The collaboration between a product manager and a usability expert is one of the most important yet often understated aspects of successful software development. Each plays a distinct but interdependent role in shaping the final product, and when their efforts are aligned, the result is a well-designed, user-friendly product that addresses real-world needs.
The Role of a Product Manager in the Development Lifecycle
The product manager is the guiding force throughout the product development or project execution cycle. They are deeply involved at every step — from defining initial requirements to guiding development teams, validating workflows, and ensuring that customer expectations are met.
Some of the core responsibilities of a product manager include:
Delivering detailed feature requirements to the engineering teams.
Collaborating with developers during the design and implementation stages.
Providing critical clarifications when edge cases or gaps appear in design documentation.
Conducting testing — particularly of newly developed or modified features — to ensure the experience aligns with expectations.
Participating in beta programs and collecting feedback from early users.
Helping to prioritize defect fixes based on feedback severity and customer impact.
In essence, the product manager acts as the bridge between customer needs, business goals, and the engineering team’s execution.
The Strategic Role of Usability Experts
While usability experts may not be involved throughout the entire cycle like product managers, their role is essential — especially during the early design phases. Usability experts focus on how a product "feels" and functions from the user’s perspective, aiming to make interfaces intuitive, appealing, and efficient.
One particular cycle that stands out involved a comprehensive redesign of a mature software product. The product team had compiled multiple user complaints, feature requests, and visual feedback from previous versions. Alongside this, the interface was beginning to feel outdated.
To gain executive buy-in for the redesign, we had to articulate the vision clearly. Phrases like “modernizing the interface” or “improving the user journey” resonated surprisingly well — especially when backed by usability metrics and customer sentiment analysis.
When the Real Interaction Begins
In situations like a full UI overhaul, the interaction between the product manager and the usability expert can begin even before a development cycle formally ends. Planning, ideation, and initial wireframes often start in parallel with the finalization of the current release.
Several key sources guide their collaboration:
Customer complaints and forum feedback: Recurring pain points or requests indicate problem areas.
Expert analysis: Usability specialists often identify issues by examining screen flows, layout consistency, or call-to-action placements.
Product manager insights: Based on product knowledge and user feedback, the PM often has a list of areas needing attention.
Technical limitations or new opportunities: Sometimes UI changes are driven by backend modifications or updated component libraries that enable previously impossible workflows.
A Cyclical Design Process
Usability improvements aren’t achieved in a single pass. Typically, the usability expert begins by proposing a refreshed flow or layout for a screen. The product manager and other stakeholders review the changes, offering insights and critiques. Based on that feedback, the next iteration is refined and validated.
This process repeats across numerous screens and workflows. In large products, it’s rarely feasible to redesign all screens simultaneously. Instead, the usability expert works iteratively, and teams begin implementation as soon as screens are finalized.
Here, the product manager’s role becomes even more crucial. They can help drive the process forward by working alongside the usability expert to:
Prioritize which screens or workflows should be tackled first.
Ensure engineering teams receive enough detail to begin development.
Translate early wireframes into preliminary requirements that can evolve as designs solidify.
Project Management and Scheduling
Managing a UI redesign project involving multiple stakeholders is no small task. It requires deft project management, clear communication, and tight scheduling. Project managers often rely heavily on product managers to coordinate with usability teams and ensure timely delivery.
The agile model can be particularly effective here. Breaking down the redesign into sprints, assigning specific screens or modules per sprint, and tracking feedback cycles keeps momentum going and avoids analysis paralysis.
Measuring the Impact of Product Manager and Usability Expert Collaboration
While the collaborative process may seem time-consuming, the benefits are immense:
Better user experience (UX): Directly correlates with increased user satisfaction and engagement.
Fewer design iterations post-launch: Reduces rework and development time.
Clearer workflows and screens: Improve usability scores and reduce support tickets.
Stronger stakeholder alignment: Ensures fewer surprises late in the development cycle.
Ultimately, products created through strong product manager–usability expert collaboration deliver more value and are more likely to succeed in competitive markets.
Final Thoughts
Whether it’s a small feature update or a complete redesign, the bond between the product manager and the usability expert is essential. By bringing together customer insight, technical knowledge, and design thinking, they create experiences that not only look good but work well — delivering tangible value to end users.
If your team is preparing for a UI refresh or tackling a complex workflow change, investing in this collaboration early can make the difference between mediocre and exceptional.
Suggested Amazon Books on Product and Usability Collaboration
Don't Make Me Think by Steve Krug (Buy - Affiliate link)
Inspired: How to Create Tech Products Customers Love by Marty Cagan (Buy - Affiliate link)
The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman (Buy - Affiliate link)
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