Updated: January 24, 2024- 7 min read
The Benefits of Joining Communities
Sometimes, as Product Managers, it can feel like we’re all alone! We might be the only Product Manager in our company, surrounded by developers and marketers with no one to obsess over the roadmap with us.
Or when we try to explain to non-tech people what we do, or tell our friends how our day went at work, we’re met with blank stares. “Prioritization? That must be easy right?”
That’s why we’re so lucky to have so many great online communities for product professionals! As well as meeting people within our own disciplines and industries, we can branch out and meet others who can help us level up our skills. It’s a place to share experiences.
We’ve compiled our top 10 recommendations, spanning Product Management specifically, UX design, data, tech, and growth.
Top 10 Communities for Product Managers
These communities are not limited to Product Management professionals. Rather, they will help you to focus on your area of expertise or grow an area of interest. Every PM can benefit from being up to date on the latest UX trends or marketing strategies. You might also gain valuable experience and fulfillment from joining a more social cause, such as a community that highlights minorities in product.
Dipping into a little bit of everything will help you be the well-rounded Product Manager every company dreams of!
1. Product School’s Slack Community
We couldn’t not tell you about the largest online community for Product Managers…our community! We’re currently 75,000 strong in our Slack Community alone, where we host weekly Ask Me Anything sessions with top PMs. You can also stay up to date on the latest events in product, and network with like-minded PMs.
There’s a job portal for hiring and getting hired, a resume feedback channel, and much more. We’ve been inspiring product people from all over the world in the world’s largest community dedicated to product management. Thousands of product managers join us to share their wisdom and help to lift each other up, and you could be one of them.
2. Creative Product Managers
This LinkedIn group is all about all things product! Instead of being bogged down under posts about whether the new iOS update is any good, or questions about how to keep a cactus alive, the focus here is being a great PM!
The best part about this group is that it’s not just full of aspiring product professionals, but also CEOs, Heads and Directors of Product, and startup founders. Rub shoulders with product leaders, hear about new product roles popping up in your industry, and learn how the most influential product teams in the world get things done. Ready to start building products with the best?
With over 70,000 members from all over the world, you can’t go wrong!
3. Better Product Community
Innovatemap’s Better Product Community is more than just a bunch of product managers chatting online. It’s a collection of professionals who are dedicated to building better products. Here’s what they have to say;
“To us, better product is marketable, valuable, and usable. It means your digital product goes beyond functional; it resonates with the buyer and delights the user.”
If that sounds like something you want to bring to the table, then this is the community for you! They have conversations, articles, and podcasts to help elevate the conversation around product. Join this community to
Check out our CEO’s interview on the Better Product Podcast: How to Learn Product: Three Skills Every Product Manager Needs with Carlos González
4. Blacks In Technology
Blacks in Technology is a community centered around their mission of ‘Stomping the Divide’, by dedicating itself to the representation of black men and women in technology. They have various chapters across the US, and you have the potential to start your own.
For its members, this community shares stories to uplift black voices, has a regularly updated jobs portal, and organizes regional events. Joining a chapter, or starting your own, gives you a hands-on way of tackling diversity in the tech world, whilst also providing you with networking opportunities. Win-win!
5. CodeBuddies
If you’re a Technical Product Manager who can build an entire app from scratch…this isn’t the community for you. But if you’re someone from a non-technical background looking to boost your coding knowledge, then this community is a goldmine of information!
The goal of CodingBuddies is to help independent learners who are getting to grips with code. One of the coolest things they offer is a 24/7 Silent Coworking session, where you can work on your projects with others without distraction. Perfect for those long WFH evenings!
The community is open-sourced, fuelled by contributions from its members.
6. r/technology
How could any list of great online communities not include at least one subreddit? This is a great place to get major news from all areas of the tech world, and chat with tech lovers worldwide.
Why is this useful for Product Managers? For starters, this is where tech people congregate on the internet. These are great people to get feedback from, and to understand what tech enthusiasts want. These are the people who would be most vocal about the flaws of your product on launch day, so it’s good to get a feel for them.
It’s also useful for PMs to have a broad understanding of what’s going on in the tech world. This subreddit helpfully organizes posts into different categories (Social Media, Space, Business, Politics etc) to make for easy browsing.
7. Women Techmakers by Google
A Google-led initiative, Women Techmakers run events, including meetups and hackathons, all aimed at giving women the skills and confidence to conquer the tech world. Although events have been suspended for 2020, you can reap all the other rewards of joining the community by signing up as a member or ambassador.
Membership gives you access to networking, community events, and summits. Being an ambassador gives you exclusive content and access to a private network of other organizers. Both look great on your resume, and could be the boost your career needs.
8. DataQuest
Do you love data? Of course, you do, you’re a Product Manager! DataQuest is every Data Scientist’s dream, offering a community of learners to complement their online data courses.
While you don’t have to be a student to access the community, we actually recommended DataQuest in our list of Top 10 Courses for Product Managers in 2020.
What better way to level up your data science skills than to join a community of data science lovers?
9. Product Hunt
If you’re in product, you should already be familiar with number 9 on our list! We’re obsessed with Product Hunt for 3 main reasons.
It’s a great place to find cool, new, innovative products, and to see how makers are solving problems.
It’s a useful platform when launching a new product, particularly to get feedback from other tech-minded people.
You can find nostaliga trips like macintosh.js and Slack hacks like Where Is Everybody? If you can imagine it…it’s on Product Hunt! Need we say more?
10. GrowthHackers
We believe that Product Managers should be Growth Hackers. It’s key for building trust with your user base, improving your customer acquisition, and building successful products.
To that end, joining the GrowthHackers community can open your eyes to all the ways growth hacking professionals are bringing more customers to their businesses.
With endless free tips, tricks, advice, and articles, you’ll never run out of content. The community is incredibly active, with several posts every day and a huge backlog to work through.
Updated: January 24, 2024
