Creating a product that really helps people and practically sells itself is tough to pull off.
No matter your skill level, there’s always room to improve. Even for the most experienced product managers, each day comes with new learning opportunities.
Despite all the information online, nothing quite matches the wisdom you find in a great book. Learning from the experiences of those who have been through it before.
We’ve compiled a list of awesome books to help you bump your product management skills to the next level. These books provide insights, strategies, and substantial advice for the real, hard-hitting world of product management.
Let’s look at them.
10 Best Product Management Books For Product Managers In 2024
- Top 10 Product Management Books For Product Managers
- Books about Product Management
- 1. Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products by Nir Eyal
- 2. Inspired: How to Create Tech Products Customers Love by Marty Cagan
- 3. Escaping the Build Trap: How Effective Product Management Creates Real Value by Melissa Perri
- 4. Product-Led Growth: How to Build a Product That Sells Itself by Wes Bush
- 5. Crossing the Chasm: Marketing and Selling Technology Projects to Mainstream Customers by Geoffrey A. Moore
- Inspirational Books for Product Managers
- Books about Product Management
- Product Management with ClickUp
- Take Your Effectiveness to New Heights
Summarize this article for me pleaseTop 10 Product Management Books For Product Managers
Books about Product Management
1. Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products by Nir Eyal
About the book
- Author: Nir Eyal
- Year published: 2013
- Estimated reading time: 7.1 hours
- Recommended level: Beginner
- No. of pages: 256
- Ratings:
- 4.1/5 (Goodreads)
- 4.5/5 (Amazon)
According to Nir Eyal, marketing alone is insufficient to create a successful business like Google or Facebook. For that, you must make sure your products form a part of the daily lives of people.
The idea is to get them so hooked that using your product is the first thing they want under certain circumstances.
There is a 4-step hook model that runs in a loop.
- Trigger
- Action
- Variable reward
- Investment
Nir carefully explains how an emotion creates an action when triggered externally or internally. This is when you would want people to use your product. The Hook Model helps companies to encourage customer behavior without expensive marketing campaigns.
Subsequently, it must induce dopamine production, making users love what they use. When this happens, they willingly invest their time, money, effort, or social capital into your business, automatically increasing the business value.
Nir has used frameworks like Manipulation Matrix and Habit Testing Process for managing products and developing ideas that help hook people to your product.
Hooked key takeaways
- Once your product is ready, use Habit Testing to reveal dedicated users and identify which product features might create habits
- Paying close attention to your own actions can spark fresh insights and opportunities to build habit-forming products and create real value
- Break unwanted habits in your customers by modifying triggers, actions, rewards, or investments for the sustainable growth of your business
What readers say
“This book was an excellent career development read. So much important information about the role of the Product Manager in the tech industry. The author is a clear expert on the topics presented in the book. Easy to read with real-world examples with top tech products and companies. Definitely recommend for anyone aspiring to be a part of a product team.”
2. Inspired: How to Create Tech Products Customers Love by Marty Cagan
About the book
- Author: Marty Cagan
- No. of pages: 368
- Year published: 2008
- Estimated reading time: 10.2 hours
- Recommended level: Beginner
- Ratings:
- 4.24/5 (Goodreads)
- 4.6/5 (Amazon)
Marty Cagan is a Silicon Valley Product Group partner and a former executive at eBay, AOL, and Netscape. His book Inspired offers insights on creating customer-centric products with practical advice and real-world examples for product leaders.
Marty covers topics such as understanding customer needs, product vision, effective teamwork, and the principles of successful product management. He also discusses agile methodologies like iterative development and responsiveness to change for better product development.
The first edition of Inspired was published more than a decade ago.
The author highlights problems with the usual way most teams work on developing products.
He says real products are about outcomes. He explained how effective product management teams deal with risk, define the product collaboratively, and provide solutions to underlying problems for better results.
Inspired key takeaways
- Data should inform, not dictate. Use data to guide decisions but balance it with intuition and qualitative insights
- Make sure your ideas work by trying them out with real customers in the project management world.
