a16z Partner Josh Elman: Product Management Remains About Storytelling

a16z partner Josh Elman stated that product management is fundamentally about storytelling. Reflecting on his career, he noted that while he once believed product managers produced specifications, he realized the true product is a story that can be shared without the manager's presence. Elman highlighted that AI has significantly reduced production costs and inverted the development cycle, allowing teams to build prototypes first to test experiences before finalizing designs. He emphasized that vision, core actions, and user engagement are essential, noting that onboarding is the most critical moment for storytelling.