10 Best Product Management Books to Read in 2024

The field of product management is dynamic. Changing customer expectations, emerging technologies, and the overall business environment challenge the strategic nature of the product manager's job. Combining training (online or offline), experience and invaluable practical advice and wisdom from celebrated experts and thought leaders is ideal. 

We list 10 product management books that will inspire and guide you to create great products that offer better customer value, collaborate, apply mechanisms to cope with changing trends, and everything in between. These bestselling publications will cater to all levels and disciplines - from marketing to tech and entrepreneurship. 

1. Escaping the Build Trap: How Effective Product Management Creates Real Value | Melissa Perri

So, what is the ‘build trap’ the author is talking about? The build trap refers to the situation where an organisation is only focused on building and delivering products and forgets to address the actual needs of the customers. 

Divided into five thematic parts, this book delves into helping readers adopt a product-led organisational attitude that pushes towards creating value for the customer. It shows how to link the company's vision and financial goals through actions required in product development through product strategy.

This product management book is suitable for intermediate and advanced product managers

2. How to Lead in Product Management | Roman Pichler

Product managers must also have great leadership qualities. Penned by product expert, Roman Pichler, you are sure to get hands-on advice on topics, such as stakeholder management and developing a growth mindset. Best is, the author has excellent advice on what not to do as a leader, especially when you are leading the product development team. 

This book on product management is apt for all levels of Product Management professionals. 

3. Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products | Nir Eyal w/ Ryan Hoover

Published in the summer of 2014, the book offers insights into using psychological tactics to make the most of user habits with hooks. If you are focusing on customer engagement via great product design or developing user stories, it will certainly help!

Nir Eyal successfully explains the “Hook Model”, which consists of four key phases: trigger, action, variable reward, and investment. The book shows how successful products are designed to create repeated user engagement by triggering certain actions and providing variable rewards (even for simulations you cannot predict about). 

It’s a must-read product management book for product designers, UI/UX designers, and marketers.

Meanwhile, if you want to know the scope of the professional design world, read up on the UI/UX designer salary. 

4. Inspired: How to Create Tech Products Customers Love | Marty Cagan

While the book's title emphasises the tech side of products, you will be introduced to a balanced POV on clubbing leadership, engineering, design, and product management. 

In case you didn’t know, the author is the Silicon Valley Product Group founder and has built products for Hewlett-Packard and eBay. So, you can expect his thought leadership to show how products face continued success in times when new technologies are on the steep rise. 

He writes about what goes on behind product innovation, specifically encouraging product teams as an effective manager, through his own experience. And also aligning everyone to follow proven steps that work in everyone’s favour. 

Ultimately, the book will help you unearth the real meanings of a feasible, usable, and valuable product. 

This book will help everybody in the product team.

5. Product Marketing Debunked: The Essential Go-to-market Guide | Yasmeen Turayhi

Easily one of the best books for product marketing managers (PMMs), it provides a useful framework to commercialise your product. Suitable for the B2B landscape, the author’s advice also extends to those in the B2C segment. 

The author emphasises creativity, which should not be at the cost of the larger business goals. Also, there are misconceptions that she tackles - specifically, the notion that if the product is good, it will sell. Instead, she shows readers that the perspective should change to whether the customer will adopt the product or not. 

So, who will majorly benefit from this book? PMMs and entrepreneurs.

You can also review our blog on creating a GTM strategy from scratch. 

6. Continuous Discovery Habits: Discover Products that Create Customer Value and Business Value | Teresa Torres

As a renowned consultant and speaker, Teresa Torres explains how a good product can positively impact the customer. The author discusses at length market research best practices, brainstorming ideas creatively, and impact on business and customers. The book stands out for its actionable advice. This is especially true with the Opportunity Solution Tree framework - a visual aid that the author shows how it helps teams explore the outcomes clearly. 

This book is useful when you are an innovative product manager and product designer. 

7. The Lean Product Playbook: How to Innovate with Minimum Viable Products and Rapid Customer Feedback | Dan Olsen

This book is one of the most important practical guides that teaches on achieving the right product-market fit through a product-market pyramid. 

To explain an effective product process and deliver optimal value to the customer, the author describes two areas of the pyramid: the 'Problem Space' and the 'Solution Space'. 

The Problem Space involves understanding what customers need, while the Solution Space involves how those needs are met, such as designing the product and its technology. 

The author discusses other useful frameworks such as the Kano Model, gap analyses, and similar to provide a holistic understanding of how the approach should be in setting up the Minimal Viable Product (MVP) and building a good value proposition. 

The book is great for intermediate product marketers and product managers in tech companies. 

8. The Product Book: How to Become a Great Product Manager | Product School

Authorities in the product management sphere, Product School’s CEO Carlos González De Villaumbrosia et al. describe the different roles in the industry along with frameworks to understand quickly. This book is a fast-read, as it is loaded with useful examples that help you understand the theoretical aspects of frameworks. 

This book is extremely valuable when anyone aspires to become a product manager.

PS: If you are not into soft or hard copies, you can get the eBook for free on the Product School website. 

9. Decode and Conquer | Lewis C. Lin

Anyone appearing for product management interviews should prepare with this book. The author explains where the interview answers may go wrong and how one can effectively answer the questions. Also, these questions can be tactfully answered using his proven frameworks - CIRCLES™, AARM™, and DIGS™. 

This interview questions book is ideal for intermediate to advanced Product professionals. 

10. Sprint: How to Solve Big Problems and Test New Ideas in Just Five Days | John Zeratsky et al.

This guide comes from the authors’ years of sprint experience across Fortune 100 ventures to startups. It is easy to follow along with its entertaining yet detailed examples. Now, the authors provide a unique short path for readers (product practitioners) to ask the right questions when prototyping and testing ideas with customers.

All levels of product management professionals will find this book helpful.

Which Product Management Book Will Help You Transform Your Perspective?

You can choose books based on different areas to enhance your learning with experience and become an effective product manager. 

• Customer-Centric Strategy: Books like "Escaping the Build Trap" and "Continuous Discovery Habits" emphasise prioritising customer needs over product delivery.
• Leadership and Engagement Tactics: Resources such as "How to Lead in Product Management" and "Hooked" offer advice on leadership qualities and creating habit-forming products.
• Holistic Product Development: Titles like "Inspired" and "The Lean Product Playbook" offer a balanced perspective on product creation, involving tech, leadership, design, and customer value.
• Marketing and Commercialisation Strategies: Books like "Product Marketing Debunked" and "The Product Book" delve into effective marketing frameworks and understanding various product management roles.
• Preparation and Problem-Solving Techniques: Resources such as "Decode and Conquer" and "Sprint" aid in interview preparation and problem-solving within a concise timeframe.