My Product Management Journey: Crafting My First Product Spec
For those that do not know me, hi, my name is Jared and I am an aspiring product manager! After gaining invaluable experience as a cloud engineer at Oracle, my professional curiosity led me to discover the exciting realm of product management. Intrigued by the possibilities this career path offered, I decided to delve deeper. Over the past 8 weeks, I had the privilege of participating in Out Tech U’s mentorship program, an immersive experience that allowed me to put on the hat of a product manager and delve into the intricacies of the role by undertaking a project. You can read more about Out in Tech’s mentorship program here.
During this period, I conceptualized and crafted EveryFit, an innovative fashion app that revolves around captivating virtual try-on experiences. The pinnacle of this project was the creation of a comprehensive product specification document, meticulously outlining EveryFit’s various components. Within this document, I expounded upon key elements such as the project summary, business case, user personas, user stories, and functional specifications, ensuring a holistic representation of EveryFit’s vision.
In this blog post, I aim to share my insights acquired throughout this journey. I will delve into the different facets of the product specification, discussing what resonated with me, the challenges I encountered, and the areas where I found natural proficiency.
EveryFit: An Outfit for EveryBody
Have you ever tried to buy clothes online? If you have, you know that it can be a frustrating experience. You can’t try on the clothes before you buy them, and you often end up with clothes that don’t fit or look good on you. This is where EveryFit comes in. EveryFit is a virtual try-on app that allows you to try on clothes before you buy them. With EveryFit, you can be sure that you’re getting the perfect fit and look.
1. Summary
The product spec begins with a summary that captures the essence of EveryFit. It highlights the app’s goals, unique features, and commitment to inclusivity. Personally, I found this section to be a captivating exercise as it allowed me to articulate the app’s purpose concisely. By emphasizing EveryFit’s ability to provide a personalized virtual try-on experience, empowering users to make informed fashion decisions, the summary sets the stage for the rest of the product spec.
2. Business Case
The business case section of the product spec delves into the value proposition of EveryFit and its revenue generation strategies. Developing this section required a deep understanding of the market and the target audience. Explaining how EveryFit aimed to enhance the shopping experience by offering a convenient and customizable virtual try-on tool was both challenging and exciting. The monetization strategy, which involved advertising and branding partnerships, ensured the app’s long-term sustainability. This section helped solidify the app’s business viability and strategic direction.
3. User Personas
User personas play a vital role in product development, and creating them was a fascinating endeavor. In the product spec, I introduced three distinct personas: the “Style Clueless Gent,” the “Body Positive Shopper,” and the “Casual Trendsetter.” These personas represented different user types and provided valuable insights into their goals, needs, and fears. Understanding the target audience at a deeper level allowed me to design EveryFit with empathy, ensuring the app catered to the unique requirements of each persona.
4. User Stories
Crafting user stories brought the user experience to life within the product spec. By detailing various scenarios, such as uploading photos, trying on clothing items, and making purchasing decisions, the user stories illustrated how users would interact with EveryFit. These stories served as a foundation for designing the app’s user interface and flow, allowing me to envision the app from the user’s perspective. While writing user stories required attention to detail, it was also an enjoyable process of envisioning the app’s potential.
5. Functional Specs
The functional specs section defined specific functionalities and behaviors of the EveryFit app. It outlined two key components: the Chrome extension and TikTok filter integration. Describing the features of the Chrome extension, which enabled users to upload photos, try on outfits, and make purchase decisions or save images, was relatively straightforward. The integration of the TikTok filter, allowing users to try on virtual clothing items in videos or photos, was an exciting challenge. It required careful consideration of user experience and technical feasibility, but it ultimately enhanced the app’s content creation capabilities.
Conclusion
Creating a product spec from scratch for EveryFit has been an enlightening milestone in my product management journey. From defining the app’s value proposition to crafting user stories and functional specifications, each step presented unique challenges and opportunities. By addressing diverse user needs and leveraging innovative technologies like the TikTok filter, EveryFit aims to revolutionize the virtual try-on experience. With the product spec in place, EveryFit is well-equipped to make a significant impact in the fashion industry, prioritizing inclusivity and delivering a seamless shopping experience for all. This experience has deepened my understanding of product management and fueled my passion for innovation.
If you want to read the full product spec, you can check it out here.
I look forward to taking the next step to build this app out and gather user feedback so that it can start adding value to people’s lives. I hope you enjoyed reading this blog post. If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below.
