🎄 Advent Day 14: Lviv Insights & Product Manager's Holiday Wishlist

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On the fourteenth day of our Advent calendar, we continue our journey through Ukraine and make a stop in the Lviv Region, where we get a dose of inspiration and useful insights from our Chief Product Officer, Stepan Fedortsiv.

As every team, we at SaaSJet always strive to improve our products for clients while exploring new ideas. 

Stepan's role is pivotal in streamlining processes, ensuring best practices are followed, and fostering cross-functional teams with effective communication.

Initially, this Advent day was going to be about the best tools for product managers, but with the festive season upon us, we decided to create a wishlist for product managers instead (maybe you can fulfill some of these wishes for your PMs).  😉

Product Manager's Wishlist

✅ Developers who say, "That's easy to implement."

✅ Users who actually read the product documentation.

✅ Users who provide actionable feedback.

✅ A feature that doesn't need rework after feedback.

✅ A backlog that stays prioritized for more than a week.

✅ A meeting that could have been an email or a Loom video.

✅ Clear requirements on the first try.

✅ A roadmap everyone actually agrees on.

✅ A release that doesn't get delayed.

✅ Metrics that show exactly what we want to see.

✅ A stakeholder who understands "good enough."

✅ A fully functioning product on the first release. 

Top Tools for Product Managers

While the wishlist is fun, we couldn't resist sharing some indispensable tools for every product manager (you're definitely already using them, but a little reminder never hurts!):

• Jira Product Discovery:  It centralizes idea capture, helps prioritize features, and aligns everyone on the product roadmap. With tools for brainstorming, evaluating impact versus effort, and sprint planning, it simplifies backlog refinement. Plus, it comes with customizable templates for every stage of product development, including strategy, roadmaps, and task tracking.

• Confluence:  It integrates knowledge management into the product development process and provides a collaborative space where teams can easily update and share information.

• Loom: Perfect for asynchronous communication, Loom allows PMs to create short video updates, such as strategy overviews or project status reports, that stakeholders can watch at their convenience. This is especially helpful for teams working across time zones, ensuring everyone stays informed without needing to coordinate online meetings.

• Figma is a must-have for product managers involved in user interface design. It's a collaborative platform where teams can brainstorm, create wireframes, and develop prototypes in real-time.

• Atlassian Team Playbook: Free resources to address common team challenges and build strong collaboration.

• And finally, an essential "tool" for every product manager who wants to be effective: a Bulawa ("булава" a traditional symbol of power for Ukrainian Cossack leaders). With it, your decisions might just gain a whole new level of authority and impact! 😉

Bulava of Hetman of Ukraine in exile Pylyp Orlyk, 18th century

About Lviv Region

The Lviv Region is unique for its abundance of cultural heritage sites and much more:

• Lviv City is known by many names: "the coffee capital," "the city of lions," "the Ukrainian Piedmont," and "the cultural capital of Ukraine," among others. Beyond its countless original phrases, the city is renowned for its history, cuisine, and even its rainy weather.

• Four of Ukraine's seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites are located in the Lviv Region.

St. George's Church, Drohobych, Lviv Oblast, Ukraine

• The construction of Lviv began with the Market Square (Rynok Square). In the past, only aristocrats had the right to build here. Even earlier, there was a window tax, and those who wanted to have more than three windows had to pay.

• The first tram in Lviv was launched in 1880, running on oak rails and accompanied by horses. However, the residents of Lviv did not like it and threw tomatoes and eggs at it. Electric trams appeared as early as 1894.

• Lviv is home to 12 higher education institutions; it has a justly deserved reputation as a city with a high level of education. Exactly here, one of the oldest in Central Europe is located, and the first was founded at Ukraine University.

• The general quantity of monuments of architecture, city planning, architecture, and monumental art in the Lviv region reaches almost 4 thousand units.

Lviv Theatre of Opera and Ballet

• Of 500 mineral sources in Ukraine, 100 are located in the Lviv region. It's quite probable that this fact influences that the region is one of the leaders and by the quantity of long-livers and by the average duration of life.

🎁 Celebrate Lviv Region

From cultural wonders to innovative tools, today's Advent journey offers inspiration for every product manager and a glimpse into the unique charm of Lviv. 

 What’s on the wishlist for your profession this holiday season? Share with us! 🎅✨