Recommendation for [software-based] Product Management books/resources

Question

What books or online resource would you recommend for learning the ins and outs of Product Management in a software company?

Answer 1

• A good product manager should know the company's business domain cold.
  • Such that when it comes time to estimate the ROI of Feature 'X' vs. Feature 'Y', the product manager will be able to make an intelligent decision.

• Recommended Books: Will be domain-specific.

• A product manager should also have an aptitude for software usability.

  • Recommended Books: Don't Make Me Think by Steve Krug, Rocket Surgery Made Easy by Steve Krug

Some larger companies build a wall between software project management and software product management. But in smaller companies, the two are more closely intertwined.

Regardless, I think that a product manager should appreciate the project management challenges that are unique to building software.

So I'll recommend six:

1. Rapid Development by Steve McConnell
2. Software Project Survival Guide by Steve McConnell
3. Software Estimation: DeMystifying the Black Art by Steve McConnell
4. Software Requirements by Karl Wiegers
5. The Mythical Man-Month by Frederick Brooks
6. The Psychology of Computer Programming: Silver Anniversary Edition by Gerald Weinberg

Answer 2

You were recommended a nice list of well-respected software project management books, but none of specifically product management books. I tend to agree that in small companies boundaries between product and project management are usually blurred. This, however, means more work for the person who plays both roles. Therefore, good understanding of the product management tasks and responsibilities is important.

I will divide my recommendations into 3 groups: product managemnt, project management, usability/UI design

Product Management

1. I would recommend to start with an excellent introduction into product management: The Strategic Role of Product Management by Steve Johnson from Pragmatic Marketing. This short text very clearly defines product management itself and outlines responsibilities of product managers.

2. A couple additional introductory online resources:

   • Good Product Manager/Bad Product Manager by Ben Horowitz, former Netscape Director of Product Management
   • Effective product managers know their market by Steve Johnson and Barbara Nelson from Pragmatic Marketing

3. The Art of Product Management: Lessons from a Silicon Valley Innovator A collection of essays by a veteran product manager Rich Mironov, suitable for a mid-level product manager.

4. Product Manager's Desk Reference by Steven Haines is the most thorough discussion of a product management profession I know. Style is academic and I think this book requires some prior hands-on experience with the job of product manager.

Each mentioned source contains extensive resource for additional education (blogs, books, groups, forums, etc.). Continuing education is important. I personally read the following more or less regularly:

• Steve Johnson's blog: http://pragmaticmarketing.typepad.com/productmarketing/
• Rich Mironov's product bytes: http://www.mironov.com/articles/

Project Management

In addition to the books mentioned in other answer(s), I would like to add:

• Peopleware: Productive Projects and Teams by TomDemarco and Timothy Lister

Usability/UI Design

I totally agree that product manager should have a good grasp on software usability. Here I would add a couple ore sources:

• Works by Edward Tufte are important to know
• I regularly read an Alertbox - regular web usabilty newsletter by Jacob Nilsen
• Usability 'bible': About Face: The Essentials of Interaction Design, by Alan Cooper

Misc

Product manager must also understand the business domain and software development methodology being used. There are appropriate books and resources in both areas that are different depending on the particulars.