The best 17 Product Management books

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1
Product Management Books: Inspired by Marty Cagan

Inspired

Marty Cagan
How To Create Products Customers Love
4.4 (471 ratings)

What's Inspired about?

Inspired describes the best practices of creating successful software products and explains the most common pitfalls and how to avoid them. The lessons are applicable in a range of product environments, from fledgling start-ups to large corporations.

Who should read Inspired?

  • Anyone interested in a behind-the-scenes view of how great software products are created
  • Anyone working or wishing to work in software product management
  • Anyone hoping to build innovative software products

2
Product Management Books: Scrum by Jeff Sutherland

Scrum

Jeff Sutherland
The Art of Doing Twice the Work in Half the Time
4.4 (320 ratings)

What's Scrum about?

Learn all about Scrum, the project management system that has revolutionized the technology industry. This is a uniquely adaptive, flexible system that allows teams to plan realistically and adjust their goals through constant feedback. By using Scrum, your team can improve their productivity (and the final result) without creating needless stress or working longer hours.

Who should read Scrum?

  • Anyone whose business is struggling to make ends meet
  • Anyone who wants to be more productive in less time
  • Anyone who manages a team

3
Product Management Books: Start at the End by Matt Wallaert

Start at the End

Matt Wallaert
How to Build Products That Create Change
4.3 (151 ratings)

What's Start at the End about?

Start at the End (2019) provides a highly practical, step-by-step approach to designing products and services that make an impact on the world. Drawing on behavioral science, the process begins with a simple question: How do we want our potential consumers to act? It then works backward to figure out how to make that vision a reality. 

Who should read Start at the End?

  • Start-up employees looking for a way to shake up their industry’s playing field 
  • Leaders of established companies looking for their next big idea 
  • Entrepreneurs interested in applying behavioral science to their pursuit of business

4
Product Management Books: The Agile Leader by Simon Hayward

The Agile Leader

Simon Hayward
How to Create an Agile Business in the Digital Age
4.4 (216 ratings)

What's The Agile Leader about?

The Agile Leader (2018) explores how leaders can steer traditional organizations in the fast-paced digital world. These blinks show that agile working can help corporate teams to compete with start-ups, and to keep up with ever-changing customer expectations.

Who should read The Agile Leader?

  • Managers hoping to boost their team’s productivity
  • Entrepreneurs looking for a fresh perspective
  • Management consultants seeking new insights

5
Product Management Books: Radical Product Thinking by R. Dutt

Radical Product Thinking

R. Dutt
The New Mindset for Innovating Smarter
4.1 (331 ratings)

What's Radical Product Thinking about?

Radical Product Thinking (2021) lays out a step-by-step approach to developing game-changing products. Taking aim at the iteration-led approaches to product development that have become popular in recent years, it provides an inspiring, vision-driven alternative. 

Who should read Radical Product Thinking?

  • Product developers 
  • Entrepreneurs 
  • Change-makers

6
Product Management Books: The Business of Belonging by David Spinks

The Business of Belonging

David Spinks
How to Build Communities that Grow the Bottom Line
4.5 (86 ratings)

What's The Business of Belonging about?

The Business of Belonging (2021) explores how businesses can harness the power of online communities for the benefit of both themselves and their customers.

Who should read The Business of Belonging?

  • Community professionals seeking to hone their craft
  • Businesspeople who’d like to tap into the power of community
  • Marketeers on the lookout for new approaches

7
Product Management Books: Self-Made Boss by Jackie Reses and Lauren Weinberg

Self-Made Boss

Jackie Reses and Lauren Weinberg
Advice, Hacks, and Lessons from Small Business Owners
4.4 (159 ratings)

What's Self-Made Boss about?

Self-Made Boss (2022) is a practical starter kit for anyone looking to start a small business. It’s packed with advice and case studies looking at small businesses from across the United States, with step-by-step instructions for turning your great idea into a successful business. 

Who should read Self-Made Boss?

  • Small business owners
  • Aspiring entrepreneurs
  • Anyone curious about how brands are built from the ground up

8
Product Management Books: Continuous Discovery Habits  by Teresa Torres

Continuous Discovery Habits

Teresa Torres
Discover Products that Create Customer Value and Business Value
4.2 (264 ratings)

What's Continuous Discovery Habits about?

Continuous Discovery Habits (2021) explores how product managers and designers can keep making a positive impact on their customers’ lives. It explores an optimal decision-making process for product teams, so that they can continue to improve their offerings. 

Who should read Continuous Discovery Habits ?

  • Product managers looking for a new way of working
  • Entrepreneurs seeking a fresh perspective on creativity
  • Product designers

9
Product Management Books: Learning Agile by Andrew Stellman and Jennifer Greene

Learning Agile

Andrew Stellman and Jennifer Greene
Understanding Scrum, XP, Lean, and Kanban
4.4 (316 ratings)

What's Learning Agile about?

Learning Agile (2015) is a no-nonsense guide to an often misunderstood concept – agile. The reason for that misunderstanding is simple: all too often, agile is bandied about as a one-size-fits-all solution to every conceivable organizational difficulty. Longtime agile practitioners Andrew Stellman and Jennifer Greene don’t see it that way. For them, agile is a great tool, but you have to know how – and when and why – to use it. And that starts with getting a grasp on agile’s underlying principles. 

Who should read Learning Agile?

