Have you ever had a conversation with a product manager where you felt like you were just missing each other completely? That you did product one way, and they did product another way? You both cited articles and sources and were confident you were thinking about product The Right Way™️.

The truth is, while our titles may be the same, fundamentally different types of PMs are needed to keep our product-world running. And they all do product, well, a little differently.

The Three Archetypes

I like to divide the world of product managers into these three basic types:

1. customer oriented

2. consumer oriented

3. optimization oriented

FOCUSED ON

needs & challenges of existing customers

PRODUCT ORIENTATION

long-term and strategic

DATA PREFERENCES

qualitative feedback from user research over metrics-driven

FOCUSED ON

usage at scale, such as daily active users

PRODUCT ORIENTATION

shorter-term, trend-based

DATA PREFERENCES

quantitative data from a mix of metrics and user research

FOCUSED ON

growth of platform / usage / conversion

PRODUCT ORIENTATION

optimizing existing flows & funnels

DATA PREFERENCES

quantitative, metrics-based data over research or qualitative data

B2who?

There’s yet another lens to add into the mix: your company’s audience. The style of product management at your company or in your organization is directly correlated to the type of audience you serve. Are your customers using your product for fun, or to get their job done? Is the goal of your product to keep your users around longer and more frequently, or to fill a need on a regular basis?

B2C Archetypes

If your audience is mainly people who use your product (or feature area) for fun, for leisure, or to manage something about their personal lives, you’re probably in a B2C (business to consumer) world. PMs who have a consumer oriented mindset are going to be the most successful in this environment, alongside optimization oriented PMs.

B2B Archetypes

If your audience consists of people trying to do their jobs or trying to run their business, you’re probably in a B2B (business to business) world. PMs who work in a customer oriented mindset will thrive in this type of environment. Optimization oriented PMs are also often needed in a B2B context, but to a lesser extent than those in a B2C context.

Double check your work

Note: You don’t have to provide software to corporations or enterprises to fall into a B2B style of product. When I first started working at Patreon, for example, the generally-accepted categorization was that we were a consumer product. However, Patreon is for creators—creators who are trying to run a business, that is. In actuality, my job in particular fit much more into a B2B world.

When assessing whether you are in B2B or B2C context, don’t use how the brand feels as your barometer. It can lead you astray.