- It’s a practical guide that encourages a mindset of continuous discovery, experimentation, and learning throughout the product development process
What readers say
“Loved every bit of it! The content, the delivery, and the truth behind it. Absolute must buy for any product people !!”
3. Escaping the Build Trap: How Effective Product Management Creates Real Value by Melissa Perri
About the book
- Author: Melissa Perri
- No. of pages: 197
- Year published: 2018
- Estimated reading time: 5.5 hours
- Recommended level: Beginner-intermediate
- Ratings:
- 4.31/5 (Goodreads)
- 4.6/5 (Amazon)
Melissa Perri explains how creating customer-centric products prevents companies from falling into the ‘build trap’.
She says you don’t need more features or a better schedule to tick off that to-do list. Instead, focus on laying a strong foundation by understanding how to communicate and collaborate within a company structure.
According to Melissa, product managers are responsible for understanding customers’ problems, wants, and needs. She emphasizes the roles and responsibilities of a product manager.
To shape what a good product manager is, Melissa juxtaposes it against the characteristics of a bad one.
Escaping the Build Trap key takeaways
- Product teams should balance speed with strategic thinking to avoid the ‘build trap’
- Prioritize creating products that genuinely add value
- Create a constant feedback loop with customers to ensure the product remains relevant
What readers say
“As an expiring product manager currently working in program management at Amazon this book gave me great perspective helping me change my mindset of output vs outcome.”
4. Product-Led Growth: How to Build a Product That Sells Itself by Wes Bush
About the book
- Author: Wes Bush
- No. of pages: 278
- Year published: 2019
- Estimated reading time: 7.8 hours
- Recommended level: Intermediate
- Ratings:
- 4.12/5 (Goodreads)
- 4.4/5 (Amazon)
Wes Bush focuses on creating product strategies that reshape companies’ traditional product development and sales approaches.
The book discusses product-led growth, where the product becomes the primary sales driver. He shares actionable insights for building products that meet user needs and market themselves.
It’s a smart approach that saves money and the effort required to market the product.
Wes also discusses the MOAT framework:
- Market strategy
- Ocean conditions
- Audience
- Time-to-value
He says a free trial or a freemium is a great business strategy to market your product. People can use the product for free; if they like it, they will happily pay for it.
Product-Led Growth key takeaways
- Use freemium models to attract customers
- Design your product to encourage sharing and bring in new users organically for business success
- Design and build products with a focus on people’s needs and experiences
What readers say
“If you run a SaaS company, whether B2C or B2B, then take a step back and read this book. The tactics seem so obvious after learning them but they’re weaved in such a way that is inspiring and action-inducing. Stop reading reviews and buy it now”
5. Crossing the Chasm: Marketing and Selling Technology Projects to Mainstream Customers by Geoffrey A. Moore
About the book
- Author: Geoffrey A. Moore
- No. of pages: 227
- Year published: 2006
- Estimated reading time: 8.1 hours
- Recommended level: Intermediate
- Ratings:
- 4.01/5 (Goodreads)
- 4.3/5 (Amazon)
Published in 2006, Crossing the Chasm is an interesting book that includes a comprehensive guide on smart marketing and flexibility in light of change.
In this book, Moore talks about a chasm, the transition point of new technology products. It’s a gap representing the challenge of moving from early adopters (people who like to try new technology) to larger and more mainstream customers.
According to the author, the adoption process of new technology happens in 5 stages:
- Technology enthusiasts: Those who want the latest technology before anybody else
- Visionaries: Those who desire the competitive advantage new technologies launched by tech companies will provide
- Pragmatists: The ones who are not looking for big changes. Pragmatists make extremely loyal customers for tech companies, which is why it is essential to win their approval
- Conservatives: Those who are suspicious of high technology tech companies provide and prefer simple, high-quality, low-cost products without hassle
- Skeptics: They consist of a small high-tech resistant group. Skeptics can be used to provide valuable feedback on how your product is failing to meet their expectations
Crossing the Chasm key takeaways
- Present your tech as the market leader, ready to make a difference for your customers
- Your product should be a complete solution, not just a patch-up job
- Develop clear messages to understand the specific concerns of your target customers
What readers say
“This book was mentioned a couple of times by Seth Godin, and I now know why this book is important. Containing big behavioral framework and tactical move to win and retain customer, this book will equip you to be a great marketer”
Inspirational Books for Product Managers
6. The Influential Product Manager by Ken Sandy
About the book
- Author: Ken Sandy
- No. of pages: 384
- Year published: 2020
- Estimated reading time: 10.7 hours
- Recommended level: Beginner
- Ratings:
- 4.17/5 (Goodreads)
- 4.6/5 (Amazon)
The Influential Product Manager is a friendly guide filled with practical tips and strategies that help product managers make a real difference in their companies.
