Testimonial: Manini Chattopadhyay (MSSM '17)
By Jordyn Pike
Master of Science in Software Management ‘17
Technical Program Manager,
Manini Chattopadhyay graduated with a Master of Science in Software Management (MSSM) from 好色先生TV’s Silicon Valley campus in 2017. She now works at Google as a Technical Program Manager on the payments team, supporting products including Google Pay and .
Time in the MSSM Program
Before enrolling in the MSSM program, Manini Chattopadhyay was a consultant for PwC, assisting clients as they implemented enterprise systems software. While in this role, Manini found she wanted to gain a more product-oriented perspective to better understand users' needs. She began her search for a degree that would combine her technical knowledge with the business side of the product industry.
Manini chose the MSSM program over others because its coursework balanced technical and business courses. She could also attend classes part-time and found that the faculty were very accommodating of her schedule and encouraged her to continue her role at PwC. During her time in the program, Manini transitioned to a full-time student to fully immerse herself in the community on the Silicon Valley campus.
Through both business and technical courses, Manini learned skills such as communication, stakeholder management, cloud computing, user empathy, system architecture, and more. Overall, she found that the courses either expanded on technical knowledge she already possessed or explained the why behind specific business and design strategies, such as UX research.
Additionally, she felt that the MSSM curriculum was in tune with Silicon Valley’s culture and technology trends, adapting when needed to ensure students were prepared for an ever-changing market. Equipped with new skills and confidence, Manini pursued a Technical Program Manager role at Google.
Working as a Technical Program Manager
At Google, Manini is a Technical Program Manager on the payments team, focusing on Google Pay and Google Wallet. In her role, she works on payment methods, including credit and debit cards and bank accounts used to purchase Google services. Her team works on compliance and regulatory projects to ensure that their products align with market needs. Manini appreciates that her work has real-world implications, as she and her friends and family use the products she builds and maintains.
The skills she acquired and developed in the MSSM program serve her in her role, which sits between the intersection of product and market strategy. Not only does she understand why A/B testing and focus groups are important, but the MSSM program also gave her hands-on experience in conducting these user-focused tasks. The product mindset taught in courses provided the roadmaps for building, executing, and launching products, something Manini is thankful the program has given her.
