Should a PM Need to Code? A Debate for Product Managers

A few days ago, I came across an interesting discussion by Irene Yu on LinkedIn. She asked whether a product manager (PM) should learn how to code or not. The responses were varied and passionate, with some arguing that coding is essential for PMs, while others claiming that it is irrelevant or even harmful.

Personally, I think it really depends on the context. Learning to code might be redundant for PMs when working with development teams, but it certainly helps when:

You want to stand out to the recruiters when looking for work.
You want to get your CV past the screening, especially when big corps rely heavily on AI screener.
You want to transition to a more technical role to prepare for the upcoming recession. After Covid, companies are trying to cut costs, and from my experience with several companies here in Australia, PMs are highly likely to be laid off with a lean setup for development teams that will work directly with stakeholders.
You are a technical PM and you act as the lead for the development team, especially for startups when they expect PMs to wear many hats, closer to being full-stack.

But what do other experts and practitioners say about this topic? In this blog post, I will explore some of the arguments for and against coding for PMs, and share some tips on how to decide whether you should learn how to code or not.

Why PMs Should Code

Some of the reasons why PMs should code are:

Coding helps PMs communicate better with developers. By understanding the technical aspects of the product, PMs can speak the same language as developers, avoid misunderstandings, and provide clear and realistic requirements. Coding also helps PMs empathize with developers and appreciate their challenges and constraints.
Coding helps PMs validate ideas faster. By being able to create prototypes or mockups by themselves, PMs can test their assumptions and hypotheses quickly and cheaply, without relying on developers or external tools. Coding also helps PMs experiment with different solutions and iterate on feedback more easily.
Coding helps PMs analyze data better. By being able to query and manipulate data using SQL or other programming languages, PMs can gain insights and make data-driven decisions regarding the product. Coding also helps PMs automate tasks and reports that would otherwise take a lot of time and effort.
Coding helps PMs expand their skillset and career opportunities. By learning how to code, PMs can demonstrate their curiosity and willingness to learn new things, which are valuable traits for any product professional. Coding also helps PMs diversify their portfolio and open up new possibilities for career growth or transition.

Why PMs Should Not Code

Some of the reasons why PMs should not code are:

Coding distracts PMs from their core responsibilities. By spending time and energy on coding, PMs might neglect their primary work of listening and understanding the market, defining the product strategy and vision, and communicating with stakeholders. Coding might also create conflicts of interest or bias between PMs and developers.
Coding creates unrealistic expectations for PMs. By knowing how to code, PMs might be expected to do more than they should or can handle, such as fixing bugs, writing documentation, or reviewing code. Coding might also raise the bar for hiring or evaluating PMs based on their technical skills rather than their product skills.
Coding reduces collaboration between PMs and developers. By being able to code by themselves, PMs might isolate themselves from developers or undermine their expertise and authority. Coding might also create silos or dependencies between PMs and developers that could harm the product quality or delivery.
Coding limits creativity and innovation for PMs. By focusing on how things are done rather than why they are done, PMs might lose sight of the bigger picture or the user needs. Coding might also constrain PMs to existing solutions or technologies rather than exploring new possibilities or alternatives.

How to Decide Whether to Code or Not

As you can see, there are pros and cons for both sides of the debate. So how can you decide whether you should learn how to code or not as a PM?

Here are some questions that might help you make up your mind:

What is your current level of technical knowledge and skill? If you have zero or very little technical background, learning how to code might be a steep and long learning curve that might not be worth the effort. If you already have some technical experience or education, learning how to code might be easier and more beneficial for you.
What is your current role and context? If you are working on a highly technical product or with a highly technical team, learning how to code might be more relevant and useful for you. If you are working on a less technical product or with a less technical team, learning how to code might be less important or helpful for you.
What are your goals and motivations? If you want to learn how to code for personal or professional reasons, such as curiosity, passion, or career advancement, learning how to code might be more rewarding and satisfying for you. If you feel pressured or obligated to learn how to code by external factors, such as market demand, peer pressure, or employer expectation, learning how to code might be more stressful and frustrating for you.

Conclusion

Should a PM need to code? There is no definitive answer to this question, as it depends on various factors and circumstances. Learning how to code can have many advantages for PMs, such as improving communication, validation, analysis, and skillset. However, learning how to code can also have many disadvantages for PMs, such as distracting from core responsibilities, creating unrealistic expectations, reducing collaboration, and limiting creativity.

Ultimately, the decision is up to you. You should weigh the pros and cons of coding for PMs based on your own situation and goals. You should also consider the opportunity cost of learning how to code versus learning other skills that might be more valuable or relevant for your product career.