In this book, Ken argues that the most important factors in business are building focus and impact. He emphasizes the value of feedback and its role in improving overall product quality.
Ken discusses the importance of building strong partnerships between product managers and other departments. He uses his practical experience to help product managers become effective organizational leaders and create successful products for their target market.
The Influential Product Manager’s key takeaways
- Communicate your product vision and strategy to stakeholders and team members
- Value Customer feedback to continuously improve your product
- Create a plan for structuring your career growth
What readers say
“In real time, no one reports directly to the product managers. By influencing only we can collaborate and deliver a high-quality product. This book gave great insights on how to lead the product team and launch the technology products.”
7. Decode and Conquer by Lewis C. Lin
About the book
- Author: Lewis C. Lin
- No. of pages: 216
- Year published: 2022
- Estimated reading time: 6 hours
- Recommended level: Beginner
- Ratings:
- 4.08/5 (Goodreads)
- 4.4/5 (Amazon)
Decode and Conquer is for you if you’re looking for ways to crack product manager interviews. The book discusses practical dos and don’ts to remember during your interview.
The author emphasizes the importance of understanding and mastering the interview process using some real-world scenarios so that you understand theoretical concepts and gain the confidence and skills needed to excel in the competitive product management world.
Think of this book as a product management toolkit. The author begins by providing a solid introduction to product management philosophies and interview approaches using custom frameworks. He also decodes what interviewers are looking for, why they’re looking for it, and how to prepare yourself to deliver it.
Decode and Conquer key takeaways
- STAR (Situation, Task, Action, and Result) method is a great product-market fit to create customer-centric products
- Aspiring product managers should brush up on their technical skills–algorithms and data structures–to do well in technical interviews
- Talk to professionals in your industry of interest to learn about companies and job opportunities
What readers say
“I bought this book to prepare for interviews for competitive Associate Product Manager roles for new grads. Ultimately, I received an offer that I definitely would not have gotten without Decode & Conquer.”
8. Start at the End: How to Build Products That Create Change by Matt Wallaert
About the book
- Author: Matt Wallaert
- No. of pages: 256
- Year published: 2019
- Estimated reading time: 7.1 hours
- Recommended Level: Intermediate
- Ratings:
- 3.86/5 (Goodreads)
- 4.4/5 (Amazon)
In his Book Start at the End, Matt Wallaert posits that product development is not just about making more money–it’s about finding ways to change people’s behavior. It may sound a little poetic, but it’s true.
One of the things Wallaert suggests is to ask yourself questions like “What reality are we trying to create?”
He breaks the answer to this into five different components:
- Behavior: Pinpoint the behavior you are trying to promote with your product
- Population: Identify the population whose behavior you wish to change
- Motivation: Find the motivation behind the behavior you are trying to promote
- Identifying limitations and pre-conditions: Consider the possible obstacles that may come your way while creating this product
- Defining the data: Define the data by which you will measure the pros and cons of promoting your ideal behavior
When you add this thinking into your product strategy, the outcome is bound to create impact.
