How do you work with engineering managers? How do you develop user stories and product roadmap in sync with them?

This question is multifaceted, seeking to understand not only your ability to work collaboratively with engineering managers, but also your approach to building product roadmaps and user stories with buy-in from these key stakeholders.

In answering this question, what the interviewer really wants to see is:

1. Your ability to collaborate with other team members, specifically engineering managers.
2. Your understanding and experiences in the process of developing user stories.
3. How you create a product roadmap and manage to keep everyone aligned with the vision.

In my previous role at XYZ, I had the opportunity to closely work with engineering managers. It was a matter of effective communication and mutual respect. I always tried to understand their viewpoints and involved them in the decision-making process where their expertise was invaluable. Also, I made sure to explain our broader product strategies to them, so they could feel the impact of their work on the big picture.

On developing user stories and product roadmap, it was a continuous collaboration. I often initiated brainstorming sessions to generate user stories, where the engineering managers also took part. Their technical inputs were valuable in creating feasible user stories.

When it comes to the product roadmap, it was the result of the back-and-forth adjustment between the product vision and technical feasibility. I tried to avoid top-down decision making, instead choosing a balanced approach that could satisfy both user needs and technical capacity. Regular team meetings and using online project management tools were the key methods I used to keep everyone in the loop on the progress and any adjustments to the roadmap.

At ABC company, working with the engineering managers meant creating a common platform where both could share ideas openly and constructively. It was important to make sure that our suggestions were technically feasible and their implementations were considering the user needs and product growth. I respected their technological expertise and considered that before making any decision.

The development of user stories and product roadmap were collective efforts. For creating user stories, I first made sure everyone understood the target user personas and their needs. The engineering managers provided valuable insight into what is technically viable.

When building the product roadmap, I ensured it's not just a top management decision imposed on the engineering team. Instead, it was a document co-built with engineering managers where both product strategies and technical realities were taken into account. Transparent communication and leveraging project management tools ensured the alignment of everyone with the roadmap updates and changes.