From Coding to Calling the Shots: My Transition from Engineering to Product
Switching from software engineering to product management is like going from being a chef focused on perfecting each ingredient to becoming the Maître d’, who ensures the whole dining experience is top-notch.
As a software engineer, you’re the chef in the kitchen, crafting code with precision. In product management, you’re the Maître d’, ensuring everything from the menu to the ambiance comes together for a delightful meal. It’s less about cooking and more about creating a great night for everyone.
Escaping the Banking Maze
I started my career as a software engineer at a Canadian investment bank, working on their proprietary trading platform for the repo desk. The challenges were immense, the pace was relentless, but I found myself yearning for something more. Finance, with its rigid structure and conservative approach to technology, left me feeling constrained. I had a knack for crafting killer user interfaces, and the banking scene just wasn’t the place to let loose and get funky with usability.
E-commerce: Where UI is the Real MVP
The turning point in my journey came when I joined a Fortune 50 e-commerce company. Here, I worked on building the Real-Time Bidding (RTB) exchange for ads. It was an environment that resonated with the fast-paced nature of trading, but with a crucial difference — the user interface mattered. Immediate feedback from customers and ad clients became a thrilling aspect of my work. This was a world where innovation met the end-users head-on, and I loved it.
The shift from the finance sector to e-commerce allowed me to witness the tangible impact of my work on users. It was this realization that sparked the desire for more direct involvement in product development and strategy.
Riding the Product Management Wave
I made the internal leap into product management. This transition was not without its challenges, but my background as a software engineer proved to be a valuable asset. Understanding the technical intricacies of software development allowed me to bridge the gap between engineering and product teams seamlessly.
One crucial lesson from this transition was the need to develop a holistic view of product development. As a product manager, the focus shifted from coding and implementation to understanding user needs, market trends, and business objectives. It was about orchestrating a symphony of skills to create a product that not only functioned flawlessly but also addressed real-world problems.
Finding My Footing in Healthcare
I’m currently dabbling in healthcare — a stark departure from the world of finance and e-commerce. The challenges in healthcare are different, but the goal remains the same: making a traditionally complex and bureaucratic industry more user-friendly.
Solving problems in healthcare involves navigating a landscape filled with regulations, legacy systems, and diverse stakeholders. The satisfaction, however, comes from knowing that the products and solutions I contribute to have the potential to improve patient outcomes, streamline processes, and bring much-needed innovation to a dinosaur industry.
Tips for the Trailblazers
For those eyeing a similar switch, here are some down-to-earth tips:
- Speak Business, Not Geek: Product management is about more than code. Wrap your head around the business side of things — know your market, understand what users want, and how your product fits into the big picture.
- Users Rule, Technical Jargon Drools: Shift your focus from the techy stuff to the people using your product. Keep it real, keep it user-centric.
- Stay Curious, Stay Sharp: The tech world is a wild ride, and things change. A lot. Keep learning, stay curious, and never let your skills get rusty.
- Feedback is Your BFF: Whether it’s from users, your crew, or your grandma — feedback is gold. It’s the secret sauce for tweaking and perfecting your product.
Conclusion: Code, Users, Action!
Switching from SWE to a product has been a wild ride. From banking to e-commerce and now diving into the healthcare labyrinth, it’s been a journey of turning ideas into stuff that actually matters.
If you’re itching to trade your code for a decision-maker hat and ride the product management wave, just remember — it’s not about big words like “innovation.” It’s about doing cool stuff that makes a difference for real people. Get out there, speak the language, and make things happen!