&rsquo;. More importantly, would this type of offer even be appealing to you in your&nbsp;<a href="https://www.xcede.com/job-role/data-scientist">Data Scientists job position</a>?
<h4 class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 21.6pt; text-indent: -21.6pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;">Similar Blogs that may be of interest:</h4>
<a href="https://www.xcede.com/blog/what-is-a-senior-data-scientist">What is a Senior Data Scientist?</a>
<a href="https://www.xcede.com/blog/the-evolution-of-the-data-scientist-job-title">The Evolution of the Data Scientist Job Title</a>
<a href="https://www.xcede.com/blog/how-to-hire-a-data-scientist">How to Hire a Data Scientist</a>
<a href="https://www.xcede.com/blog/chief-data-scientist-tracking-the-rise-of-senior-scientists">Chief Data Scientist | Tracking the rise of Senior Data Scientists</a>
<a href="https://www.xcede.com/blog/data-scientist-vs-data-analyst-which-role-is-most-in-demand">Data Scientist Vs Data Analyst | Which Role is Most in Demand?</a>
&nbsp;

3 Key Areas of Product Management

latest blogs