From The Football Pitch To The Projector Industry: A Product Manager’s Fundamental Skills Are The Core of An Enterprise’s Moat

 On the World Cup field, moments like Messi’s precise passes and Ronaldo’s game-winning shots may seem like strokes of genius, but they are actually the result of "muscle memory" forged through tens of thousands of repetitive training sessions. The essence of football lies in mastering fundamental skills—passing, controlling, dribbling, and shooting—to perfection, then applying them flexibly in real matches. This parallels the work of projector product managers: a successful product is never a random pile of ungrounded innovations, but the solid implementation of core fundamental skills.   ByteSense has deeply rooted itself in the LCD projector track. From its full-scenario product lineup (spanning portable series to flagship models) to its choices of technical routes and the realization of user needs, every aspect reflects a profound understanding and meticulous practice of a product manager’s fundamental skills. Today, starting from the underlying logic of football, we will explore how to select and break down the key fundamental skills of a product manager, and how ByteSense’s practices validate the idea that "solid fundamental skills pave the way for long-term success."  I. Selection Criteria for Key Fundamental Skills: Focus on "Value Core" Instead of Overloading  A football coach does not have players practice all moves at once; instead, they focus on key actions that directly affect the game’s outcome. The selection of a product manager’s fundamental skills follows the same "less is more" principle, with four core criteria:  1. Driven by Core Value: Target the Essence of Business  Fundamental skills must be key actions that directly drive product success, not trivial procedural tasks. For a projector product manager, "translating user needs into core parameters" is a fundamental skill, while "organizing meeting minutes" is not— the former directly determines whether the product meets market demand, while the latter is merely auxiliary.  

2. High-Frequency Repetition: Internalize into Muscle Memory   Just as football players practice juggling every day, a product manager’s fundamental skills must be actions repeated frequently in daily work. User demand insight, competitor analysis, parameter trade-offs, and selling point refinement—these actions run through the entire product lifecycle (from 0 to 1 and 1 to N). Only through repeated practice can they become second nature.  3. Decomposable and Executable: Reject Vague Concepts  "Having user-centric thinking" is not a fundamental skill; "using the 5-Why method to dig deep into core pain points in camping scenarios" is. True fundamental skills must be broken down into specific, actionable steps, where each step is observable and measurable, avoiding empty theoretical rhetoric.  

4. Stable Reproducibility: Support the Team’s Baseline  Excellent fundamental skills not only enable individuals to deliver high-quality results efficiently but can also be replicated among team members, ensuring stable product quality. In ByteSense’s core team, R&D and supply chain experts with 5–10 years of experience have built standardized processes—this is the best example of reproducible fundamental skills.   II. 5 Core Fundamental Skills for Projector Product Managers: Broken Down into Actionable Steps   If football’s fundamental skills are passing, controlling, dribbling, shooting, and defending, then a projector product manager’s fundamental skills are 5 key links centered on "user value," each broken down into specific actionable steps:   1. Demand Insight: From "What Users Say" to "What Users Need"   Just as football players observe the field to choose their passing route, product managers need to accurately capture users’ true needs. This skill breaks down into three actions: selecting target users (e.g., camping enthusiasts, young renters), designing scenario-based interview outlines, and using follow-up questions to dig deep into pain points. When developing the P3C portable projector, ByteSense analyzed thousands of consumer reviews of competitors on Amazon and discovered that "outdoor use requires both portability and power supply—otherwise, it’s not a real outdoor product." This led to the core design of a Type-C port + PD power bank support, directly addressing users’ pain points.  2. Competitor Analysis: From "Following Trends" to "Differentiation"  In football, analyzing the opponent’s formation is key to finding breakthroughs. Product managers need to establish standardized comparison dimensions to fully break down competitors—from parameters, functions, and pricing to user reviews. ByteSense focuses on LCD technology instead of following the DLP trend, a decision based on structured analysis: LCD better aligns with mass demand in terms of brightness and cost-effectiveness, with lower maintenance costs. This differentiated positioning allowed ByteSense to quickly break into the mid-to-low-end market.  3. Parameter Definition: From "Blind Spec Stacking" to "Precise Matching"  Translating user needs into specific parameters is a product manager’s core capability. For example, the user need of "evening viewing" maps precisely to "ANSI brightness ≥ 300 lumens," while the need for "portability" corresponds to "weight ≤ 1kg + ultra-slim body." ByteSense has built a clear parameter gradient across its product lineup: the G1 (160 ANSI) caters to entry-level users, while the F3 (350 ANSI) meets high-end needs. This avoids unnecessary cost waste while accurately matching different scenarios. ByteSense does not pursue extreme brightness (some LCD projectors on the market already reach 600–800 ANSI lumens), as we believe LCD projectors are meant to complement, not replace, TVs. Excessively high brightness harms eyesight and doubles BOM costs, while LCD still lags behind TVs in color gamut and contrast. Through extensive data research, we found that mainstream consumers accept 150–400 ANSI lumens, which varies by scenario, product form, and price.  

