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The role of the Product Manager in the data age

The Data Product Manager leads the creation, development and management of data-driven products. They play a strategic role in ensuring alignment between business objectives, data quality and user adoption. By coordinating technical and business teams, he or she contributes to the innovation and transformation of organisations by guiding them towards efficient, responsible and sustainable use of their data resources.

A role at the intersection of data, technology and business

The Data Product Manager is a hybrid function, stretching between traditional product management and data science. Unlike traditional Product Managers, who often focus on user experience and marketing, the DPM focuses on the ability to transform data into scalable and usable products, be they data warehouses, pipelines, dashboards or machine learning models. It understands and anticipates business needs, translating insights into concrete, innovative solutions.

Designing and managing end-to-end data products

The Data Product Manager first identifies the business issues to be resolved: customer retention or marketing performance, for example. On this basis, they define a vision, a target usage, success metrics and draw up a prioritised roadmap. He formalises the requirements using user stories, flow diagrams or technical specifications, facilitating the work of the data and tech teams. They then supervise the entire cycle, from design to operation, ensuring that the tool meets its functional, technical and regulatory objectives.

Ensure data quality and governance

A Data Product Manager must guarantee that his product is based on reliable and compliant data. He or she defines quality standards, monitors the integrity, consistency, freshness and security of data flows, and establishes governance rules - permissions, confidentiality, compliance with regulations such as the RGPD . This rigour is essential to reinforce the trust and reusability of data between teams.

Coordinating and uniting teams

On a day-to-day basis, the Data Product Manager acts as a link between the data teams (engineers, scientists), the business teams and internal and external stakeholders. He/she leads discussions, prioritises efforts and limits the risks of misunderstandings or excessive concentration on certain tickets to the detriment of strategic objectives. Thanks to its cross-functional positioning, it promotes agility and the adoption and ownership of products by users.

Measure, iterate and adopt a data-driven culture

The Data Product Manager's mission does not end with the launch of a product: he or she monitors its performance via relevant KPIs (usage rates, errors, SLAs, business impact), diagnoses friction points, collects user feedback and initiates improvements. These iterations ensure not only that the product remains relevant, but also that it promotes adoption and enables the company to take full advantage of its data assets.

The Data Product Manager is a key player at the intersection of data, technology and business. By defining the vision, guaranteeing quality and adoption, and managing data products throughout their lifecycle, they transform data flows into useful, reliable and strategic interfaces. His or her role is essential in establishing a data-driven culture, optimising innovation and meeting the challenges of performance and compliance. In the age of data, investing in this position means ensuring that data becomes a real driver of value.

At the School of Data, we train future Data Product Managers to manage strategic data products, from conception to adoption.
Find out how our training has transformed the career of one of our alumni by looking at his testimony.