What does an edtech product manager do?

What is an EdTech Product Manager?

An EdTech product manager oversees the development, implementation, and improvement of educational technology products and solutions. They work at the intersection of education, technology, and business, collaborating with cross-functional teams to define product vision, strategy, and roadmap.

EdTech product managers conduct market research and needs assessments to identify opportunities and challenges in the education sector, gathering feedback from educators, administrators, students, and other stakeholders to inform product development priorities and decisions. They define product requirements, features, and specifications, working closely with designers, engineers, and content creators to bring innovative educational technology solutions to market that address the evolving needs of learners and educators.

What does an EdTech Product Manager do?

Duties and Responsibilities
The duties and responsibilities of an EdTech product manager can vary depending on the specific organization, product, and stage of development. However, some common responsibilities of an EdTech product manager include:

• Product Strategy and Roadmap: Developing and communicating the product vision, strategy, and roadmap for educational technology products and solutions. This involves conducting market research, analyzing industry trends, and gathering feedback from stakeholders to prioritize features and enhancements that align with the needs of educators, learners, and administrators.
• Requirements Gathering and Definition: Collaborating with stakeholders, including educators, administrators, subject matter experts, and engineers, to define product requirements, features, and specifications. This includes conducting needs assessments, gathering user feedback, and translating requirements into actionable product plans.
• Product Development and Execution: Overseeing the end-to-end product development lifecycle, from ideation and design to development, testing, and release. EdTech product managers work closely with cross-functional teams, including designers, engineers, content creators, and quality assurance testers, to ensure that products are delivered on time, within budget, and meet quality standards.
• User Experience (UX) and Design: Championing the user experience and design of educational technology products, ensuring that they are intuitive, accessible, and engaging for educators and learners. This involves collaborating with UX designers and conducting usability testing to gather feedback and iterate on product designs.
• Go-to-Market Strategy: Developing and executing go-to-market strategies to launch and promote educational technology products. This includes developing pricing models, marketing plans, sales collateral, and training materials to support product adoption and usage among target audiences.
• Product Performance and Optimization: Monitoring product performance and user engagement metrics, analyzing data to identify trends, patterns, and opportunities for optimization. EdTech product managers iterate on products based on user feedback and market insights, continuously improving features, functionality, and user experience to drive adoption and retention.
• Engagement and Communication: Building and maintaining relationships with customers, partners, and internal teams. EdTech product managers communicate product updates, roadmap plans, and performance metrics to stakeholders, gather feedback, and address concerns to ensure alignment and support for product goals and initiatives.
• Industry Research and Thought Leadership: Staying informed about emerging trends and technologies in education and technology. EdTech product managers participate in industry events, conferences, and forums, contribute to thought leadership initiatives, and share insights and best practices to drive innovation and thought leadership in the EdTech sector.

Types of EdTech Product Managers
EdTech product managers can specialize in various areas based on their expertise, background, and the specific needs of their organization or product. Here are some common types of EdTech product managers:

• Assessment and Analytics Product Manager: These product managers specialize in creating educational technology products and solutions for assessment, data analytics, and learning analytics. They develop products that support formative and summative assessment practices, provide insights into student learning outcomes, and enable data-driven decision-making in education.
• Content Creation and Publishing Product Manager: These product managers specialize in creating educational content and digital publishing solutions for educational technology platforms. They work to develop high-quality, interactive educational content that aligns with curriculum standards and supports teaching and learning objectives across subject areas and grade levels.
• Corporate Learning Product Manager: These product managers focus on developing educational technology solutions for corporate training and professional development. They understand the needs of corporate learners and organizations, and work to create products that support employee learning, skill development, and performance improvement in the workplace.
• Higher Education Product Manager: Higher education product managers specialize in creating educational technology products and solutions for colleges, universities, and other post-secondary institutions. They are familiar with the needs of higher education stakeholders, including faculty, administrators, and students, and develop products that support teaching, learning, and institutional goals in the higher education sector.
• K-12 Education Product Manager: These product managers focus on developing educational technology solutions specifically tailored to the K-12 education market. They understand the unique needs and challenges of K-12 schools, districts, and educators, and work to create products that address curriculum standards, student engagement, and teacher effectiveness in the K-12 classroom.
• Language Learning Product Manager: Language learning product managers specialize in creating educational technology products and solutions for language acquisition and proficiency. They develop products that support language learning goals for individuals, schools, language institutes, and corporate training programs.
• Special Education Product Manager: Special education product managers focus on developing educational technology solutions for students with special needs and disabilities. They understand the unique learning challenges and requirements of special education settings, and work to create inclusive products that support the diverse needs of students with disabilities.
• STEM Education Product Manager: STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education product managers focus on developing educational technology solutions that support STEM learning and instruction. They develop products that engage students in hands-on, inquiry-based learning experiences, and promote critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity in STEM disciplines.

What is the workplace of an EdTech Product Manager like?

EdTech product managers typically work in office environments, either at the headquarters of their organization or in satellite offices dedicated to product development and management. These offices are often equipped with modern amenities and collaborative spaces, fostering creativity, teamwork, and innovation among cross-functional teams.

In addition to office-based work, EdTech product managers may also spend time visiting client sites, attending industry events, and collaborating with external stakeholders such as educators, administrators, and technology partners. Visiting schools, colleges, and other educational institutions allows product managers to gain firsthand insights into the needs and challenges of end-users, gather feedback on product features and usability, and build relationships with customers to drive product adoption and success.

Furthermore, with the increasing adoption of remote work and distributed teams, many EdTech product managers have the flexibility to work remotely, collaborating with colleagues and stakeholders virtually using communication and collaboration tools such as email, video conferencing, and project management platforms. This flexibility enables product managers to work from home, co-working spaces, or other locations that suit their needs and preferences while maintaining productivity and connectivity with their team.