Blog Product Management10 Best Product Management Books for PMs in 2026
10 Best Product Management Books for PMs in 2026
Looking for the Best Product Management Books? In this post, we've listed 5 of our favorite books that have helped us as founders build a successful product and a startup. Let's get into it!
Product management a role that keeps evolving so quickly that finding practical advice about it can be incredibly difficult. Product strategy best practices change daily, based on new tools, processes and changing customer behaviors.
Aside from doing the actual work, the next best thing to do to become a successful product manager is to learn from others. Here are some of the best books on this topic, for everyone from aspiring product managers to people who want to learn more about the discipline. 👇
A quick overview:
- The Lean Product Playbook by Dan Olsen
- How to Create Tech Products Customers Love by Marty Cagan
- Shape Up by Clickup
- The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz
- Product Management in Practice by Matt LeMay
- Empowered: Ordinary People, Extraordinary Products by Marty Cagan & Chris Jones
- The Lean Startup by Eric Ries
- Escaping the Build Trap by Melissa Perri
- Build: An Unorthodox Guide to Making Things Worth Making by Tony Fadell
- Product Management's Sacred Sevenon by Parth Detroja, Neel Mehta, and Aditya Agashe
Also, check out our favorite Product-led Growth Tools that'll help you build the best product in the game!
What counts as a product management book?
You won’t find a “product management” category on Amazon or in a bookstore. That’s because product management encompasses a wide range of skills and responsibilities. As a result, product management books are spread across all kinds of categories.
Here’s a quick overview:
- Leadership
- Business strategy
- UX design
- Product development and innovation
- Marketing and sales
- Frameworks and methodologies
A leadership book written for CEOs can offer valuable lessons for PMs leading cross-functional teams. A marketing book can provide insights on positioning and promoting a new product, regardless of whether it was written for SaaS PMs.
Does it make sense to look for books written for your specific role? Absolutely.
But don’t limit yourself to just those categories. Expand your horizons and explore books from different areas. Tech companies nowadays blur the lines between different roles so it may be a good idea to venture outside of your comfort zone.
10 Best Product Management Books
1. The Lean Product Playbook
The Lean Product Playbook by Dan Olsen has made a lot of waves.
Founders and CEOs from companies like KISSmetrics, Crazy Egg, and Box have given it glowing reviews. Plus, it's one of the most popular product management books in general.
But that’s not why we love this book.
We love it because it’s a practical guide for product managers trying to create innovative products that target customers will love. Olsen's approach is based on the minimum viable product (MVP) concept—something you’re probably familiar with (but might be using the wrong way).
The book gives you a simple, step-by-step process for building and launching successful products. The advice is good, and we feel it’s applicable to pretty much any type of product or company.
Key lessons
- Identify and prioritize underserved needs. Understanding your target market and finding their unmet needs is crucial.
- Define your value proposition. After pinpointing underserved needs, the next step is ensuring your product outperforms competitors. This means crafting a compelling value proposition that connects with your target market.
- Minimum Viable Product (MVP). MVPs are vital in lean product management. Test your product with minimal features before investing in a full-scale one. Validate assumptions and adjust based on user feedback.
- User experience (UX). The Lean Product Playbook highlights user experience in product development. Test your MVP with customers to validate and enhance the user experience based on their feedback.
Who is it best for?
The Lean Product Playbook is great for product managers, entrepreneurs, and anyone working on improving products. It's useful for new companies and ones that have been around for a while and want to improve their product-making.
Where to buy?
You can buy the book on Amazon as a Kindle e-book, paperback, or audiobook.
2. Inspired
Inspired: How to Create Tech Products Customers Love by Marty Cagan provides valuable insights into building products.
It draws from Cagan's experience in product management and offers a new kind of framework for success.
Cagan outlines the roles of the product manager and owners, designer, engineers, and the head of product or CPO. He illustrates how each role's focus on customer needs, market knowledge, and continuous improvement contributes to success.
He also explains how to generate inspiration, insight, and motivation from customers and team members.
Key lessons
- Tap your engineers for their ideas. Your engineers are often your best source for innovative, inspired ideas because they’re in the mud, making the product work.
- Inspired products take great technology, design, and persistence. A successful product requires a strong foundation of technology, design, and determination to keep trying to get users to see the value.
- Risks aren't (always) risky: Not taking risks is often more risky than taking risks you recognize and plan for. This includes recognizing and addressing potential risks early on in the planning process.
- Customer discovery and continuous testing. To truly understand your customers' needs, you need an open line of communication. That’s why product management software like Featurebase are so useful - they offer companies a suite of tools for gathering, organizing, and prioritizing feedback at scale.
Who is it best for?
The book is highly regarded among product managers, designers, and tech leaders aiming to innovate and succeed in the industry.
Where to buy?
Inspired is available online through retailers like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Wiley's official website.
3. Shape Up
Shape Up: Stop Running in Circles and Ship Work that Matters by Ryan Singer outlines the exact product development process he implemented at Basecamp.
The core element of the process is “shaping”—defining the scope of a project and setting clear boundaries for what will be included in the work.