Start at the End key takeaways
- Clearly define the product strategy and what you want to achieve before you start building
- Experienced product managers aim for sustained and meaningful change by building products with a long-term perspective
- Do an ethical check on the behavior you are trying to promote
What readers say
“Wallaert is masterful at breaking down a complex topic into bite-sized concepts punctuated with humor and intriguing examples from well-known companies. A great read for anyone in learning more about behavioral science. JE”
9. Trailblazing Women in Product Management by Mira Wooten
About the book
- Author: Mira Wooten
- No. of pages: 56
- Year published: 2021
- Estimated reading time: 1.6 hours
- Recommended Level: All levels
- Ratings:
- No reviews available
Like in every other industry, women have had to prove their worth in product management.
In this eBook, 280 Group highlights the answers to seven interview questions to help you understand how these trailblazers broke into their careers and what valuable lessons they learned along the way.
Each of these 20 women gives their advice to young women who aspire to be product managers. The author encourages more women to pursue this career with the confidence that they can succeed.
The book has stories of successful women to admire and be inspired by. So, if you’re a woman interested in tech or considering joining product management, this book is great!
Trailblazing Women in Product Management key takeaways
- Stop apologizing and ask for what you want
- Find a mentor to gain product management skills and be a good listener
- Get creative and don’t be afraid to take risks
What readers say
No reviews available online
10. Dare to Lead by Dr. Brené Brown
About the book
- Author: Dr. Brené Brown
- No. of pages: 256
- Year published: 2019
- Estimated reading time: 7.1 hours
- Recommended level: Beginner to intermediate
- Ratings:
- 4.18/5 (Goodreads)
- 4.7/5 (Amazon)
Dare to Lead by Dr. Brené Brown challenges the stereotypical image of a boss, aka a leader. Brown says empathy is one of the most important leadership qualities required to run a business or lead a group of people. You have to know compassion and accept vulnerability.
Have authority, but allow yourself to feel human emotions. As a boss, you don’t have to be cold and distant.
Always remember that emotions don’t make you less efficient or less productive. You must let your guard down to create meaningful connections with the people you work with.
Dare to Lead key takeaways
- See failure as a chance to learn and improve, not as a measure of self-worth
- Understand and connect with others. Empathy is a powerful leadership tool
- Leaders empower others by acknowledging their strengths, fostering creativity, and encouraging innovation
What readers say
“If you are one of those who say “I can not show weakness, love or I need to have all the answers” this book is for you. If you want to create a better company culture, this book is for you.”
Summarize this article for me pleaseProduct Management with ClickUp
ClickUp product management has all the tools you need to plan, execute, and manage product development projects efficiently. Gantt Charts, Dashboards, Mind Maps, and Notepads are some of the features that will empower you to work the way that suits you best.
It also provides a variety of views and organizational features. Here’s how to leverage ClickUp for each phase:
Launch Planning: Carry out detailed planning by breaking down tasks into subtasks to prioritize what’s important. Add specific launch details, such as the launch phase, task owner, or dependencies to create product roadmaps. ClickUp project management tools will assist you with each phase of the product lifecycle.
Development: Set up Kanban boards to manage the development workflow. Explore ClickUp product management templates to build great processes and construct a reliable roadmap for your product.
Prototyping: With ClickUp, attach product design files, prototypes, and wireframes directly to tasks for easy access. Design views and boards help you manage prototyping and product design tasks. Prototyping is a smart step in building things because it helps catch mistakes early, saves money, and ensures everyone involved understands the final product.
Product Marketing: Set marketing goals and track key results within ClickUp. Dashboards help monitor marketing performance and key metrics. Use product management KPIs and metrics track deadlines and gather feedback from team members and stakeholders. Making it easier for product marketing teams to track and respond to competitor’s moves.
Collaborating using the ClickUp Whiteboard will turn your team’s thoughts into organized plans. Automate repetitive tasks and functions with ClickUp AI. This will save a lot of your time and energy.
Summarize this article for me pleaseTake Your Effectiveness to New Heights
And that’s it! These are the top 10 best product management books to guide your product manager journey. In the words of Dr. Seuss, “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”
There’s a lot to learn from these wisdom-packed books. What’s more important is to implement this knowledge into the real world.
It’s not just about understanding the principles but successfully executing them into reliable products. For that, you may need a professional hand by your side.
Use ClickUp to practice what you have learned so far and take control of your product management process!
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