a16z partner Josh Elman: Product management is still about storytelling

a16z partner Josh Elman stated: Product management is about storytelling. His career began at RealNetworks as an engineer, responsible for the product and engineering team of RealPlayer, which had hundreds of millions of users at the time. When he applied to LinkedIn, he was interviewed by Reid Hoffman, who asked what the product manager's product was. He initially answered "specifications," but later admitted that was the wrong answer; the real product is the story that people can share without him being present. During his time at LinkedIn, he wrote a 120-page specification document.

Elman stated that AI has collapsed production costs and reversed the development cycle, from specifications and scope to building and experience. First, quickly build prototypes with AI to see how they feel; prototypes are better than assumptions, then design and release. Demonstrations are almost free, while working products are not; deciding what to build is a matter of impactful debate. Vision is purpose, core actions, and cycles; one should ask people if they truly use the product, and guiding is the most important moment of storytelling.