Why are some professions well-established with clear standards, while product management remains a young, evolving field?
Product management has existed for decades, yet many people today think of it as a new job. It is the same for product marketing. They certainly don’t feel as clearly defined as other professions, like accounting or law. If you ask someone what an accountant does, there’s an immediate answer. Ask the same about a product manager, and the responses vary widely.
In Canada, only those licensed by an engineering regulator may practice engineering and refer to themselves as engineers. Many Canadian engineers wear an Iron Ring as a symbol and reminder of the obligations and ethics associated with their profession.
Where’s the “iron ring” for product management? Should I get a tattoo of the Pragmatic framework or the Quartz icon?
The Accidental Profession
Product managers come from a variety of backgrounds—many from engineering, others from marketing, sales engineering, or customer support. There’s no specific degree in product management (though some schools are beginning to offer these).
Product managers typically land their first product management role after gaining experience and visibility while working in another related department or team. This is why many refer to product management as “the accidental profession.”
Many successful product managers have no formal education in product management, instead relying on their personal experience or knowledge of specific methodologies like Agile or Scrum. Only 40% of product managers have received any form of education in product management.
While some certifications exist for product managers, they’re not mandatory or universally recognized. Few job descriptions require certification—at best, you might see a preference for one product management model or training program.
Roles and Methods
Ask ten different companies (or thought leaders) what a product manager does, and you’ll likely get ten (or more) different answers. In some organizations, product managers are expected to be highly technical and deeply involved in the product's architecture. Others focus more on strategy, customer discovery, or business outcomes. This variance in role expectations adds to the challenge of defining product management.
In established fields, roles are clearly defined and well-understood. An accountant’s responsibilities are consistent across organizations—managing financial records, ensuring compliance with tax laws, and conducting audits, for example. Standards are well-defined and universally accepted. These guidelines provide clear rules on how to handle financial transactions, leaving little room for ambiguity. Think about an accountant preparing financial statements—they must follow a precise method, and regulatory bodies audit the results.
On the other hand, a product manager might use OKRs, KPIs, or growth metrics, but there’s no universal standard for defining product success.
Where is the playbook for product management? While frameworks like Agile, Lean, or Quartz can guide practices, there’s no one-size-fits-all method.
Product managers in different organizations follow entirely different processes depending on company culture, product lifecycle stage, or customer needs. Even within a single company, product managers use different formats for roadmaps, release plans, and stories. As a result, product management feels inconsistent and open to interpretation. And is perceived as unprofessional by other teams.
In truth, each organization is unique—with different people, products, processes, and customers—so it’s essential to adapt industry practices to fit your organizational challenges.
Embrace the Evolution
Product management may not yet have its “iron ring,” but that’s part of its strength. It’s a field still being shaped, a profession that embraces diversity of thought, experience, and approach. The lack of rigid definitions and formal standards doesn’t mean product management is incomplete—it means it’s still adaptable, resilient, and innovative.
It’s not about getting a certification, following a rigid framework, or fitting neatly into a bunch of boxes. It’s about building a discipline that thrives on learning and continuous improvement.
Standardize your product roles and methods. Ensure your product management team has training, ongoing coaching, and access to the tools and data necessary for success.
While we may not have a ring or a tattoo to symbolize our journey, the real mark of a product manager is in the products we deliver and the value we create. The profession will continue to evolve—and it’s up to us to lead that change.
Ultimately, our goal in product management is to turn good ideas into successful products systematically.
Learn more about the Quartz Open Framework by downloading the free ebook, Getting Started with Quartz.