The original title is "What a Product Manager actually does: keeping products aligned with customer needs"

Short summary

A reflective post arguing that a Product Manager's core job is preventing products from drifting away from customer needs — not just writing roadmaps. The author uses analogies like detergent products and coffee shops to illustrate that PMs must deeply understand customer preferences, market context, and competitive positioning. Practical advice for newcomers: start by analyzing a familiar product's customers, pain points, and market alternatives rather than learning to write backlogs.

• •PM's core role is keeping products aligned with customer needs, not just writing roadmaps
• •Product planning requires understanding market context, customer behavior, and competitive landscape
• •Newcomers should analyze familiar products' customers and pain points before learning backlog mechanics

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