A rambling of product development.

When I had hardly finished my graduate project at the university, I decided that I would never do fashion design anymore. I realised my rational mind couldn’t make any innovation or creation while it kept judging the plan was not wearable or easy to sell in the massive market.

I found some fashion journalist and marketing specialist jobs related to the fashion industry, so I don’t have to torture myself to be a creative person. And I can keep my likes to see pretty clothing, observe fashion trends, analyse consumer behaviours, and research market changes.

Furthermore, when I become a product developer, I find that it is a role which needs clearer thinking and an overall view of many things. The most important is not to create a fancy and brand-new product but to show the evidence that the products can reach the right market with fair costs and make profits. So it is not just about creativity anymore but more about information research and data analysis. 

I read an interview with Anya Cheng, the co-founder of the menswear rental platform Taelor, talking about her experience being a product manager. Here are five characteristics she mentioned in this role to set up the goal of launching a product. 

1. An observer to see the real needs of the consumers to solve their problems and pain points. Also, to see the trends of the market and analyse the competitors.
2. A strategist to leverage the company’s advantages to bring the most success. 
3. An accountant to make sure the profit from the products and take charge of it.
4. A presenter to keep delivering the demand from users.
5. A negotiator to work across different departments to convince the potential of the products.

[Link: Why PM is the role to step into CEO. The suggestion from a former product manager from Facebook and eBay( The article in Mandarin).]

These five characters are so close to my product manager experience. Before making a new collection proposal, I always have to do an overview of research on the economy, fashion, people, etc. Not just seeing the fancy garments in the market but also digging for clues to predict and prove the new idea of product development can work. Then I have to negotiate and convince the designers to follow my instructions to design new products rather than insisting on what they prefer. I also make a product marketing plan for the marketer’s reference. 

Furthermore, the most important and challenging thing for everyone who thinks fashion is just about wearing pretty clothing is calculating. From the beginning of product development, I have to calculate the costs and margin for every garment. Then after the product’s launching, I have to calculate the sell-through, profits, and other data to ensure the next season’s improvement. 

Honesty is a role I sometimes feel pressured to take too much responsibility for and frustrated when I spend a few hours struggling with spreadsheets and formulations. But when I finish every project, I still feel satisfied and proud of all my hard work and concentration.