Be the Power User of Your Own Product

Becoming a Power User

One of the most transformative habits you can adopt as a product manager is to be the power user of your own product.

But what does that really mean?

A power user isn’t just someone who casually tests features before release. It’s someone who deeply integrates the product into their daily routine, explores every corner, and experiences the product just like a real user would — with all its delights, frustrations, and unexpected surprises.

Why It Matters

• Empathy in Action: You can’t truly understand your users unless you walk in their shoes. Feeling every friction point firsthand helps you make more user-centric decisions.
• Discover the Unseen: Analytics and feedback only tell part of the story. Many edge cases, performance issues, or hidden bugs only reveal themselves when you’re actively using the product in the wild.
• Fuel Innovation: When you live the experience daily, you naturally spot opportunities to improve workflows or spark new feature ideas.
• Credibility with Your Team: Your voice carries more weight when you’re not just repeating user feedback — you’re sharing your own hands-on insights.

How to Become a Power User (for Real)

✅ Use Your Product Daily — not just in test environments, but like your customers would in the real world.
✅ Simulate Different Personas — Try using your product from the perspective of a beginner, a power user, or even someone trying to break it.
✅ Explore Every Journey — Go through onboarding, checkout flows, customer service touchpoints — everything your users experience.
✅ Break It (Gently) — Test edge cases, weird inputs, and unexpected workflows. If you don’t find the cracks, someone else will.
✅ No VIP Treatment — Use the same version your users do, with the same limitations and frustrations. No internal shortcuts.
✅ Log Your Journey — Write down what delights, frustrates, or confuses you. Your gut reactions are often the most valuable insights.
✅ Spread the Mindset — Make power usage part of your team’s culture, from engineers to marketing. Great products are built by people who use them.

Why This Matters More Than Ever

Some of the best products in the world — Notion, Slack, Figma — were built by teams who lived in their own product every single day. It’s not just dogfooding — it’s a commitment to constant self-improvement.

So, the next time you’re prioritizing features or fixing bugs, ask yourself:

Would I enjoy using this product every day? Would I recommend it to a friend?

If the answer is no — you’re not done yet.

Are you a power user of your own product?