Will Draper

I’m a business student at the University of Michigan who found product management by accident. I first stumbled into it while working on projects like VisionTranslate and Downtown Döner, where I naturally gravitated toward organizing ideas, bridging between design and development, and thinking about what users actually want. But it wasn’t until I joined Athlete Hive that I finally heard the term “Product Manager.” One of the directors introduced himself as a former PM, and suddenly I had a name for the role I had already been stepping into. I led our team through ideation, iteration and execution—and we placed second in our track. More importantly, I realized I had found the kind of work I wanted to do.

 

At the same time, I take notes on paper. I journal with pen, and I own a typewriter—not as a novelty, but because it reminds me what great tools feel like.

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That contradiction, loving analog while building digital, defines my product philosophy. I believe the best digital products are rooted in the qualities that made physical tools timeless: tactility, customization, humility, and aesthetic. A typewriter doesn’t nag you. A notebook doesn’t distract you. These tools let you think, and that’s what good digital products should do too.

 

To me, product management isn’t about cramming in features or chasing trends. It’s about clarity, care, and deep respect for the user’s attention. I want to build things that feel as seamless and satisfying as a well-made analog object—where form and function work together to quietly support the user’s flow.

 

Where does tactility exist in apps? Where is humility in UI? These are the kinds of questions I carry with me as I learn, build, and grow.