In order to become more comfortable with software product management, it is ideal to check out most informative books as additional resources.
Top Software Product Management Books
1. “Software Product Management Essentials” by Alyssa Dver
At the top of the list is “Software Product Management Essentials.” This book is a must read for all product managers in any industry.
We are living in an environment where delivery and efficiency is key, and this book is a guide to help product managers understand the numerous responsibilities and tasks that are involved in the job. It contains tips and examples of practices that will help product managers optimize their effectiveness and time.
This book mostly focuses on the challenges faced by product managers in small and large software companies. It provides a framework to product managers in an environment where resources are limited to help in the many things that are needed for an on time delivery and quality software. Whether you are considering to become a product manager at one time in your life or you are already one, Software Product Management Essentials contains all the information that you will need to succeed in this critical position.
It also contains the day-to-day experience of a product manager with both the many challenges and glory that one faces when in this position. Market personnel, technical writers, engineers, quality assurance teams and anyone else who is involved in the process of product delivery will find this book extremely useful.
2. “Inspired: How to Create Products Customers Love” by Marty Cagan
Why do some of the products make it to greatness while others fail? Creating a successful product should begin with discovering if the product is feasible, usable and valuable. If you fail to do this, then you should not create it.
How do you decide which market opportunity to pursue? How will you know that the product you are about to ask the engineers to develop is going to be successful? How do you identify the possibility of your product being successful? How will you as the product manager manage the conflicting demands of the company executives, sales, marketing, customers, design engineers and more? How do you adapt the agile method of commercial product environments?
Marty Cagan, a product management expert answers all this questions in his book, “Inspired: How to Create Products Customers Love.” He also shares the techniques, best practices and lessons learned from working in the most successful companies in the high technology industry. This book is very helpful and it is recommended to all product managers.
3. “Winning at New Products: Creating Value Through Innovation” by Robert G. Cooper
This book has served as a very important tool to all product developers. In the book, Robert G. Cooper explains why a consistent product development is important to corporate growth and how a product manager can maximize his or her chances of success.
Cooper outlines strategies for making successful business decisions in each step from coming up with the idea to launching the product.
4. “Customer-Centric Product Definition: The Key to Great Product Development” by Sheila Mello
Despite the effort, time and money that is put in the development of a new product, nine out of ten new products still fail within the first two years and other fail to satisfy the intended need. This unique book introduces and explains MDPD ( Market Driven Product Definition), a methodology that is proven for understanding and identifying the value based needs of the customer then turn them into products that will make it in the competitive market.
5. “Product Management” by Donald R. Lehmann
Product Management (the fourth edition) is a book that covers the major tasks and challenges faced by project managers both new and experienced. These include: developing strategies and objectives for the service or product in question, analyzing the market, and making successful decisions on advertising, price, channel of distribution and promotion.
This great book uses a familiar marketing plan and takes a hands on approach towards preparing new product managers to assume this critical position. This helps them to prepare them for the role as well as know what is expected of them once they take up the position.
6. “The Strategy and Tactics of Pricing: A Guide to Growing More Profitably” by Thomas T. Nagle and John Hogan
This book provides a comprehensive, step by step practical guide on strategy development and pricing analysis. It will let you know what to consider before you launch your new product in the market.
7. “Beyond Selling Value” by Mark Shonka, Dan Kosch
This book examines how to increase margins, sell value, win executive level credibility, make price irrelevant as well as create a competitive immunity. Selling value means taking a whole new meaning for professionals in sales. It contains tested processes that managers can use to make sure that the new products succeeds in the large market. It also contains recommended solutions that can be used to improve how customers do their businesses. This is definitely a book I would recommend for those looking to explore software product management.
8. Crossing the Chasm: Marketing and Selling High-Tech Products to Mainstream Customers by Geoffrey A. Moore, Regis McKenna
This is one of the best guides that has created a new game plan for marketing in high technology industries. It has gained a lot of popularity in helping new products make it in the market. This book consists of guidelines that will help any new product manager. It is definitely a must read if you want to make it in this exciting market.
9. Marketing Imagination by Theodore Levitt
This book includes everything that any product manager would need. The author includes detailed accounts on how to achieve the balance between imitation and innovation as well as how one can maximize the life cycle of a new product. The new edition of this book is very imaginative and certainly a must for your software product management book collection.
