Claude Code: Why Even Bother as a PM?
As a PM building crypto and fintech products, Claude Code completely changed my workflow. Here is why it is revolutionary and how I use it.
The Problem: PMs Who Understand Code Have Superpowers
Let's be honest: as a Product Manager, there's a massive gap between having an idea and seeing it work.
You can write perfect PRDs, create beautiful wireframes in Figma, and even convince stakeholders why your feature will change the world. But at the end of the day, you depend on engineers to actually build the thing.
And don't get me wrong—engineers are amazing. But there's something powerful about being able to:
- Prototype ideas quickly without waiting for a sprint
- Understand exactly what's technically possible (and what's not)
- Validate hypotheses with working code, not just mockups
- Speak your dev team's language
This isn't new. The best PMs I've met always knew how to code. But here's the thing: not all of us have the time or desire to sit down and learn React, Next.js, or Python from scratch.
Enter: Claude Code.
What is Claude Code and Why It's Different
Claude Code is basically Claude (Anthropic's AI) but designed specifically for writing code. It's not just a chatbot that gives you random code snippets. It's a tool that:
- Reads your entire codebase and understands context
- Writes, edits, and debugs code directly in your editor
- Executes commands and sees output in real-time
- Uses MCP Servers to connect to your tools (more on this later)
The difference with GitHub Copilot or ChatGPT is brutal:
- Copilot: Smart autocomplete. Great, but doesn't understand full context.
- ChatGPT: Conversational, but you have to copy/paste code manually.
- Claude Code: Understands your project, makes changes directly, runs tests, and debugs. It's like having a senior dev working with you.
How I Use It As a Product Manager (Real Cases)
1. Rapid Feature Prototyping
Scenario: You're evaluating whether to add a push notification system to your crypto app.
Before: You write a PRD, present it in planning, wait two weeks, and maybe the team tells you "this is more complex than you thought."
With Claude Code:
> Build a basic push notification system for my Next.js app using Firebase.
> Show me how it would integrate with our existing user auth.
In 10 minutes you have:
- Complete Firebase setup
- Hook to handle notifications
- UI component to show notifs
- Integration with your user system
Now you can show the working prototype and have a much more informed conversation with engineering.
2. Data Analysis and Metrics
Scenario: You need to analyze user retention but your data analyst is busy with another project.
With Claude Code:
> Connect to our Postgres database and analyze user retention
> cohorts for the last 6 months. Visualize it.
Claude Code:
- Reads your database schema
- Writes the correct SQL queries
- Processes data with Python/Pandas
- Generates charts using Matplotlib or similar
- Gives you actionable insights
What used to take days (or depended on other teams), you now do in 30 minutes.
3. Automating Repetitive Tasks
Scenario: Every week you have to compile a bug report from the last sprint based on Linear/Jira.
With Claude Code + MCP Servers:
> Create a script that pulls all bugs from Linear closed last week,
> categorizes them by severity, and generates a markdown report.
Boom. Automatic script. Next week you just run a command and have your report.
4. Technical Validation of Ideas
Scenario: You want to add a "futures trading" feature to your crypto platform but don't know if it's technically viable with your current stack.
With Claude Code:
> Analyze our current codebase and tell me what would need to change
> to add a futures trading feature. What are the technical risks?
Claude Code reviews your architecture, identifies dependencies, and gives you a detailed technical analysis.
This allows you to make informed product decisions from the start.
MCP Servers: The Game Changer
This is where Claude Code gets really powerful.
MCP (Model Context Protocol) is a standard that allows Claude Code to connect with external tools. This means Claude doesn't just write code—it can interact with your work tools.
Examples of MCP Servers I use:
1. Slack MCP
- Send automatic reports to the product channel
- Analyze team conversation sentiment
2. Linear/Jira MCP
- Create and update tickets from Claude Code
- Analyze team velocity
3. Database MCP (Postgres)
- Direct queries to production (read-only, obviously)
- Real-time data analysis
4. Figma MCP
- Extract specs from designs
- Generate code directly from mockups
The beauty of MCP is that you can create your own servers. If you have an internal API, a custom tool, or any system—you can connect it to Claude Code.
Why It's Revolutionary For PMs
1. Bridges the Gap Between Idea and Execution
As a PM, your job isn't just to think of features—it's to deliver value. Claude Code lets you validate ideas quickly, build prototypes, and make decisions based on real code, not just hypotheses.
2. Makes You More Effective with Your Engineering Team
When you understand the code and can speak in technical terms, conversations with engineers are much more productive. You're not asking for "magic"—you're proposing viable solutions.
3. Allows You to Be More Independent
You don't need to wait for engineering for every small change or analysis. You can move fast, validate, and iterate without blockers.
4. You Learn Programming Practically
The best way to learn programming isn't doing tutorials—it's building real things. With Claude Code, you're learning while solving real problems for your product.
How to Start (Practice, Not Theory)
1. Download Claude Code
- Free at claude.com/claude-code
- Available for Mac, Windows, Linux
2. Start with a Simple Project
- Don't try to refactor your production app on day 1
- Start with something like: "Create a simple landing page for my product"
- Let Claude Code guide you
3. Use it to Prototype a Feature You Have in Mind
- Got an idea? Prototype it.
- Doesn't matter if the code isn't perfect—the goal is to learn and validate
4. Connect Your MCP Servers
- Start with something simple like Slack or a read-only database
- Experiment with automations
5. Iterate and Learn
- Claude Code is your pair programming partner
- Ask it why it does things a certain way
- Use it to learn, not just to generate code
My Real Workflow with Claude Code
This is how I use Claude Code daily as a PM:
Morning (9 AM - 12 PM)
- Review yesterday's metrics using automated scripts
- Analyze user feedback from Slack/Linear
- Prototype features for next sprint
Afternoon (1 PM - 5 PM)
- Work on PRDs but with working prototypes
- Validate technical ideas before taking them to planning
- Automate reports for stakeholders
Night (If I'm Inspired)
- Experiment with new MCP integrations
- Learn new technologies by building side projects
- Contribute to open source (Claude Code does pair programming with me)
What Claude Code Does NOT Replace
Let's be clear: Claude Code doesn't turn you into a senior engineer overnight.
What it DOESN'T do:
- ❌ Replace your engineering team
- ❌ Make complex architecture decisions for you
- ❌ Write production-ready code without review
- ❌ Understand business context better than you
What it DOES do:
- ✅ Accelerate your programming learning
- ✅ Allow you to prototype and validate ideas
- ✅ Automate repetitive tasks
- ✅ Make you more effective as a PM
Final Thought: The Future of Product Management
I believe that in 5 years, being a PM who doesn't know how to use AI tools for development will be like being a PM who doesn't know how to use Figma today.
It doesn't mean all PMs have to be developers. But it does mean the line between "product" and "tech" is blurring—and that's a good thing.
Claude Code isn't just a tool. It's a completely new way of working. It lets you be more creative, faster, and more independent.
If you're a PM reading this, my advice is simple: try it. Download Claude Code, pick a project, and go for it. You don't need to be a developer to start. You just need curiosity and willingness to learn.
I use it every day to build crypto, fintech, and open source products. It completely changed how I work.
And I think it can do the same for you.
Want to talk more about this? Hit me up on Twitter or LinkedIn. I always love chatting with other PMs exploring AI + code.