What makes a great software product?

26 Jul 2020 [ course-review  product  tech  ]

One of the things I learned while taking the Software Product Management Specialization offered by Coursera, was on the topic of what makes great software products great. One of the key points discussed repeatedly is that: A great software product is one that has the right product, done right and managed right.

The right product

The right product answers a specific need (or want) from a customer. It addresses pain points that could be alleviated with the help of technology. As a tech-enthusiast, many times I’m attracted to the shiniest technologies, and implementing tools/systems on top of those technologies/platforns. This does not make the product I make ‘right’ in the sense that it does not necessarily solve a customer’s need. In product development, we always have to keep our end-users in mind, and how the product we build can bring a net-positive in their lives.

Done right

A lot of start-ups with promising products fail because of execution. I personally have experienced this first-hand in one of the start-ups I’ve been with in my career. It’s not enough to have that brilliant idea, the process is vital to success as well. This leads us to the third point…

Managed right

In order to execute effectively, the product should be managed correctly. Planning, team coordination, and effective leadership are key points in managing a software product correctly.

The courses in the specialization are sized just right, not too big to take most of your time, and not too small to be trivial. I appreciate the different peer-reviewed assignments as well, which really gives the learner some practical skills to apply what they learn. Learned so many things in this specialization, and if you’re a developer who wants to expand knowledge in product managent, then the course is definitely a good start.