The most recommended product management books

Who picked these books? Meet our 35 experts.

35 authors created a book list connected to product management, and here are their favorite product management books.
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Book cover of Continuous Discovery Habits: Discover Products that Create Customer Value and Business Value

Jeff Gothelf Author Of Forever Employable: How to Stop Looking for Work and Let Your Next Job Find You

From my list on product management from an experienced product manager.

Why am I passionate about this?

Jeff has been a UX designer, team leader and product manager for over 20 years. His work in the field helped define some of the key practices product managers use today. Building a customer-centric practice is key to successful products and services and Jeff has demonstrated that not only in the products and companies he’s helped build but in the writing and thinking he’s contributed to the product managaement community.

Jeff's book list on product management from an experienced product manager

Jeff Gothelf Why did Jeff love this book?

Product discovery is the way in which great product teams learn whether or not they’re building something of value. Teresa has distilled and sharpened this practice into a set of tools and techniques that she delivers in her signature direct style. Must read for all product managers and UX designers.

By Teresa Torres,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Continuous Discovery Habits as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"If you haven't had the good fortune to be coached by a strong leader or product coach, this book can help fill that gap and set you on the path to success."

- Marty Cagan

How do you know that you are making a product or service that your customers want? How do you ensure that you are improving it over time? How do you guarantee that your team is creating value for your customers in a way that creates value for your business?

In this book, you'll learn a structured and sustainable approach to continuous discovery that will help…


Book cover of Small Teaching: Everyday Lessons from the Science of Learning

Jeff Gothelf Author Of Forever Employable: How to Stop Looking for Work and Let Your Next Job Find You

From my list on product management from an experienced product manager.

Why am I passionate about this?

Jeff has been a UX designer, team leader and product manager for over 20 years. His work in the field helped define some of the key practices product managers use today. Building a customer-centric practice is key to successful products and services and Jeff has demonstrated that not only in the products and companies he’s helped build but in the writing and thinking he’s contributed to the product managaement community.

Jeff's book list on product management from an experienced product manager

Jeff Gothelf Why did Jeff love this book?

Perhaps an unusual pick for product managers but this book breaks down how to teach successfully in a world of constant distractions. Think of it as “lean startup for classes.” Product managers are teachers, evangelists, and most of all communicators. Knowing how to break down ideas into pieces your teams and colleagues can digest is critical to your success.

By James M. Lang,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Small Teaching as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Employ cognitive theory in the classroom every day Research into how we learn has opened the door for utilizing cognitive theory to facilitate better student learning. But that's easier said than done. Many books about cognitive theory introduce radical but impractical theories, failing to make the connection to the classroom. In Small Teaching, James Lang presents a strategy for improving student learning with a series of modest but powerful changes that make a big difference many of which can be put into practice in a single class period. These strategies are designed to bridge the chasm between primary research and…


Book cover of Testing Business Ideas: A Field Guide for Rapid Experimentation

Jeff Gothelf Author Of Forever Employable: How to Stop Looking for Work and Let Your Next Job Find You

From my list on product management from an experienced product manager.

Why am I passionate about this?

Jeff has been a UX designer, team leader and product manager for over 20 years. His work in the field helped define some of the key practices product managers use today. Building a customer-centric practice is key to successful products and services and Jeff has demonstrated that not only in the products and companies he’s helped build but in the writing and thinking he’s contributed to the product managaement community.

Jeff's book list on product management from an experienced product manager

Jeff Gothelf Why did Jeff love this book?

David and Alex have written the definitive reference book for product experiments. Forty-four ways for you to learn quickly and efficiently whether you’re building something of value. This book is beautifully illustrated and infinitely practical.

By David J. Bland, Alex Osterwalder,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Testing Business Ideas as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A practical guide to effective business model testing

7 out of 10 new products fail to deliver on expectations. Testing Business Ideas aims to reverse that statistic. In the tradition of Alex Osterwalder's global bestseller Business Model Generation, this practical guide contains a library of hands-on techniques for rapidly testing new business ideas.