4. Selling Point Translation: From "Technical Parameters" to "User-Friendly Language"   Complex technical parameters cannot impress users—just as a player’s exquisite footwork must serve the goal of scoring. ByteSense translates the G2’s "62mm ultra-slim design + 360° rotating stand" into "a portable theater you can carry anywhere," and simplifies "electronic focus" to "clear images right after startup, no focus drift." This lets users grasp the core value at a glance.  5. Feedback Loop: From "Identifying Problems" to "Iteration"  Half-time adjustments in football rely on real-time game conditions; product iterations depend on user feedback. ByteSense found that autofocus technology was immature (prone to failure, high cost, and short lifespan), so it switched to electronic focus—solving the high-frequency user complaint of "focus failure." Through clustered analysis of e-commerce reviews, ByteSense developed the fully sealed optical engine for the G3/G3S series, reducing image quality degradation caused by dust ingress.  III. ByteSense’s Product Layout: The Best Proof of Solid Fundamental Skills  If fundamental skills are a product manager’s "internal strength," product layout is the intuitive manifestation of "external strength." Since entering the LCD projector track in 2023, ByteSense has built three product series (portable, gimbal, and flagship) in just two years, covering scenarios from camping and home use to office—every step of this layout reflects solid fundamental skills:  1. Technical Route Choice: Deepen LCD Expertise, Avoid Blind Trend-Chasing   When DLP technology was in the spotlight, ByteSense stuck to LCD— a decision based on deep user insight (the mass market prioritizes cost-effectiveness and brightness) and rational competitor analysis. By optimizing internal optical design, its flagship F3 reaches 350 ANSI lumens, fully meeting consumers’ daily viewing needs. This validates the strategic correctness of "focusing on core technology and mastering fundamental skills to perfection."  2. Product Matrix Construction: Full-Scenario Coverage, Precise Demand Matching  ByteSense’s product layout avoids blind expansion; instead, it is based on precise scenario breakdowns:   - The portable P2/P3C series emphasizes "lightweight + Type-C power supply," catering to young users’ camping and rental living scenarios.   - The gimbal G2/G3 series uses a "360° rotating stand + ultra-slim body" to meet flexible projection needs.   - The flagship F3 series targets the mainstream home market with "high brightness + aluminum alloy body."   From the 0.7kg P2 to the 1.6kg F3, and from 160 ANSI to 350 ANSI brightness, this gradient perfectly embodies the fundamental skill of "parameter definition and scenario matching."  3. Service System Construction: From "Selling Products" to "End-to-End Empowerment"  A product’s success depends not only on hardware but also on end-to-end service support. ByteSense’s customized services (packaging, shelf, and promotional material design), low MOQ (200 units), and one-stop procurement of peripheral accessories—all are the implementation of the "user feedback loop" and "value extension" fundamental skills. To meet brand clients’ needs, ByteSense also provides e-commerce third-party services covering major platforms like Amazon and Shopee, solving partners’ backend pain points and becoming a key driver of its rapid market expansion.  4. Detail Iteration and Optimization: Turning User Feedback into Product Competitiveness  Nearly all ByteSense models adopt the Amlogic T950S as the main control solution—this may seem "rigid," but it is a precise response to user feedback. Through analyzing numerous user reviews, ByteSense found that complaints about system instability (freezing, crashes, unstable WiFi/Bluetooth connections) were a major barrier for consumers choosing LCD projectors. As a cost-effective chip solution from Amlogic, the T950S has won market trust for its stability, maturity, and reliability—even Redmi’s Redmi 3 Lite uses this chip, demonstrating its market acceptance. This ability to "extract optimization points from user feedback" is one of a product manager’s most core fundamental skills.  Conclusion: Fundamental Skills Are an Enterprise’s Deepest Moat   In football, no sophisticated tactics can be implemented without solid passing, controlling, dribbling, and shooting skills; in product management, no grand vision can stand without strong fundamental skills. ByteSense’s rise is not due to the accidental success of a single hit product, but the integration of fundamental skills—demand insight, parameter definition, and feedback loops—into every detail of its product layout.   For product managers, instead of chasing fleeting trends, it is better to calm down and polish core fundamental skills. For enterprises, instead of blindly expanding product lines, it is better to solidify the fundamental skills of each product. Just as consistent winners on the football pitch excel at mastering simple moves to perfection, long-term leaders in the product field are also steadfast practitioners of fundamental skills.   In the future, competition in the projector market will only intensify. However, as long as we uphold the baseline of fundamental skills and continue to translate user needs into product value, we will stand firm in a changing market and build a true brand moat.  (ByteSense is actively seeking B-end partners, including wholesalers, retailers, and brand owners, and sincerely invites OEM/ODM in-depth cooperation! Leveraging our core product competitiveness—our ultra-portable product matrix represented by ByteSense F3/P3C/G2—we help partners create potential bestsellers with high turnover and high profit margins. We provide one-stop solutions (flexible MOQ, color customization, packaging design, shelf design, promotional material design, etc.), highly competitive bulk supply prices, and systematic quality control experience to help you quickly enter the high-growth LCD projector track!)