What Software Do Product Managers Use?

If you’re interested in launching a new career as a Product Manager, then you’re probably wondering what software you’ll need to learn. There will be some variations, especially based on which industry you work. This article will share more information about which software programs are most required for Product Managers. 

What is a Product Manager?

A Product Manager manages a specific product, including physical products, software programs, and other digital products. Product Managers are often called the “CEO of a product,” and manage its design, development, and appeal to customers. 

Product Managers need a strong combination of business skills, design skills, and tech skills. 

Because Product Managers oversee all the parts of a product, they are required to have three core skill sets: coding, user-driven design, and project management. Product Managers often work with development teams, marketing teams, design teams, stakeholders, and users to ensure the success of a product. 

Product Managers provide the “what” and “why” behind a business’s products, using research and user-driven design principles. 

What Software Do Product Managers Use?

Product management combines coding, design, and project management. You’ll also need excellent skills in data analysis to make good product decisions and soft skills to lead and effectively communicate with teams. Product Managers must combine a lot of different skills since they’re managing the product from every angle. 

Microsoft Office: Excel and PowerPoint 

The most commonly requested skill for entry-level Product Managers is Microsoft Office proficiency. This iconic productivity suite is the most popular software in the world and is installed on around 1 billion devices worldwide. 

Product Managers will need excellent Microsoft Office skills for creating documents, reports, presentations, and performing data analysis. The two most important applications in Office for a Product Manager are Excel and PowerPoint. Excel can be used for tracking and analysis, and PowerPoint is used for presentations about the product. 

Design: Figma and Sketch

If you’re planning to launch a new career as a Product Manager, then you’ll need to know user experience (UX) design and the software programs used for it. Figma is a popular, modern design app specifically designed for user interfaces and experiences. Figma allows you to create the visuals and then develop them into a prototype.

Sketch is another popular design software used for user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) design. Sketch allows you to reuse design elements and automatically syncs across devices. 

Data: Python and SQL

Product Managers must make a lot of decisions, and smart ones use data to do it. Much of product management is already driven by data. You can expect that data’s importance to product management will only increase over the coming decade. It is recommended that you get a head start by training in data analysis, Python, and SQL.

How to Learn Product Management Software

If you’ve decided that you want to launch a new career as a Product Manager, your next decision will be which training format to choose: on-demand or live instruction. Live classes, whether online or in-person, are the best format for someone who is serious about a new career in product management. 

Live classes offer real-time interaction with your instructor and classmates. This leads to greater engagement and increased mentorship opportunities. You’re also guaranteed to receive the most up-to-date information in a structured environment designed to guarantee you learn the skills for your new career. You can use Noble Desktop’s Classes Near Me Tool to find product management classes with a live instructor. 

On-demand courses are self-paced courses that students can take online, most commonly in the form of pre-recorded video lessons. Some on-demand product management courses are delivered directly into your inbox using email lessons. Many on-demand courses are free, which can make them more appealing. However, while on-demand courses are an excellent way to explore an interest or learn the basics, if you’re serious about a career in product management you’ll want to pursue more structured training. 

Other Skills Needed to Become a Product Manager

One of the reasons that Product Managers exist is that technical skills don’t always make someone a good communicator or leader. To become a Product Manager, you’ll need to be both. You’ll need to lead the various teams building the product to success, which requires a lot of effective communication. 

Learn the Skills to Become a Product Manager at Noble Desktop

Noble Desktop offers business, design, and coding classes live online and in-person classes at their state-of-the-art campus in Midtown Manhattan. Training at Noble Desktop offers aspiring Product Managers a huge head start since they specialize in the three core job skills: coding, user-driven design, and project management. 

All of Noble Desktop’s courses are taught by expert instructors, have guaranteed small class sizes, and feature a “free retake” option, meaning you can “retake” any course for free for up to one year to continue developing your skills. Noble Desktop uses a unique approach to career training: their expert instructors teach a “micro-lecture” and then immediately guide students through applying what they’ve learned through real-world, hands-on projects. This unique approach guarantees that you’ll learn the skills you need to launch a new career as a Product Manager. 

Hiring managers report that certificates and certifications move a resume to the top of the pile. Noble Desktop offers certificate programs in the three core skill sets: software engineering, user-driven design (UX), and project management. Earning certificates in these core skill sets can help you launch a new career as a Product Manager. 

Noble Desktop’s Software Engineering Certificate provides the technical experience needed by a Product Manager. This certificate program is divided into two parts: front end development (what you see) and back end development (how it works). In the first part, expert instructors guide students through coding in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. In the second part, expert instructors guide students through the fundamentals of coding in Python, Django, and querying with SQL. Professional Product Managers often recommend learning SQL as an additional skill. This certificate program will give you a head start. Graduates earn a New York State Licensed Certificate in Software Engineering, which is shareable on LinkedIn. 

Product Managers are advocates for the user: they know how to use research and data to make sure the product meets the user’s needs. To do this, you’ll need skills in user experience (UX) design. Noble Desktop’s UX & UI Design Certificate provides comprehensive training in user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) design. Students are guided through hands-on, real-world projects to learn user-driven design principles, user research, product prototype building, creating product case studies, and visual designs. This certificate program also trains students in using Figma and Sketch for design and prototyping. Graduates earn a New York State Licensed Certificate in UX & UI design, which is verifiable and shareable on Linkedin. 

Project management is a very hot career path on its own and one of the core skill sets of becoming a Product Manager. You might think of a Product Manager as handling the “what” and “why” and project management as handling the “how” and “when.” Noble Desktop’s Project Management Bootcamp project management courses are taught by PMP-certified Project Managers. Students are guided through real-world projects to develop skills in the Project Life Cycle, project management terminology, project selection and scheduling, resource management, risk management, and Agile Frameworks.