Testing Business Ideas explains how systematically testing business ideas dramatically reduces the risk and increases the likelihood of success for any new venture or business project. It builds on the internationally popular Business Model Canvas and Value Proposition Canvas by integrating Assumptions Mapping and other powerful lean…


Book cover of How to Measure Anything Workbook: Finding the Value of "Intangibles" in Business

Gojko Adzic Author Of Impact Mapping: Making a Big Impact with Software Products and Projects

From my list on for new software product managers.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a software developer turned independent software vendor, learning about product management as a way to launch more successful products. I’m a co-founder of MindMup, a popular collaboration tool used by millions of students and schoolchildren worldwide, and Narakeet, an innovative video maker for people who are not video professionals. The books from this list helped me create successful products that users love, and successfully compete with companies that have several orders of magnitude more staff and resources. 

Gojko's book list on for new software product managers

Gojko Adzic Why did Gojko love this book?

Hubbard’s book is a great way to expand and formalize outcome measurements beyond the basics. This book will help you figure out the right ways of measuring. The big idea from How to Measure Anything for me was how it's better to focus on reducing uncertainty instead of being precise. More gems are techniques for modelling the value of information, and different approaches to evaluating outcomes.

Unlike other books, How to Measure Anything isn’t specific to software products, or product management. It’s a book about general business measurements and might be a bit too much math for some people, but skip the boring parts. The thinking models in this book will save you a lot of time and help you measure what’s important, not just what’s easy.  

By Douglas W. Hubbard,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked How to Measure Anything Workbook as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The invaluable companion to the new edition of the bestselling How to Measure Anything This companion workbook to the new edition of the insightful and eloquent How to Measure Anything walks readers through sample problems and exercises in which they can master and apply the methods discussed in the book. The book explains practical methods for measuring a variety of intangibles, including approaches to measuring customer satisfaction, organizational flexibility, technology risk, technology ROI, and other problems in business, government, and not-for-profits. * Companion to the revision of the bestselling How to Measure Anything * Provides chapter-by-chapter exercises * Written by…


Book cover of Competing Against Luck: The Story of Innovation and Customer Choice

Chris Goward Author Of You Should Test That: Conversion Optimization for More Leads, Sales and Profit or the Art and Science of Optimized Marketing

From my list on human behavior and conversion rate optimization.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m the Founder & CEO of Widerfunnel, and the author of You Should Test That!. I launched Widerfunnel as the "anti-agency" with a purpose to prove that evidence-based decisions get the best results. Today, we run the experimentation, conversion rate optimization, qualitative research, and behavioral science programs for companies such as HP, Microsoft, Dollar Shave Club, The Motley Fool, TaylorMade Golf Company, and many more across all industries. I've spoken at over 300 events globally, sharing case studies, planning frameworks, and best practices of leading growth brands.

Chris' book list on human behavior and conversion rate optimization

Chris Goward Why did Chris love this book?

Every company wants to innovate, but it's not always clear how to do that in practice. Competing Against Luck highlights the importance of understanding what "jobs" your customer "hires" your product to do. The ‘Jobs to be Done Theory’ is one of the best frameworks I have seen to drive toward innovation and product-market fit. In the CRO world, we typically think about optimizing experience, but optimizing the product-market fit is equally as important.

By Clayton M. Christensen, Taddy Hall, Karen Dillon , David S. Duncan

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Competing Against Luck as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The foremost authority on innovation and growth presents a path-breaking book every company needs to transform innovation from a game of chance to one in which they develop products and services customers not only want to buy, but are willing to pay premium prices for. How do companies know how to grow? How can they create products that they are sure customers want to buy? Can innovation be more than a game of hit and miss? Harvard Business School professor Clayton Christensen has the answer. A generation ago, Christensen revolutionized business with his groundbreaking theory of disruptive innovation. Now, he…


Book cover of The Ultimate Sales Machine: Turbocharge Your Business with Relentless Focus on 12 Key Strategies

David Jenyns Author Of SYSTEMology: Create time, reduce errors and scale your profits with proven business systems

From my list on business systems and processes for small business owners.

Why am I passionate about this?

After I successfully systemised myself out of my digital agency and brought in a CEO to run it, I became a systems devotee… I founded systemHUB and launched a movement called SYSTEMology to help business owners worldwide achieve freedom from daily operations and scale their business—like I did. My mission now involves supporting certified SYSTEMologists who assist business owners with SYSTEMology implementation, conducting workshops, delivering keynote addresses, hosting the Business Processes Simplified podcast, and nurturing the growing community of SYSTEMologists.

