Some books for Platform Product Managers
Part Two
As part of their newsletter MIT Sloan sometimes sends me book recommendations and so I received an e-mail yesterday, titled Beach reads for business execs; screenshot below if somehow you don’t believe me.
Now I am not sure if the Content team from MIT Sloan Publishing hit the mark with the title but some of the books recommended there were also on my list of things to read.
I really wanted a break from all my Research specific reading I am doing and as I am going on my holiday soon (not to the beach because I am not an exec), I went ahead and ordered two titles on that list. Turns out, I am a sucker for bad content strategy. But I digress.
This also made me think quite deeply about a question I get asked a lot of times - What books do you recommend for Platform Product Managers?
In the last four months of writing The Platform Space I have steered clear from recommending any books because people are different and they digest the content in a different way.
However I had a conversation recently with someone that was absolutely convinced, all Platform PMs should read The DevOps Handbook. Now don’t get me wrong, it’s a useful book to have on your shelf and refer to for key concepts BUT I wouldn’t qualify it as a MUST read. (Sorry!)
As a result, I have came up with a list and kept the title of it vague because no book will make you a better Product Manager, but it can teach you framework and widely used practices.
Some books I recommend
Team Topologies: Organizing Business and Technology Teams for Fast Flow by Matthew Skelton and Manuel Pais
Why:
This book offers valuable insights and practical guidance on how to design and organise teams for successful platform development and management.
Team Topologies delves into the different team types, their responsibilities, and how they should be structured to optimise for flow, quality, and innovation.
Most importantly the book introduces the impact of Cognitive Load on teams performance and talks about Conway's Law. At a high-level, Conway's Law suggests that the structure of an organisation influences the design of its systems.
Platform PMs will understand how team structures and communication paths can impact the platform's architecture and vice versa, enabling them to make informed decisions to optimise both.
So if you want a good book beyond the usual technical jargon, I recommend this. And if you were to pick just one books, pick this.
It’s also important to know that you can apply some concepts from the book to your own team if the context is relevant and the culture allows it. It won’t magically solve all the problems but it’s an excellent start.
An Elegant Puzzle: Systems of Engineering Management by Will Larson
Why?
"Systems of Engineering Management" by Will Larson is a brilliant book for Platform PMs as it offers insights and practical advice on managing engineering teams and organisations.
Before you get too excited, this is a book for Engineering Managers BUT I can’t stress enough how important it is for you Product Manager to understand Engineering Managers and how they operate. This will help you foster a very collaborative relationship with your EM. And Engineering Managers, the opposite applies to you too!
The book covers topics such as scalability, career development, collaboration, technical debt management, leadership, and culture. Reading this book helps Product folks gain a holistic perspective on Engineering Management and equips them with strategies to build and lead successful teams in the context of platform development.
It’s also easy to read and you can always go back to certain ideas and frameworks.
The Art of Doing Science and Engineering by Richard W. Hamming
Why?
Now this has become one of my favourite books and it is technical and I couldn’t probably start coding after reading it BUT it also gives you so much insight into the history of actual programming. The chapters about Artificial Intelligence are just so relevant today as they were 30 years ago.
It isn’t a Product read and you really don’t have to read it but it helped me think about scale, evolution and change.
As PMs , we often encounter complex and ambiguous problems. This book offers strategies and techniques for effective problem-solving and fostering creativity. PMs can learn how to approach challenges with a more innovative mindset.
But what I really liked about this book, was that it encourages readers to think beyond short-term goals and consider the broader implications of their work. In short, IMPACT, IMPACT, IMPACT!!!
PMs can gain insights into strategic thinking, setting ambitious goals, and building platforms that drive meaningful change.
Some techniques and principles shared in the book can be applied to problem-solving, experimentation, collaboration, and effective communication. However it also a heavily technical book, so I recognise it may not be for everyone.
Why?
I just finished reading this and let me tell you, it’s a great book for Product Managers in general but I am calling it out on this list for a reason.
If you are a Platform PM thinking you shouldn’t be thinking(!) about Product Positioning, Go to Market and Pricing, allow me to bring you down from the ivory tower, into the real world.
Effective positioning is crucial for the success of any product, especially a platform. "Obviously Awesome" offers a systematic approach to defining and communicating a unique value proposition that resonates with target customers.
From this, PMs can learn how to internally position platforms to avoid the never-ending ownership and communication problems. Furthermore the book also gives so much insight into conducting market analysis, customer interviews, and competitive research to uncover positioning opportunities
After reading this book, I think I’ve learned how to craft positioning statements, which is something I never thought about before. It also enabled me to be even more effective at communicating the value of platforms to customers and stakeholders.
As a side note, as Platform PMs we should really, really understand the landscape in which we operate, talk to Customer Success and Sales folks and stop thinking that we only should care about our internal users. Those are definitely top priority but we should understand the end customers and the overall market.
So, there you have it. Those are my recommendations but things are constantly evolving and so is the content. Oh, some of these books are free on Audible and cheaper on Kindle, if interested.
I couldn’t really close this piece without asking my new best friend, Chat-4, what it thinks so here you have it:
Top 3 choices brought to you by Chat-4 (Yes, I am using the paid version)
Spoiler Alert: We have different opinions.
See ya next Friday!
Brilliant - Thank you! I will add April's new podcast to Resources for Product Managers.