Ask us anything: PM questions from the community

What is one question you would ask an experienced product manager? We recently hosted a live Q&A event with three of our own: Austin Merritt, Kelly Sebes, and Sarah Mosian-Thomas. Called "Ask Aha! PMs anything," the event was designed as a space for honest conversations about the challenges and opportunities product managers face every day. The result was a lively discussion grounded in empathy, experience, and practical advice.

Each question uncovered the realities of achieving product success.

Over the course of the discussion, our panel tackled a wide range of topics — from strategic roadmapping and feature prioritization to managing customer feedback using AI. Our PMs also shared advice on succeeding as a product manager and tips for making the most of Aha! software.

This event gave us a chance to connect with our product-building community in a new way, exchange insights, and reflect on the nuances of working in product management. Whether you joined live or are catching up now, we hope the advice resonates given your own experiences.

Ready to dig in? Here is a recap of the event's key takeaways (and be sure to watch the replay, too):

What is the most rewarding part of being a product manager?

For many, the best part of being a product manager is seeing your work make a real difference. Kelly described how rewarding it is to solve customer problems and deliver features that people truly rely on. These moments — when you see the results of your effort — make all the challenges of the role feel worthwhile.

What is the most challenging?

The hardest part of being a PM is not just managing a long list of tasks. It is making thoughtful decisions about what truly matters. Sarah explained that prioritizing your time and focusing on the work that drives the most customer and business value is an ongoing challenge, no matter how experienced you are in the role.

What skills should you focus on most as a new product manager?

Start with the fundamentals: Know your product well and deeply understand customer needs. Austin emphasized the importance of learning how people use your product and building confidence in validating ideas. Skills such as customer interviewing and data-driven decision-making are essential. They will also serve you well no matter the industry.

What are best practices for being more strategic as a PM?

Strategic thinking begins with understanding how your work aligns with larger goals. Daily work should tie directly to product objectives and initiatives; Austin noted this is key to prioritizing the work that will drive the most impact. At the same time, he pointed out that prioritization is only part of the equation. Flexibility is equally important, as it allows you to adjust what you work on as new insights emerge.

How do you know which customer ideas to pay attention to?

Managing an influx of ideas from customers is tough (but necessary). Kelly shared that having a clear and structured approach is the only way to stay grounded. The Aha! team uses an ideas portal to collect feedback, leverages AI to group similar suggestions and analyze feedback trends, and runs in-app polls to better understand customer needs. Kelly emphasized the importance of evaluating how ideas align with strategic goals and considering the broader context of market trends. Collaboration also plays a big role — discussing feedback with other teams factors in multiple perspectives and helps focus on ideas that will deliver the greatest value.

How do you get everyone aligned on the roadmap?

No surprise here — getting everyone aligned on the roadmap requires agreeing on top-level goals and product initiatives. A strong narrative about why your goals matter builds understanding and buy-in. You need conviction surrounding which features and priorities will deliver the most value, and you should be ready to stand by those decisions. From there, Sarah suggests tailoring the roadmap for each audience: Leadership needs the big picture, whereas teams like marketing and customer success rely on more detailed timelines. Once everyone understands the "why," "what," and "when" behind the roadmap, it is much easier to stay focused on the plan and keep things moving forward.

If you are new to Aha! software, what is the best way to add your team's projects, schedules, and other details?

There are lots of ways to get started, depending on your needs. (We have a super helpful guide on getting started in our knowledge base.) One approach Austin shared is organizing work into monthly releases and go-to-market launches on the features workflow board in Aha! Roadmaps. This way, you can see what is shipping and when (by week or by month) and focus on the most important deliverables for each time frame without losing sight of the bigger picture.

We are grateful for everyone who joined the event and shared thoughtful questions. Your curiosity drove a great conversation.

It is inspiring to be part of a community so dedicated to building better products and sharing hard-earned insights. If you found the live session or recap helpful, explore our library of tutorial replays for more practical tips and guidance. We look forward to connecting again and discussing more of the questions that matter most to product managers.