It seems that every few months there are a bunch of shiny new tools to help us build products, design stuff or manage projects or teams. What’s your go-to stack for product management / development? Over the past few years remote work has been thrust to the fore. These tools need to be more powerful than ever to help us manage the advantages AND shortcomings of remote work.
1. Jira
Love it or loathe it, Jira has long been a staple in the product management toolkit, and in 2024, it continues to be an essential tool. Jira’s robust capabilities for issue tracking, project management, and agile development make it a go-to solution for managing product backlogs and sprints. I’d be interested to see WHY people seem to give it such a hard time. Personally, as a hands-on practitioner, I’ve never had any issues with Jira!
Key Features:
- Customisable Workflows: Adapt Jira to fit your team’s specific processes.
- Roadmapping: Create and manage product roadmaps within Jira to align teams and stakeholders.
- Integration: Seamlessly integrates with other Atlassian products like Confluence and Bitbucket.
Example Use Case: Use Jira to manage your devs’ sprint cycles, track bugs, and maintain a product roadmap, ensuring that all stakeholders are on the same page.
2. Aha!
Aha! has been around for ages and offers comprehensive roadmapping capabilities that allow teams to visualise their product strategies and connect them directly to the execution process.
Key Features:
- Idea Management: Collect and prioritise ideas from customers and team members.
- Strategic Roadmaps: Develop detailed roadmaps that align with business goals.
- Collaboration: Share roadmaps and plans with stakeholders to gather feedback.
Example Use Case: A product manager uses Aha! to create a strategic roadmap that outlines key milestones, features, and timelines, then shares it with the executive team for input and alignment.
3. Miro
Miro has become the go-to tool for remote teams looking to collaborate visually. This online whiteboard platform is ideal for brainstorming sessions, product planning, and user journey mapping. I love Miro – it is also a great example of how to build and iterate products itself – with a fantastic community, ever evolving features and a joy to use.
Key Features:
- Templates: A vast library of templates for product roadmaps, user personas, and journey maps.
- Real-time Collaboration: Teams can work together in real time, no matter where they are located.
- Integrations: Connects with other tools like Jira, Slack, and Asana to streamline workflows.
Example Use Case: A product team uses Miro to conduct a remote workshop, mapping out the customer journey and identifying pain points, which then inform the next sprint cycle. Miro is especially wonderful when used in remote settings.
4. Productboard
Productboard is designed specifically for product managers to prioritise features that matter most to customers. It helps teams understand what users need, align on what to build next, and rally everyone around the roadmap.
Key Features:
- Customer Feedback Management: Consolidate customer insights to inform product decisions.
- Feature Prioritisation: Prioritise features based on customer needs, business goals, and technical feasibility.
- Roadmapping: Visualise your product strategy and share it with stakeholders.
Example Use Case: A product manager uses Productboard to collect and analyse customer feedback from multiple sources, which helps them prioritise features that will have the biggest impact on user satisfaction.
5. Figma
Figma has become the leading tool for design collaboration, allowing product managers to work closely with designers in real time. It’s perfect for wireframing, prototyping, and user testing. I never got on much with Sketch (no idea why) and moving to Figma just felt ‘right’.
Key Features:
- Real-time Collaboration: Multiple team members can work on the same file simultaneously.
- Prototyping: Create interactive prototypes to test ideas quickly.
- Version Control: Keep track of design iterations and changes.
Example Use Case: A product manager collaborates with the design team in Figma to develop a new feature prototype, which is then tested with users before development begins.
6. Monday.com
Monday.com is a versatile project management tool that’s highly customisable, making it a great option for product managers who need to track everything from daily tasks to long-term product strategies. You can pretty much tailor it to any use case.
Key Features:
- Custom Workflows: Create workflows that match your team’s unique processes.
- Task Management: Assign tasks, set deadlines, and track progress.
- Dashboards: Use customisable dashboards to monitor key metrics and project status.
Example Use Case: A product manager uses Monday.com to manage a cross-functional team, keeping track of feature development progress, marketing initiatives, and launch timelines all in one place.
7. Amplitude
Amplitude is essential for product managers who want to dive deep into user behaviour and analytics. It helps teams understand how users interact with their product and identify opportunities for improvement.