David's book list on business systems and processes for small business owners

David Jenyns Why did David love this book?

I highly recommend The Ultimate Sales Machine for business owners or entrepreneurs looking to simplify their business processes and get their sales game on point.

This book offers practical and universally applicable advice on organisational alignment, time management, and standardisation to increase efficiency and improve sales. What stuck with me was the importance of focusing on the fundamentals that drive thriving sales rather than trying to do too many things at once.

Chet Holmes' material is out-of-the-park great, offering sound and simple business advice to grow your business stronger than ever. Reading this book changed the way I approach sales and marketing, and I reckon anyone who’s keen on business greatness should give it a read.

By Chet Holmes,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Ultimate Sales Machine as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

NEWLY REVISED AND UPDATED

The bestselling business playbook for turbocharging any organization, updated for modern audiences with new and never-before-seen material

Every single day 3,076 businesses shut their doors. But what if you could create the finest, most profitable and best-run version of your business without wasting precious dollars on a thousand different strategies? When The Ultimate Sales Machine first published in 2007, legendary sales expert Chet Holmes gave us the key to do just that. All you need is to focus on twelve key areas of improvement—and practice them over and over with pigheaded discipline.

Now, a decade later,…


Book cover of Team Topologies: Organizing Business and Technology Teams for Fast Flow

João Rosa Author Of Software Architecture Metrics: Case Studies to Improve the Quality of Your Architecture

From my list on a people first approach to technology.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m puzzled by how people and technology evolve—as humankind we created all of these wonders to make our life easier. At the same time, I feel that we are more focus on the technology and processes, rather than people. It drew me to the topic of sociotechnical systems, which fascinates me. I’ve formal education in IT, and everything is binary; however, during my career I was drawn to the intersection of technology and people. My mission in life is to support a new generation of leaders that want to create an organisational environment that puts people in the center! 

João's book list on a people first approach to technology

João Rosa Why did João love this book?

I love pattern languages. And Team Topologies brings patterns for team types and their interactions. Most importantly, they address fundamental problems of the software industry: how teams organise for fast flow, and how teams cope with cognitive load. The book steams from the author's experience in the DevOps community, and it is widely used across the world. Last but not least, Team Topologies give us a language that support organisation evolution.

By Matthew Skelton, Manuel Pais,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Team Topologies as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Companion book Remote Team Interactions Workbook now available!


Effective software teams are essential for any organization to deliver value continuously and sustainably. But how do you build the best team organization for your specific goals, culture, and needs?


Team Topologies is a practical, step-by-step, adaptive model for organizational design and team interaction based on four fundamental team types and three team interaction patterns. It is a model that treats teams as the fundamental means of delivery, where team structures and communication pathways are able to evolve with technological and organizational maturity.


In Team Topologies, IT consultants Matthew Skelton and Manuel…


Book cover of The Phoenix Project: A Novel about IT, DevOps, and Helping Your Business Win

Tanya Janca Author Of Alice and Bob Learn Application Security

From my list on DevSecOps (it is just like DevOps, done securely).

Why am I passionate about this?

I have worked in IT for over 25 years, creating and securing software. I am completely obsessed with ensuring that our software is more reliable, that its integrity can be trusted, and that it keeps our secrets safe. I am not only a computer scientist but an ethical hacker who works hard to create a dialogue between software developers and all of the people who work in our security industry. I am a teacher, a community leader, and a computer nerd who shares messages and lessons wherever she goes.

Tanya's book list on DevSecOps (it is just like DevOps, done securely)

Tanya Janca Why did Tanya love this book?

The Phoenix Project is a storybook about affect fictious company called parts unlimited.

I swear I must have worked at this company at some point in my career, it feels so familiar! It follows a story of an organization that used waterfall in order to make software and all the problems that happened from using this very old software development methodology.

Throughout the story they ‘discover’ how to do DevOps, slowly improving all of their process is until they have a smooth-oiled software creation machine. This includes many stories about security and why the old ways of doing information security just don't work within a DevOps environment.

The characters in this book are both lovable, and relatable. I would never have thought a fictitious story about an IT department could be so fun to read!