A few days ago, I came across an interesting discussion by Irene Yu on LinkedIn. She asked whether a product manager (PM) should learn how to code or not. The responses were varied and passionate, with some arguing that coding is essential for PMs, while others claiming that it is irrelevant or even harmful.

Personally, I think it really depends on the context. Learning to code might be redundant for PMs when working with development teams, but it certainly helps when:

You want to stand out to the recruiters when looking for work.
You want to get your CV past the screening, especially when big corps rely heavily on AI screener.
You want to transition to a more technical role to prepare for the upcoming recession. After Covid, companies are trying to cut costs, and from my experience with several companies here in Australia, PMs are highly likely to be laid off with a lean setup for development teams that will work directly with stakeholders.
You are a technical PM and you act as the lead for the development team, especially for startups when they expect PMs to wear many hats, closer to being full-stack.

But what do other experts and practitioners say about this topic? In this blog post, I will explore some of the arguments for and against coding for PMs, and share some tips on how to decide whether you should learn how to code or not.

Why PMs Should Code

Some of the reasons why PMs should code are:

Coding helps PMs communicate better with developers. By understanding the technical aspects of the product, PMs can speak the same language as developers, avoid misunderstandings, and provide clear and realistic requirements. Coding also helps PMs empathize with developers and appreciate their challenges and constraints.
Coding helps PMs validate ideas faster. By being able to create prototypes or mockups by themselves, PMs can test their assumptions and hypotheses quickly and cheaply, without relying on developers or external tools. Coding also helps PMs experiment with different solutions and iterate on feedback more easily.
Coding helps PMs analyze data better. By being able to query and manipulate data using SQL or other programming languages, PMs can gain insights and make data-driven decisions regarding the product. Coding also helps PMs automate tasks and reports that would otherwise take a lot of time and effort.
Coding helps PMs expand their skillset and career opportunities. By learning how to code, PMs can demonstrate their curiosity and willingness to learn new things, which are valuable traits for any product professional. Coding also helps PMs diversify their portfolio and open up new possibilities for career growth or transition.

Why PMs Should Not Code

Some of the reasons why PMs should not code are:

Coding distracts PMs from their core responsibilities. By spending time and energy on coding, PMs might neglect their primary work of listening and understanding the market, defining the product strategy and vision, and communicating with stakeholders. Coding might also create conflicts of interest or bias between PMs and developers.
Coding creates unrealistic expectations for PMs. By knowing how to code, PMs might be expected to do more than they should or can handle, such as fixing bugs, writing documentation, or reviewing code. Coding might also raise the bar for hiring or evaluating PMs based on their technical skills rather than their product skills.
Coding reduces collaboration between PMs and developers. By being able to code by themselves, PMs might isolate themselves from developers or undermine their expertise and authority. Coding might also create silos or dependencies between PMs and developers that could harm the product quality or delivery.
Coding limits creativity and innovation for PMs. By focusing on how things are done rather than why they are done, PMs might lose sight of the bigger picture or the user needs. Coding might also constrain PMs to existing solutions or technologies rather than exploring new possibilities or alternatives.

How to Decide Whether to Code or Not

As you can see, there are pros and cons for both sides of the debate. So how can you decide whether you should learn how to code or not as a PM?

Here are some questions that might help you make up your mind:

What is your current level of technical knowledge and skill? If you have zero or very little technical background, learning how to code might be a steep and long learning curve that might not be worth the effort. If you already have some technical experience or education, learning how to code might be easier and more beneficial for you.
What is your current role and context? If you are working on a highly technical product or with a highly technical team, learning how to code might be more relevant and useful for you. If you are working on a less technical product or with a less technical team, learning how to code might be less important or helpful for you.
What are your goals and motivations? If you want to learn how to code for personal or professional reasons, such as curiosity, passion, or career advancement, learning how to code might be more rewarding and satisfying for you. If you feel pressured or obligated to learn how to code by external factors, such as market demand, peer pressure, or employer expectation, learning how to code might be more stressful and frustrating for you.

Conclusion

Should a PM need to code? There is no definitive answer to this question, as it depends on various factors and circumstances. Learning how to code can have many advantages for PMs, such as improving communication, validation, analysis, and skillset. However, learning how to code can also have many disadvantages for PMs, such as distracting from core responsibilities, creating unrealistic expectations, reducing collaboration, and limiting creativity.

Ultimately, the decision is up to you. You should weigh the pros and cons of coding for PMs based on your own situation and goals. You should also consider the opportunity cost of learning how to code versus learning other skills that might be more valuable or relevant for your product career.

