Product management has become a critical function for modern organizations, from small startups to corporate enterprises. And yet, the day-to-day work of product management remains largely misunderstood. In theory, product managers are high-flying visionaries who build products that people love. In practice, they're hard-working facilitators who bring clarity and focus to their teams.
In this thoroughly revised and expanded edition, Matt LeMay provides real-world guidance for current and aspiring product managers. Updated for the era of remote and hybrid work, this book provides actionable answers to product management's most persistent and confounding questions, starting with: What exactly am I supposed to do all day?
With this book, you'll learn what the day-to-day work of product management entails-and how to excel at it; why no job title or description will resolve the ambiguity of your role; how to bridge the false dichotomy between 'strategy' and 'execution'; why the temptation to focus on decks and documentation can be bad for your team (and for you); and how to prioritize your time and pick your battles.
Product management has become a critical connective role for modern organizations, from small technology startups to global corporate enterprises. And yet the day-to-day work of product management remains largely misunderstood. In theory, product management is about building products that people love. The real-world practice of product management is often about difficult conversations, practical compromises, and hard-won incremental gains.
In this book, author Matt LeMay focuses on the CORE connective skills-- communication, organization, research, execution--that can build a successful product management practice across industries, organizations, teams, and toolsets.
For current and aspiring product managers, this book explores:
On-the-ground tactics for facilitating collaboration and communication
How to talk to users and work with executives
The importance of setting clear and actionable goals
Using roadmaps to connect and align your team
A values-first approach to implementing Agile practices
Common behavioral traps that turn good product managers bad
The Agile movement provides real, actionable answers to the question that keeps many company leaders awake at night: How do we stay successful in a fast-changing and unpredictable world? Agile has already transformed how modern companies build and deliver software. This practical book demonstrates how entire organizations-from product managers and engineers to marketers and executives-can put Agile to work.
Author Matt LeMay explains Agile in clear, jargon-free terms and provides concrete and actionable steps to help any team put its values and principles into practice. Examples from a wide variety of organizations, including small nonprofits and global financial enterprises, bring to life the on-the-ground realities of Agile across industries and functions.
- Understand exactly what Agile is and why it matters
- Use Agile to address your organization's specific needs and goals
- Take customer centricity from theory into practice
- Stop wasting time in 'report and critique' meetings and start making better decisions
- Create a harmonious cycle of learning, collaborating, and delivering
- Learn from Agile experts at companies like IBM, Spotify, and Coca-Cola
