Installing Docker as a Product Manager: From “Out of Scope” to “I Should Try This”
For a long time, Docker lived in the same mental bucket as DevOps, infrastructure, and things PMs don’t really need to touch.
I heard it constantly in engineering conversations.
I nodded.
I moved on.
Recently, I decided to change that—not to become technical, but to understand what I was missing by staying abstract.
This post is a learning journal for Product Managers who:
hear “Docker” often
feel it’s out of scope
but suspect that avoiding it creates blind spots
Why I Installed Docker (as a PM) (At Least Once)
I didn’t install Docker to learn commands or container internals.
I installed it to:
understand setup friction
follow technical conversations with context
create a base for experimenting with AI tools and workflows
In short: I wanted first-hand exposure, not mastery.
The Blind Spots I Didn’t Expect
Here’s what genuinely confused me during setup—not technically, but product-wise.
1. Docker Desktop wasn’t in the Ubuntu App Store
My first instinct was simple: search the app store.
It wasn’t there.
PM realization:
I subconsciously assume important products are discoverable by default.
They aren’t—especially when the primary user is a builder, not a casual user.
How I addressed it:
I searched Google, read Reddit threads, and used Perplexity to understand why this was the case and what the intended install path actually was.
2. Docker had two versions: CLI and Desktop
At first, this felt unnecessary.
Why two Dockers?
PM realization:
This wasn’t fragmentation—it was intentional abstraction for different users.
How I addressed it:
I chose Docker Desktop first because I’m a GUI-oriented learner.
My goal was to understand what Docker does, not memorize commands on day one.
CLI can come later. Lowering the learning curve mattered more.
3. Installation wasn’t “download and click”
To install Docker Desktop, I had to:
download a
.debfile (from GitHub)open the terminal
run a command to install it
PM realization:
“Easy to install” is relative to the target user.
Docker assumes comfort with terminals—not onboarding tutorials.
How I addressed it:
I didn’t try to understand every command.
I used Perplexity with clear prompts, copied the commands, and focused on getting things to work, not going deep.
That was a conscious PM decision.
4. Permissions blocked me after installation
Even after installing Docker Desktop, I hit permission issues.
Nothing was broken.
Nothing was “wrong.”
It just… didn’t work yet.
PM realization:
Time-to-value isn’t just about features.
It’s about trust during friction-heavy moments.
How I addressed it:
Reddit threads + Perplexity again.
I followed instructions without over-optimizing for understanding.
As a PM, I wasn’t trying to master permissions—I was trying to unblock myself.
What Changed for Me (Before vs After)
Before:
Docker felt like infra-only territory
Setup friction was invisible to me
“It works on my machine” sounded like a joke
After:
I understand where friction actually lives
I can follow Docker-related discussions meaningfully
I see why abstraction and tooling matter so much to adoption
Most importantly:
Docker no longer feels out of scope.
It feels approachable.
Why This Became the Foundation of My AI Product Lab
This Docker setup is now my base layer for:
testing n8n automations
running AI models and prompt workflows
breaking things safely
experimenting without demos or SaaS shortcuts
I’m not doing this to be technical.
I’m doing it because owning the environment reveals product truths you never see from the outside.
Steps I followed to Installed Docker Desktop (GUI) ⏳
Final Thought for Fellow PMs
You don’t need to master Docker.
You don’t need to learn DevOps.
You don’t even need to understand every command you run.
But touching the setup once changes how you think forever.
What feels out of scope often isn’t.
It’s just unfamiliar
And familiarity starts with trying.
What’s Next
I’ll be documenting:
what works
what breaks
and what PMs usually miss when tools live “below the product surface”
If you’re a PM curious about AI, automation, or developer tools—this is where my learning starts.
🚀 If you found this useful, don’t forget to share it with fellow product enthusiasts!