A few days ago, I came across an interesting discussion by Irene Yu on LinkedIn. She asked whether a product manager (PM) should learn how to code or not. The responses were varied and passionate, with some arguing that coding is essential for PMs, while others claiming that it is irrelevant or even harmful.

Personally, I think it really depends on the context. Learning to code might be redundant for PMs when working with development teams, but it certainly helps when:

You want to stand out to the recruiters when looking for work.
You want to get your CV past the screening, especially when big corps rely heavily on AI screener.
You want to transition to a more technical role to prepare for the upcoming recession. After Covid, companies are trying to cut costs, and from my experience with several companies here in Australia, PMs are highly likely to be laid off with a lean setup for development teams that will work directly with stakeholders.
You are a technical PM and you act as the lead for the development team, especially for startups when they expect PMs to wear many hats, closer to being full-stack.

But what do other experts and practitioners say about this topic? In this blog post, I will explore some of the arguments for and against coding for PMs, and share some tips on how to decide whether you should learn how to code or not.

Why PMs Should Code

Some of the reasons why PMs should code are:

Coding helps PMs communicate better with developers. By understanding the technical aspects of the product, PMs can speak the same language as developers, avoid misunderstandings, and provide clear and realistic requirements. Coding also helps PMs empathize with developers and appreciate their challenges and constraints.
Coding helps PMs validate ideas faster. By being able to create prototypes or mockups by themselves, PMs can test their assumptions and hypotheses quickly and cheaply, without relying on developers or external tools. Coding also helps PMs experiment with different solutions and iterate on feedback more easily.
Coding helps PMs analyze data better. By being able to query and manipulate data using SQL or other programming languages, PMs can gain insights and make data-driven decisions regarding the product. Coding also helps PMs automate tasks and reports that would otherwise take a lot of time and effort.
Coding helps PMs expand their skillset and career opportunities. By learning how to code, PMs can demonstrate their curiosity and willingness to learn new things, which are valuable traits for any product professional. Coding also helps PMs diversify their portfolio and open up new possibilities for career growth or transition.

Why PMs Should Not Code

Some of the reasons why PMs should not code are:

Coding distracts PMs from their core responsibilities. By spending time and energy on coding, PMs might neglect their primary work of listening and understanding the market, defining the product strategy and vision, and communicating with stakeholders. Coding might also create conflicts of interest or bias between PMs and developers.
Coding creates unrealistic expectations for PMs. By knowing how to code, PMs might be expected to do more than they should or can handle, such as fixing bugs, writing documentation, or reviewing code. Coding might also raise the bar for hiring or evaluating PMs based on their technical skills rather than their product skills.
Coding reduces collaboration between PMs and developers. By being able to code by themselves, PMs might isolate themselves from developers or undermine their expertise and authority. Coding might also create silos or dependencies between PMs and developers that could harm the product quality or delivery.
Coding limits creativity and innovation for PMs. By focusing on how things are done rather than why they are done, PMs might lose sight of the bigger picture or the user needs. Coding might also constrain PMs to existing solutions or technologies rather than exploring new possibilities or alternatives.

How to Decide Whether to Code or Not

As you can see, there are pros and cons for both sides of the debate. So how can you decide whether you should learn how to code or not as a PM?

Here are some questions that might help you make up your mind:

What is your current level of technical knowledge and skill? If you have zero or very little technical background, learning how to code might be a steep and long learning curve that might not be worth the effort. If you already have some technical experience or education, learning how to code might be easier and more beneficial for you.
What is your current role and context? If you are working on a highly technical product or with a highly technical team, learning how to code might be more relevant and useful for you. If you are working on a less technical product or with a less technical team, learning how to code might be less important or helpful for you.
What are your goals and motivations? If you want to learn how to code for personal or professional reasons, such as curiosity, passion, or career advancement, learning how to code might be more rewarding and satisfying for you. If you feel pressured or obligated to learn how to code by external factors, such as market demand, peer pressure, or employer expectation, learning how to code might be more stressful and frustrating for you.

Conclusion

Should a PM need to code? There is no definitive answer to this question, as it depends on various factors and circumstances. Learning how to code can have many advantages for PMs, such as improving communication, validation, analysis, and skillset. However, learning how to code can also have many disadvantages for PMs, such as distracting from core responsibilities, creating unrealistic expectations, reducing collaboration, and limiting creativity.

Ultimately, the decision is up to you. You should weigh the pros and cons of coding for PMs based on your own situation and goals. You should also consider the opportunity cost of learning how to code versus learning other skills that might be more valuable or relevant for your product career.