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Product manager bridging technology, management, and design.

Specializing in driving innovation, leveraging agile methodologies, and delivering exceptional results, I am passionate about creating user-centric products that exceed expectations by leading cross-functional teams. My unique blend of strategic thinking, creativity, and technical expertise ensures seamless orchestration of the entire product lifecycle โ€“ from strategy and roadmap development to efficient execution and launch.

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Master of Scienceย  ย ยทย  ย Six Sigmaย  ย ยทย  ย Salesforce Certified Administrator

What I Do

Building products for humans.

I am a product manager with a passion for creating digital products that solve real world problems and are delightful to use.

I am a people-first business and product leader with 15+ years of experience in product management, product leadership and business analysis. I work with empowered teams to create sustainable software platforms that people love to use.

Do you want to make a difference with your digital product?

Get in touch

Product Vision & Strategy

Road-mapping, A/B testing and product backlog

Product Design

User stories, data flow, wireframes and persona writing

64 share

Business Analysis & Project Management

Requirement elicitation, stakeholder management, agile and waterfall methodologies

60 box

Analytics & Reporting

Product analytics, management and end user reporting

Data-driven, Detail-oriented and Problem solver

Selected portfolio

I have worked on many projects in different markets as a product manager, both as an employee as well as a freelancer ranging from medium to large sized companies. Converting their business dreams into a user-friendly application has been my main responsibility during my career life. Here are few of the companies that I have worked for over the years.

24 Hour Fitness
Air Force Research Laboratory
Alpine Credits Ltd
Amur Capital Inc.
CES Plus
Hologic
MasTec
McGraw Hill
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Have a question?

My product management philosophy is centered around putting the user first. I believe that the best products are built by deeply understanding the needs, desires, and pain points of the people who will use them. To achieve this, I prioritize user research and testing throughout the product development process. By involving users early and often, I can ensure that the products I develop are tailored to their needs and experiences.

In addition to prioritizing the user, I also believe in using data to inform product decisions. I rely on analytics and user feedback to guide my prioritization and roadmap planning. By staying data-driven, I can ensure that I’m making decisions based on objective information rather than assumptions or biases.

Finally, I believe that successful product development requires collaboration and communication across cross-functional teams. As a Product Manager, I prioritize building strong relationships with designers, developers, and other stakeholders to ensure that we’re all aligned on the product vision and working together to achieve it.

Overall, my philosophy centers around building products that are user-centered, data-driven, and developed through collaboration with cross-functional teams.

Here’s my process for developing a new product for internal customers from ideation to launch:

  • Ideation: The ideation phase for internal products involves working with internal stakeholders to identify pain points and inefficiencies in existing processes or tools. This could be done through user research, surveys, or interviews with employees. The goal is to identify areas where a new product could improve efficiency, productivity, or employee satisfaction.
  • Concept Development: Once an area of improvement is identified, the next step is to develop a concept for the product. This involves working with cross-functional teams to identify the product’s features, benefits, target audience, and value proposition. The concept is then presented to stakeholders for approval.
  • Requirements Gathering: After the concept is approved, the next step is to gather requirements for the product. During this phase, I work closely with internal stakeholders to define the product’s features and user stories, create a product backlog, and prioritize features based on business goals.
  • Development: Once requirements are finalized, the development team begins building the product. In this phase, I work closely with the engineering team to ensure that the product is being built according to specifications, and I monitor progress to ensure that timelines and budgets are being met.
  • Testing and Quality Assurance: After the product is developed, it undergoes testing and quality assurance to ensure that it meets the required standards of functionality, usability, and performance.
  • Launch and Post-Launch Monitoring: Once the product is fully tested and approved, it is launched internally. In this phase, I work with the internal teams to create a rollout plan, track user adoption and feedback, and make iterative improvements to the product based on data and insights.

Overall, my process for developing a new product for internal customers involves working closely with stakeholders to identify pain points and inefficiencies, gathering requirements, and collaborating with cross-functional teams to build a high-quality product that meets business goals and improves employee satisfaction.

As a product manager, I have extensive experience with agile development methodologies. I have a proven track record of successfully managing product development processes from ideation to launch, ensuring that products are built with customer needs and business goals in mind.

I hold both the Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) and Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO) certifications, which have equipped me with the following skills and experiences related to agile:

  • Scrum: I have worked with scrum teams and have experience with scrum ceremonies such as sprint planning, daily stand-ups, sprint reviews, and retrospectives. I have also worked closely with scrum masters to ensure that the team is delivering high-quality products on time and within budget.
  • Kanban: I have worked with kanban boards to track project progress and prioritize tasks. I have also used kanban to manage work in progress (WIP) limits and ensure that the team is focused on delivering the most valuable features first.
  • Cross-functional Collaboration: I have experience working with cross-functional teams in an agile environment, including developers, designers, QA analysts, and stakeholders. I understand the importance of effective communication, collaboration, and transparency in an agile environment to ensure that the team is aligned and working towards a common goal.
  • Continuous Improvement: I believe in the value of continuous improvement in an agile environment. I encourage teams to regularly review and improve their processes to ensure that they are delivering high-quality products efficiently and effectively.

Overall, my experience with agile development methodologies and my passion for delivering exceptional products has enabled me to excel as a product manager.

As a product manager, staying up-to-date with industry trends and best practices is crucial for delivering successful products. Here are some ways that I stay current:

  • Industry publications: I regularly read industry publications such as TechCrunch, Wired, and Harvard Business Review to stay current on emerging trends and best practices. I also subscribe to newsletters and podcasts related to product management, design, and technology.
  • Networking: I attend industry conferences, meetups, and events to network with other product managers and learn from their experiences. I also participate in online forums and groups to engage in discussions and share insights with others in the industry.
  • Continuous learning: I actively seek out learning opportunities to improve my skills and knowledge. This includes attending webinars and training sessions, taking courses and certifications, and reading books on product management and related topics.
  • Customer feedback: Listening to customer feedback is an important part of staying up-to-date with industry trends and best practices. I regularly engage with customers to understand their needs, pain points, and preferences and use this feedback to inform product decisions.
  • Cross-functional collaboration: Working closely with cross-functional teams such as engineering, design, and marketing is another way to stay current with industry trends and best practices. Collaborating with experts in their fields helps me to understand emerging technologies and design trends, as well as the latest marketing and sales strategies.

Overall, staying up-to-date with industry trends and best practices requires a continuous effort to learn, network, and collaborate with others in the industry.

I’m always open to hearing from potential collaborators, clients, and colleagues. The best way to get in touch with me is through email or LinkedIn.

You can reach me at nikhilashtekar@hotmail.com for any inquiries related to product management consulting, speaking engagements, or collaboration or volunteering opportunities.

You can also connect with me on LinkedIn or contact me here, directly. I regularly post updates and insights on product management, innovation, and technology, and I’m always happy to connect with others in the industry.

Thank you for your interest, and I look forward to hearing from you soon!