The Product Archetypes Handbook

After years in tech—jumping between e-commerce, fintech, e-counseling, ride-hailing, entertainment, and more—I started to notice a pattern: every product, no matter how complex, falls into a basic archetype. Here’s the twist though: these archetypes aren’t about the technology, industries, or even specific user segments. They’re all about the core relationship a product has with its users—whether it’s something people need or want. Even more fascinating, these archetypes quietly shape everything that matters: the metrics you chase, the challenges you face, and the skills you need to thrive. Curious which archetype your product fits into? Let’s break them down in the table below.

The Protein Product: The Everyday Essential

Think of the protein product as the bread and butter of the digital world—apps and tools people genuinely need and want, like banking apps, messaging platforms, or code editors. These are the products that quietly power our daily lives, often taken for granted until something goes wrong. The stakes are high: users expect reliability and seamless task completion every single time.

With protein products, it’s not about chasing endless engagement or racking up daily active users. What really matters is that when a user needs to get something important done—move money, send a message, squash a bug—your product is the one they trust to deliver. If your tool nails the job when it counts, you’ve won. If it fumbles, they’re gone. In this game, reliability isn’t just a feature—it’s your entire value proposition.

If you want to crush it with protein products, domain expertise is your secret weapon. For banking, it’s about moving money faster, more easily, and across more borders and banks—which requires deep knowledge of financial processes and ever-changing regulations. For messaging, it’s about delivering messages instantly and securely even when millions are hitting “send” at once—which requires expertise in messaging infrastructure and security protocols. And for code editors, it’s about helping developers write, refactor, and debug code with speed and confidence—which requires a strong grasp of real-world software development workflows. The PMs who thrive here are the ones who obsess over the details and make sure their product is the one users trust when it matters most.

The Ice Cream Product: The Irresistible Indulgence

Think of the ice cream product as the entertainment center of the digital world—apps and platforms people crave and love, like social media, video games, or streaming services. These are the products that capture our attention, spark joy, and make us lose track of time scrolling, playing, or binge-watching. The stakes are different here: users expect delight, surprise, and that addictive "just one more" experience that keeps them coming back for more.

With ice cream products, it's all about capturing hearts and eyeballs in an incredibly crowded market. The market for "wants" is much bigger and more crowded than the market for "needs". When you build a streaming service, you’re not just competing against other streaming services—you’re also competing against other entertainment mediums, such as video games and social media.

What really matters is that when a user opens your app, they're immediately hooked—whether they're watching the perfect TikTok video, discovering a new show, or getting that dopamine hit from a game level-up. If your product delivers that magical moment of engagement, you've won their attention. If it feels stale or boring, they're off to the next shiny thing. In this game, engagement isn't just a metric—it's your lifeline.

If you want to dominate with ice cream products, creativity and understanding users are your secret weapons. For social media, it's about creating algorithms that surface the most compelling content at exactly the right moment—which requires expertise in recommendation systems and user psychology. For gaming, it's about crafting experiences that are challenging yet rewarding, with progression systems that keep players invested—which requires knowledge of game design principles and player motivation. And for streaming platforms, it's about curating content that matches individual tastes while introducing delightful surprises—which requires an understanding of content strategy and personalization. The PMs who excel here are the ones who obsess over user behavior, experiment relentlessly, and create experiences that users genuinely can't put down.

The Vegetable Product: The Essential Safeguard

Think of the vegetable product as the unsung hero of the digital world—apps and tools people might not clamor for, but absolutely need, like authenticators, chat moderation systems, or video monitoring platforms. These are the products that quietly protect, enable, or safeguard our digital lives, often running in the background and only noticed when something goes wrong or when compliance demands attention. The stakes here are unique: users expect these products to be invisible yet indispensable, working seamlessly without disrupting their flow.

With vegetable products, the challenge isn’t capturing attention or completing users essential tasks—it’s overcoming resistance. People rarely wake up excited to use an authenticator app or interact with moderation tools. The market for “needs but don’t want” is a tough one: adoption is often driven by necessity, regulation, or organizational policy, not user enthusiasm. When you build a security feature or compliance tool, you’re not just competing with similar products; you’re up against user inertia, skepticism, and sometimes outright avoidance.

What really matters is making the essential feel effortless. When users are required to set up multi-factor authentication, blocked from sending an unethical message, or comply with monitoring policy, your product should make the process as painless and intuitive as possible. If your tool adds friction or confusion, users will find workarounds or simply disengage. In this space, reducing friction isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s a survival strategy.

If you want to succeed with vegetable products, empathy and communication are your secret weapons. For security tools, it’s about guiding users through complex processes without overwhelming them—which requires a deep understanding of user psychology and risk communication. For moderation systems, it’s about empowering users to keep communities safe without feeling burdened—which requires expertise in conflict deterrence and resolution. And for compliance platforms, it’s about making regulatory requirements clear and actionable—which requires translating legal jargon into user-friendly steps. The PMs who thrive here are those who listen closely to user pain points, champion simplicity, and turn “must-do” tasks into “can-do” experiences.

In the world of vegetable products, success is measured not by excitement, but by the absence of complaints, the smoothness of adoption, and the quiet confidence users feel when the product just works. Vegetable PMs and their products are the unsung heroes.

Conclusion

If you’re currently working on a product, try to classify which archetype it falls into. This might help you validate what you’ve achieved so far and anticipate the challenges ahead. This handbook can also serve as a guide for navigating your career as a product manager. You might not have experience managing a vegetable product in your portfolio yet, so it could be valuable to learn the essential skills and consider joining a company focused on vegetable products. Having experience and competence in managing all of the product archetypes will make you a strong and valuable product manager who can tackle all sorts of challenges.