  • Software developers
  • Team leaders 
  • Project managers

10
Product Management Books: The Direct to Consumer Playbook by Mike Stevens

The Direct to Consumer Playbook

Mike Stevens
The Stories and Strategies of the Brands that Wrote the DTC Rules
4.1 (52 ratings)

What's The Direct to Consumer Playbook about?

The Direct to Consumer Playbook (2022) takes a look at how some of the world’s top e-commerce brands got to where they are today. Through a series of inspiring interviews with DTC founders, you’ll discover stories of both failure and success – and be much better placed to build your own DTC company.

Who should read The Direct to Consumer Playbook?

  • Entrepreneurs looking for tips on how to build their own DTC business
  • Founders in need of inspiration on how to move forward
  • Anyone interested in how DTC brands sell their products

11
Product Management Books: Empowered by Marty Cagan with Chris Jones

Empowered

Marty Cagan with Chris Jones
Ordinary People, Extraordinary Products
4.1 (74 ratings)

What's Empowered about?

Empowered (2020) is a written master class that guides ordinary people to create extraordinary products. Discover how to create profitable products that consumers love!

Who should read Empowered?

  • Tech product owners looking to lead with purpose
  • Lovers of influential product designs
  • Anyone curious about how great tech gets made

12
Product Management Books: How Big Things Get Done by Bent Flyvbjerg and Dan Gardner

How Big Things Get Done

Bent Flyvbjerg and Dan Gardner
The Surprising Factors Behind Every Successful Project, from Home Renovations to Space Exploration
4.0 (177 ratings)

What's How Big Things Get Done about?

How Big Things Get Done (2023) explores what it takes to make large-scale projects work. It tackles tough questions like why so many big projects fail, and what makes the ones that succeed stand out from the rest. With real-life success stories as well as cautionary tales, its lessons can be applied to projects of any size, shape, or form. 

Who should read How Big Things Get Done?

  • Project managers looking to hone in their skills
  • Anyone about to embark on a new project or start a new business
  • Fans of Elon Musk wanting to learn how he works his magic

13
Product Management Books: Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara

Unreasonable Hospitality

Will Guidara
The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect
4.4 (321 ratings)

What's Unreasonable Hospitality about?

Unreasonable Hospitality (2022) illustrates how surpassing expectations can take your service-based business to the next level. Through a collection of anecdotes and firsthand experiences, it imparts valuable insights into customer service, as well as employee management.

Who should read Unreasonable Hospitality?

  • Hospitality professionals
  • Anyone in the service industry
  • Business owners and leaders

14
Product Management Books: 12 Months to $1 Million by Ryan Daniel Moran

12 Months to $1 Million

Ryan Daniel Moran
How to Pick a Winning Product, Build a Real Business, and Become a Seven-Figure Entrepreneur
4.0 (249 ratings)

What's 12 Months to $1 Million about?

12 Months to $1 Million (2020) serves as your catalyst for creating a seven-figure business within just a year. By uncovering a mixture of pragmatic strategies and hard-earned wisdom, it places you, the aspiring entrepreneur, in the driving seat. Your journey to financial independence and business success starts here.

Who should read 12 Months to $1 Million?

  • Aspiring entrepreneurs seeking practical strategies for financial independence
  • Existing business owners aiming to scale their ventures
  • Individuals interested in e-commerce and product innovation

15
Product Management Books: The Mythical Man-Month by Frederick P. Brooks

The Mythical Man-Month

Frederick P. Brooks
Essays on Software Engineering
3.8 (40 ratings)

What's The Mythical Man-Month about?

The Mythical Man-Month (1975) invites you into the intriguing world of software development. It stirs the pot of conventional wisdom, and introduces fresh perspectives on team dynamics, project timelines, and the very nature of software complexity. Prepare to see the tech realm with fresh eyes and a renewed perspective.

Who should read The Mythical Man-Month?

  • Software project managers seeking insight
  • Developers navigating team dynamics
  • Tech enthusiasts exploring industry history

16
Product Management Books: The Stakeholder Strategy by Ann Svendsen

The Stakeholder Strategy

Ann Svendsen
Profiting from Collaborative Business Relationships
3.5 (2 ratings)

What's The Stakeholder Strategy about?

The Stakeholder Strategy (1998) provides a business case for building for transitioning from transactional, profit-maximizing models to a "Third Way" approach built on mutually beneficial partnerships across stakeholders. It makes the research-backed case that stakeholder-oriented companies leading with higher purpose outperform rivals in the long run, and offers a framework for building stronger and more impactful stakeholder relationships. 

Who should read The Stakeholder Strategy?

  • Executives wanting a more purpose-driven approach
  • Mission-driven entrepreneurs 
  • Leaders across all business functions

17
Product Management Books: Jobs to Be Done by Stephen Wunker, Jessica Wattman & David Farber

Jobs to Be Done

Stephen Wunker, Jessica Wattman & David Farber
A Roadmap for Customer-Centered Innovation
3.9 (18 ratings)

What's Jobs to Be Done about?

Jobs to Be Done (2016) offers an up-to-date look at one of the most respected strategies for creating sought-after, innovative products. This methodology is laser-focused on customer research and understanding what they need in order to get jobs done.

Who should read Jobs to Be Done?

  • CEOs looking for new ideas
  • Marketing and design fanatics
  • Research and development teams

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