Problem
EdTech students typically build solo portfolio apps, leaving them inexperienced with real company dynamics: cross-functional dependencies, async communication, Agile sprint cadences, and high-stakes production deadlines. Togather was piloted as our company’s first formal team project to bridge this critical gap between individual learning and professional software engineering.
My Role
I served as the Product Manager for the squad. I balanced two critical priorities: driving product delivery and business alignment while mentoring the student engineers through real-world company workflows, accountability, and team culture.
What I Did
- Developed the product vision and PRD, translating high-level requirements into phased milestones, Jira epics, and sprint tasks.
- Assembled a cross-functional squad of 3 Web developers and 1 Machine Learning developer, pairing them with two experienced developers as technical advisors.
- Established professional communication rituals by migrating all squad coordination to Slack with structured async standups and updates.
- Managed sprint velocity and resource allocation proactively: when technical roadblocks threatened the delivery milestone, I brought in additional engineering support.
- Navigated a major production blocker: resolved a critical messaging queue breakdown between the web architecture and ML subsystem under tight pre-demo deadlines, organizing focused overtime pairing sessions to ensure a seamless client presentation.
Tools
Jira, Agile / Scrum, Slack, Next.js, React, Python / Machine Learning, Message Queue Architecture.
Outcome
- Successfully delivered the complete Togather product on schedule and executed a flawless client presentation.
- Team members secured entry-level engineering placements at an average package of ~8.5 LPA as freshers.
- Implemented and proved the team-project operational model that is now a standard pillar of the company's curriculum.