Key Features:
- Behavioural Analytics: Track and analyse user actions to understand product usage.
- Cohort Analysis: Segment users based on behaviour to identify trends and patterns.
- Conversion Funnels: Analyse user journeys and identify where users drop off.
Example Use Case: A product manager uses Amplitude to analyse user behaviour after a new feature launch, identifying areas for improvement and informing future development.
8. Slack
Slack might seem like an obvious choice, but its importance in 2024 cannot be overstated. Beyond basic messaging, Slack’s integrations and apps make it a central hub for communication, collaboration, and decision-making in product management. I do know that some people find Slack intrusive and frustrating – there’s no way to easily turn off sometimes. But that’s for another blog post!
Key Features:
- Channels: Organise conversations by project, team, or topic.
- Integrations: Connect with tools like Jira, GitHub, and Google Drive to streamline workflows.
- Bots and Automations: Automate routine tasks and reminders to keep the team on track.
Example Use Case: A product manager sets up a Slack channel dedicated to a new feature development, integrating it with Jira to automatically update the team on task progress and deadlines.
9. Notion
Notion is a powerful all-in-one workspace that product managers can use for everything from documentation to task management. Its flexibility and customisation options make it a favourite among teams that value a unified workspace. Whilst I use Notion daily for both personal and work projects I still feel there could be some more robustness about information architecture constraints and a better way to create some sort of walled garden for your day to day use.
Key Features:
- Wikis and Documentation: Create and maintain product documentation and knowledge bases.
- Databases: Manage tasks, projects, and roadmaps with customisable databases.
- Templates: Use pre-built templates for product management, roadmaps, and more.
Example Use Case: A product manager uses Notion to create a centralised product wiki, where the team can access everything from the latest product roadmap to detailed feature specifications.
10. Trello
Trello remains a popular choice for product managers who prefer a visual, board-based approach to project management. Its simplicity and flexibility make it ideal for managing tasks, sprints, and roadmaps. If you want to keep things super simple use Trello for your start up project!
Key Features:
- Kanban Boards: Organise tasks into columns representing different stages of progress.
- Card Customisation: Add checklists, labels, due dates, and attachments to tasks.
- Power-Ups: Enhance Trello’s functionality with integrations and automation.
Example Use Case: A product manager uses Trello to manage the product backlog, moving tasks through stages from “To Do” to “In Progress” to “Done,” with the team updating their progress in real time.
Emerging Tools to Watch in 2024
The past two years have seen the emergence of several new tools that are rapidly gaining traction among product managers. These tools bring innovative approaches to product management, making them worth considering as part of your toolkit.
11. Dragonboat
Dragonboat is a relatively new tool that focuses on product portfolio management. It allows product managers to align product strategies with business objectives, making it easier to manage multiple products or projects simultaneously.
Key Features:
- Portfolio Roadmapping: Visualise and manage roadmaps across multiple products or projects.
- Resource Allocation: Optimise resource distribution across projects based on priority.
- Outcome Tracking: Measure the impact of product decisions on business outcomes.
Example Use Case: A product manager overseeing multiple product lines uses Dragonboat to align roadmaps and ensure that resources are allocated to projects with the highest strategic impact.
12. Loop
Loop is a user research tool that has quickly become popular for its ability to gather and analyse user feedback effectively. It enables product managers to collect insights directly from users, helping them make more informed decisions.
Key Features:
- Surveys and Feedback: Create and distribute surveys to gather user feedback.
- Usability Testing: Conduct remote usability tests to understand user interactions.
- Insight Analysis: Analyse feedback to uncover trends and user needs.
Example Use Case: A product manager uses Loop to gather feedback on a new feature from early adopters, identifying key areas for improvement before a full rollout.
13. airfocus
airfocus is an emerging prioritisation platform that helps product managers decide what to build next. It integrates with existing tools like Jira and Trello, offering a clear framework for prioritising features based on impact and effort.
Key Features:
- Prioritisation Frameworks: Use built-in prioritisation templates or create your own.
- Custom Scoring: Assign scores to features based on criteria like user value, business value, and development effort.
- Roadmap Visualisation: Easily create and share roadmaps with stakeholders.
Example Use Case: A product manager uses airfocus to prioritise the backlog by scoring each feature, ensuring that the most valuable items are tackled first.