As a product manager, it’s important to constantly learn and improve your skills in order to lead your team and drive success for your product. Here are the top 5 books that every product manager should consider reading:
- “Inspired: How to Create Products Customers Love” by Marty Cagan This book is a comprehensive guide on how to approach product development and offers valuable insights into the product management process. Cagan emphasizes the importance of understanding the customer and creating a strong vision for the product, while also delving into the practical aspects of product development such as road mapping and agile development.
- “The Lean Startup: How Today’s Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses” by Eric Ries The Lean Startup provides a framework for rapidly testing and iterating on product ideas, with the goal of achieving product-market fit as quickly as possible. Ries argues that traditional approaches to product development can be slow and inefficient, and offers a data-driven approach to product management that can help teams build better products faster.
- “Cracking the PM Interview: How to Land a Product Manager Job in Technology” by Gayle McDowell This book is a must-read for anyone looking to break into product management, as it provides a comprehensive overview of the skills and qualities that top product managers possess, and offers practical advice on how to showcase your skills during the interview process. McDowell draws on her extensive experience as a product manager and hiring manager to provide a wealth of insights and tips.
- “Don’t Make Me Think: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability” by Steve Krug As product managers, it’s important to understand the principles of good user experience and how to design products that are intuitive and easy to use. Don’t Make Me Think is a classic in the field of web usability, and provides a practical, common-sense approach to designing effective user experiences.
- “The Mom Test: How to talk to customers & learn if your business is a good idea when everyone is lying to you” by Rob Fitzpatrick This book focuses on the importance of talking to customers in order to validate product ideas and make informed decisions about product development. Fitzpatrick argues that traditional methods of market research, such as surveys and focus groups, are often unreliable, and provide a simple framework for having meaningful conversations with customers that can help you understand their needs and desires.
By reading these books, product managers can gain a deeper understanding of the skills and mindsets needed to be successful in their roles and develop a broader perspective on product development that can help them drive results for their team and company.
Bonus!
- “Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us” by Daniel H. Pink This book explores the science behind motivation and provides a new perspective on what truly drives us to achieve our goals. As a product manager, it’s important to understand what motivates your team and how to create a work environment that inspires creativity and innovation. Pink’s insights can help product managers create a culture that fosters collaboration, creativity, and productivity, and drive success for both the team and the product.
In conclusion, these books offer a wealth of knowledge and practical insights that can help product managers develop their skills and drive success for their products. Whether you’re new to the field or a seasoned pro, these books are a valuable resource that can help you grow as a product manager and lead your team to success.