Why is that? I worked with exactly one good product manager in the last 5 years, and she used to be a manufacturing engineer. I think the reason is a lack of respect for the product they're developing (or maybe just the coders making it).
I work for one of Zynga's competitors. We have the same culture of product managers running the show. None of them understand how software development works or how to get the best work out of their engineers. Maybe I just need to realize that building the actual product is only 5% of running a business. But I'm having a real hard time believing that.
I used to believe "that building the actual product is only 5% of running a business". Because if you don't have good sales people the product won't get sold. If you don't have good managers, resources will be wasted. If you don't have a good HR dept, good employees will be lost.
But I think the product has to be good. You need it all, but a software company needs its product to be good. Doesn't have to be the best or even great but at least good. Pulling a number out of my *ss I'd say the product is about 75% of running a business.
As for the culture of product managers, we have the same. And I loathe them.
I work for one of Zynga's competitors. We have the same culture of product managers running the show. None of them understand how software development works or how to get the best work out of their engineers. Maybe I just need to realize that building the actual product is only 5% of running a business. But I'm having a real hard time believing that.