Navigating the world of product management can be both challenging and rewarding. To help aspiring product managers gain the essential knowledge and skills needed for success, I here have curated a list of five must-read books, presented in a recommended reading order to build a strong foundation. The links are no affiliate links directly to Amazon – but simply setup to help you getting the right book immediately. If possible, support your local book dealer.
TOP1. Inspired: How To Create Products Customers Love by Marty Cagan
Summary: “Inspired” is a cornerstone read for anyone involved in product development. Marty Cagan provides invaluable insights into creating products that resonate with customers, covering everything from crafting a compelling product vision to building a high-performing product team. The book is rich with real-world examples from leading tech companies, making it a practical guide for aspiring product managers who want to understand what it takes to build successful products.
About the Author: Marty Cagan is a partner at Silicon Valley Product Group, leveraging his decades of experience in the tech industry, including key roles at eBay and Netscape. He is renowned for his expertise in product management and has mentored numerous companies in refining their product development processes.
Why it is on the list? Marty’s books are in many ways state of the art when it comes to successful product management. The ideas provided very much are in sync with the successful methods used by Silicon Valley giant like Apple, Google and Amazon. Marty draws on his own experience of working in a wide variety of tech companies as well as the teachings of ‘Trillion Dollar Coach’ Bill Campbell, who has already supported greats such as Steve Jobs (Apple) and Sergey Brin (Google).
TOP2. Product Mastery: From Good to Great Product Ownership by Geoff Watts
Summary: “Product Mastery” focuses on elevating product ownership skills from competent to exceptional. Geoff Watts explores practical strategies for effective prioritization, stakeholder management, and the nuanced art of decision-making. The book provides actionable guidance for overcoming common challenges in product management, making it a valuable resource for those looking to refine their approach and achieve mastery.
About the Author: Geoff Watts is an agile coach, author, and speaker known for his work in advancing agile practices and product ownership. He emphasizes the importance of personal development and self-awareness in leadership, blending practical advice with a focus on the human side of product management.
Why it is on the list? Although the focus of the book is absolutely on Scrum product ownership, aspiring product managers can learn a lot from ‘Product Mastery’. In addition to a strong sense of responsibility, the most important core competencies of a PM are to be courageous, flexible and a pillar of empowerment for their team. Product Mastery provides insights into all of this.
TOP3. Product Management’s Sacred 7: The Skills and Tools to Get You from PM to VP by Parth Detroja, Neel Mehta, and Adi Agashe
Summary: This book outlines the seven essential skills every product manager needs to develop to progress in their career, from understanding customer needs to mastering technical fluency and business acumen. “Product Management’s Sacred 7” offers insights into the tools and techniques that distinguish high-performing product managers, providing a roadmap for those aiming to advance to senior roles.
About the Authors: Parth Detroja, Neel Mehta, and Adi Agashe bring together their diverse experiences from working at leading tech companies like Facebook, Google, and Microsoft. Their combined expertise offers readers a comprehensive view of the skills required to excel in product management.
Why is it on the list? Even if the core requirements are similar, a product manager requires a much broader field of expertise than a product owner or a project manager. Product managers need to understand the business of their customers as well as their own. The aim is to create products that maximize the success of both the customer and their own company. ‘Product Manager’s Sacred Seven’ goes into detail on the seven most important pillars of knowledge for PMs.
TOP4. Working Backwards: Insights, Stories, and Secrets from Inside Amazon by Colin Bryar and Bill Carr
Summary: “Working Backwards” provides a behind-the-scenes look at Amazon’s unique approach to product development and leadership. The book covers key strategies, such as the “Working Backwards” process, which emphasizes starting with the customer and developing products based on their needs. It includes insights from Amazon’s meteoric rise, offering practical lessons on innovation and decision-making.
About the Authors: Colin Bryar and Bill Carr are former Amazon executives who played instrumental roles in shaping the company’s operations. Bryar served as Jeff Bezos’s technical advisor, while Carr was Vice President of Digital Media. Their insider knowledge provides a detailed view of Amazon’s strategies and culture.
Why it is on the list? ‘Working Backwards’ impressively describes how agile product management works in one of – if not the – largest eCommerce companies in the world. There is rarely another company that has made customer centricity a part of its corporate mission as the giant from Seattle. In addition to the strategic direction, product managers can learn how proven methods were used for some of Amazon’s most popular products and services. It becomes clear that a good toolset helps for both physical and digital products.
TOP5. Business Model Generation: A Handbook for Visionaries, Game Changers, and Challengers by Alexander Osterwalder and Yves Pigneur
Summary: “Business Model Generation” introduces the Business Model Canvas, a powerful tool for visualizing, designing, and iterating on business models. The book is a blend of theory and practice, offering case studies, visual frameworks, and exercises that help product managers develop innovative business strategies. It’s an essential read for understanding the broader business context of product management.
About the Authors: Alexander Osterwalder is a leading entrepreneur, speaker, and business theorist, known for his work on business model innovation. Yves Pigneur is a professor of management and information systems who has collaborated extensively with Osterwalder. Together, they have developed tools that are widely used by companies worldwide.
Why is it on the list? What is the value proposition of your product? Do you know the customer pain? How do you achieve a product market fit? If you can’t answer these questions straight away, ‘Business Model Generation’ is the best way to get a better understanding of the business side of your product – and to plan products that have a real focus on customers.
Conclusion
In my opinion, these five books collectively provide a comprehensive guide to the world of product management, from creating products that customers love to mastering the skills necessary for career advancement. By exploring these essential reads, aspiring product managers can gain the insights and strategies needed to succeed in this exciting and evolving field. Let me know when these tips were helpful for you and your career or if you have some additional literature that has helped you the most.
Aye Stephen is an accomplished Product Manager and currently Chief Product Officer at one of Europe’s leading eCommerce ERP solutions. With a strong background in product management and leadership coming from 20 years experience, he is an expert in building high performing product teams in agile environments and organizational change management. Stephen holds an MBA from Goethe Business School Frankfurt and an M.A. in American Studies/Media Science from Philipps University Marburg.
Leave a Reply