Inspired by Marty Cagan
About the Author
Marty Cagan, widely recognized as the primary thought leader for technology product management, is the founder of the Silicon Valley Product Group (SVPG). He served as an executive responsible for defining and building products for some of the most successful companies in the world, including Hewlett-Packard, Netscape Communications, and eBay.
About the Book
A classic playbook for product managers on creating tech products. Cagan captures a comprehensive list of techniques a product manager ought to know, from discovery to working with stakeholders.
Outline of the Book
Part I: Lessons from Top Tech Companies
Part II: The Right People
Part III: The Right Product
Part IV: The Right Process
Part V: The Right Culture
From the Book
“It is my strong belief, and the central concept driving this book, that behind every great product there is someone - usually someone behind the scenes, working tirelessly - who led the product team to combine technology and design to solve real customer problems in a way that met the needs of the business.”
The successful product manager must be the very best versions of smart, creative, and persistent.
Start by becoming an expert in your users and customers. Share very openly what you learn and become your team’s go-to-person for understanding anything about your customer
Establish a strong relationship with your key stakeholders and business partners. Convince them that (1) you understand the constraints they operate under (2) You will only bring to them solutions that you believe will work within those constraints
Become an undisputed expert on your product and industry
Work very hard to build a strong collaborative relationship with your product team
Key risks to tackle during discovery: Technology, Usability, Value, and Business.
“A small amount of time up front framing the problem to be solved - and communicating this framing - can make a dramatic difference in the results.”
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