By Gene Kim, Kevin Behr, George Spafford

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Phoenix Project as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

***Over a half-million sold! And available now, the Wall Street Journal Bestselling sequel The Unicorn Project***

"Every person involved in a failed IT project should be forced to read this book."-TIM O'REILLY, Founder & CEO of O'Reilly Media

"The Phoenix Project is a must read for business and IT executives who are struggling with the growing complexity of IT."-JIM WHITEHURST, President and CEO, Red Hat, Inc.

Five years after this sleeper hit took on the world of IT and flipped it on it's head, the 5th Anniversary Edition of The Phoenix Project continues to guide IT in the DevOps revolution.…


Book cover of The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement

Steve Fenton Author Of Web Operations Dashboards, Monitoring, & Alerting

From my list on DevOps from before DevOps was invented.

Why am I passionate about this?

I'm a programmer and technical author at Octopus Deploy and I'm deeply interested in DevOps. Since the 1950s, people have been studying software delivery in search of better ways of working. We’ve seen many revolutions since Lincoln Labs first introduced us to phased delivery, with lightweight methods transforming how we wrote software at the turn of the century. My interest in DevOps goes beyond my enthusiasm for methods in general, because we now have a great body of research that adds to our empirical observations on the ways we work.

Steve's book list on DevOps from before DevOps was invented

Steve Fenton Why did Steve love this book?

I was a long-time skeptic about the business novel format, but The Goal changed my mind.

In this book, Goldratt presents concepts like Theory of Constraints with a business thriller (seriously). You get to live the same aha moments as the protagonist, Alex Rogo, as he encounters the pipe-smoking philosopher Jonah.

The setting may be a factory, but you’ll find many parallels to your DevOps work in this book.

By Eliyahu M. Goldratt, Jeffrey Cox,

Why should I read it?

4 authors picked The Goal as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

*A Graphic Novel version of this title is now available: "The Goal: A Business Graphic Novel"

30th Anniversary Edition. Written in a fast-paced thriller style, The Goal, a gripping novel, is transforming management thinking throughout the world. It is a book to recommend to your friends in industry - even to your bosses - but not to your competitors. Alex Rogo is a harried plant manager working ever more desperately to try improve performance. His factory is rapidly heading for disaster. So is his marriage. He has ninety days to save his plant - or it will be closed by…


Book cover of The Procurement Value Proposition: The Rise of Supply Management

Kate Vitasek Author Of Strategic Sourcing in the New Economy: Harnessing the Potential of Sourcing Business Models for Modern Procurement

From my list on strategic sourcing.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am an international authority for my award-winning research on the Vested® business model for highly collaborative relationships. I began my research in 2003 by studying what makes the difference in successful strategic business deals. My day job is the lead faculty and researcher for the University of Tennessee’s Certified Deal Architect program; my passion is helping organizations and individuals learn the art, science, and practice of crafting highly collaborative win-win strategic business relationships. My work has led to seven books and three Harvard Business Review articles and I’ve shared my advice on CNN International, Bloomberg, NPR, and Fox Business News.

Kate's book list on strategic sourcing

Kate Vitasek Why did Kate love this book?

The authors view procurement transformation as a continual transformation evolving to meet dynamic economic, political, and supply chain requirements. I fully support Chick and Handfield’s premise that raw power will be replaced with collaboration. “Collaboration is the new way,” they assert, adding. “The old adversarial posture of procurement is as outmoded as it is inappropriate.” Chick and Handfield call for a clear break between older or past-generation procurement practices and those of today. In short, they argue that everything done and learned in the past will not be useful in the dawn of procurement’s new value proposition, where the goal for all parties is value, not just lowest cost pricing.

By Gerard Chick, Robert Handfield,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Procurement Value Proposition as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

WINNER: ACA-Bruel 2015 - Grand Prix Businesses are going through rapid change due to an increased focus on sustainability and corporate responsibility, technological advances, geo-political and macro-economic change, and demographic shifts. If purchasing and supply chain managers are to embrace these challenges they must develop new ways of thinking about supply structures and processes as well as new skills and competencies. The Procurement Value Proposition examines these important changes that will have a profound effect on the way future procurement is carried out. It considers the implications of global economic transformation for procurement set against: changes in business contexts, purchasing…