Three principles every product manager must master
I've been building products for over 15 years, working with all kinds of PMs - some exceptional, some struggling, and many in between. I've learned from veterans, mentored new PMs, and, most importantly, observed what actually works in the messy reality of shipping products.
These three principles separate great PMs from the rest:
1. Shortest Time to Highest Impact
Many PMs overthink what the first version should be - whether it's an MVP, a proof of concept, or phase one. Scope creep sneaks in, timelines stretch, and by the time something launches, the market has changed.
A great PM asks: What is the smallest thing we can build that creates the biggest impact?
The goal isn't just speed - it's about getting real user feedback as early as possible. The first version is not about completeness. It's about learning fast.
2. High-Density Information; No Fluff
PRDs (Product Requirement Documents) are crucial, but too many turn into long-winded manifestos. A great PRD should be:
Concise but clear — if it takes 10 pages to explain, you probably don't understand it well enough.
Readable — aim for a Flesch reading score above 80. If an engineer, designer, or stakeholder struggles to get the core idea quickly, the document has failed.
Focused on reality — no flowery language, no corporate jargon. Just say what needs to be said.
A PM's job is not to write a novel—it's to ensure alignment and execution.
3. Simplify Complex Realities
The world is messy, and product development is no different. Every user need, technical constraint, and business goal adds complexity. But great PMs don't just describe complexity—they simplify it.
Simplicity doesn't mean dumbing things down. It means:
- Creating clear mental models that engineers and designers can act on
- Defining trade-offs explicitly so teams can make better decisions
- Focusing on what moves the needle instead of getting lost in edge cases
If you can explain your product decisions to a non-technical friend in few sentences, you're doing it right.
Closing Thought
The best PMs don't just manage features; they shape how teams think and execute. Mastering these three principles - fastest path to impact, high-density communication, and simplifying complexity — will set you apart in any product team.