Enterprise spending on cloud computing will grow to $500 billion in 2023. Businesses that want to capitalize on this trend need a sophisticated product management system. According to Meta Product Manager Souvik Bhattacharya, product management plays a significant role in developing and growing cloud computing products and services.

Product managers define and execute the strategy and vision for cloud-based products and services. "Our work includes identifying market opportunities, defining the feature set and requirements, and working with engineering teams to build and deliver the product," he adds.

Souvik has been in product management for over a decade, having worked at Amazon and Meta. He shares real-world practices on how product managers can optimize the cloud in 2023.

1. Championing the role of cloud computing in business

Cloud solutions support data storage, automation, analytics, and other complex services, revolutionizing how businesses deploy their IT infrastructures. These solutions let businesses adapt to changing customer needs to deliver targeted products.

However, companies need someone internally who can focus on adopting these solutions. "Product managers help drive innovation in cloud computing by identifying new technologies and approaches which can deliver enhanced customer experiences," Souvik says.

2. Leveraging cloud-based solutions to gain a competitive edge

Companies must quickly and easily access their data and applications to respond to customer demands. Product managers can use cloud solutions to help unlock the agility and speed needed to stay competitive in today's rapidly changing digital landscape.

For instance, Souvik was previously Senior Product Manager (Technical) for Amazon S3. In 2020, he helped Amazon's largest customers, such as Netflix, Uber, Lyft, Bank of America, Capital One, to optimize their cloud storage spend. He developed the design for the Amazon S3 Lifecycle, which helped to archive or delete data that had not been used in a long time.

3. Aligning business goals with the cloud strategy

While cloud computing is beneficial, companies must ensure their adoption of it serves the business objectives. A product manager can help make the most of their cloud investments and ensure scalability and business growth.

"Product management involves researching the current and future needs of the target market and using this knowledge to inform the development of new cloud-based products and services," Souvik adds.

4. Integrating AI and automation in the cloud

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is helping organizations automate business processes, analyze data, reduce human-related errors, manage costs, and drive operational efficiency. Souvik elaborates that product management can push the boundaries of cloud computing by optimizing AI and other advanced capabilities within cloud-based platforms.

5. Monitoring cloud performance

Businesses can regularly track how well cloud solutions are meeting their organizational needs. Monitoring cloud performance requires a product manager's perspective, which cuts across many teams.

Product management's expanding role in tech

Souvik Bhattacharya believes that product management will have a growing role in shaping the cloud computing industry. It could define and promote best practices for developing and delivering cloud-based products and services, delivering the most optimal client experience for its users, inevitably leading to increased revenue and customer satisfaction for businesses utilizing the technology.

Souvik Bhattacharya is a Staff Product Manager at Meta, leading the company's core health initiatives and release engineering. He has over a decade of product management leadership experience and has previously held senior product management roles at Amazon Web Services, where he built products and features for Amazon S3, the largest cloud storage for public cloud, and at Apple and Siemens. Additionally, he has experience working with early-stage technology startups. Souvik holds an MBA from the University of Michigan, Ross School of Business.