This method eliminates the traditional approach of creating lengthy and detailed project plans. Instead, it focuses on short-term cycles called “bets” where teams work on one specific feature or improvement at a time.
Shape Up also emphasizes the importance of continuous testing and customer feedback. Regularly checking in with customers and adjusting based on their needs means your product always evolves and improves.
Key lessons
- Dual track development. Split work into “shaping” (i.e., planning and design) and “building” stages. Larger projects have six-week cycles, while smaller ones have two-week cycles. They can be run by a product or project manager.
- Projects start with a pitch. Each project starts with a pitch. In this pitch, you outline problems, timelines, solutions, potential issues, and scope.
- Backlogs. You don’t need a backlog (according to this book, anyway). Instead, backlog items are added to upcoming cycles based on customer feedback, how they fit into the product vision and strategy, and the team’s capacity.
- Full-stack progress. Organize work by deliverables and outcomes rather than individual contributions. This avoids siloed work and encourages collaboration across the team, while allowing people to take ownership of their part in the project.
Who is it best for?
Shape Up suits product managers, designers, developers, and team leads seeking a streamlined approach to product development.
It's useful for leaders responsible for project delivery and strategy but also for teams enhancing their project planning and execution processes.
Where to buy?
You can find it on Basecamp's site. It's awesome that you can read the whole book online for free, but you can also purchase the print edition.
4. The Hard Thing About Hard Things
The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz isn’t a typical product management book.
However, it offers valuable insights and advice for anyone in a leadership position. It’s essentially a collection of lessons, warnings, and guidelines for business leaders.
Horowitz doesn't sugarcoat or romanticize anything here—he’s honest about the tough decisions founders and PMs are bound to face. For example, he talks about difficult decisions like laying off a friend, selling your company, and managing employee psychology.
Overall, Horowitz conveys the message that leadership is hard because it means inevitable crises, stress, and impossible decisions—not because of challenges like making great hires or setting big goals.
Disclaimer: This description probably sounds a bit gloomy, but the book is very helpful and empowering.
Key lessons
- There's no easy answer for dealing with crisis: There is no secret formula for dealing with tough decisions. They’re always tough, and the best thing you can do is approach them with honesty, empathy, and focus.
- Communication is key: Clear, honest communication is a top priority in tough times. If you’re up against a wall, let the team know what’s at stake so they can understand the gravity of the situation and work towards a solution.
- Prioritize your company's health: Leaders should focus on taking care of the people, the products, and the profits in that order. Invest in training programs, recruitment software to hire for strengths, and create a great workplace.
- Mental strength and support: Being a leader is lonely and stressful. Almost everyone will need a strong support network of friends and peers to help them cope with tough decisions and crises. In tough times, a leader must ask for mental health support, from time to time, to avoid major problems in the near future.
Who is it best for?
This book is great for current and aspiring entrepreneurs, startup founders, and business leaders facing or preparing for the challenges of managing a business.
It's especially useful for those interested in learning the product management process, company culture, and leadership.
Where to buy?
It's widely available online from major retailers like Amazon, Barnes & Noble and independent bookstore websites.
5. Product Management in Practice
Last on the list is a book that is great if you’re looking for a guide to product management as a whole—Product Management in Practice by Matt LeMay.
This book is all about the CORE of product management:
This product book takes a hands-on approach to the product manager role and provides lots of actionable advice and frameworks. If you're interested in product management, this book is a must-read.
Key lessons
- Communication. Communication is one of the most important things you need to focus on. Without it, you’re going to face major challenges in product management.
- Prioritization. A good prioritization strategy is a must. You'll make costly mistakes if you leave things up to gut instincts. We’re big believers in this advice—that’s why we’ve built prioritization frameworks into Featurebase’s user feedback management platform.
- Adaptability. Pivots and changes are inevitable in product management. You need to adapt quickly and make decisions based on new information.
- Data-driven decision-making. Collecting and analyzing data is crucial for making informed decisions as a great product manager. Utilizing data can also help you communicate your ideas and justify your decisions.
Who is it for?
Anyone looking for guidance in a product management role.
Where to buy?
The book is available on Amazon.
6. Empowered: Ordinary People, Extraordinary Products by Marty Cagan & Chris Jones
Empowered is the follow-up to Marty Cagan’s Inspired, but it shifts focus from building great products to building great product teams. It’s a leadership playbook for creating empowered, cross-functional teams that can solve hard problems and deliver extraordinary results.
A part of the Silicon Valley Product Group, the book draws on real-world examples from companies like Amazon, Apple, and Netflix to show how strong product leadership and team autonomy drive innovation.
Key lessons
- Empowered teams: The most innovative companies give teams the autonomy to solve problems, not just deliver features.
- Product leadership: Leaders should coach and support teams, not micromanage them.
- Outcome over output: Focus on the impact of your work, not just the number of features shipped.
- Culture matters: A strong product culture is essential for sustained innovation.
Who is it best for?
Product leaders, managers, and anyone looking to build or be part of high-performing product teams.
Where to buy?
Available on Amazon in Kindle, paperback, and audiobook formats.
7. The Lean Startup by Eric Ries
The Lean Startup introduces a methodology for developing businesses and products that aims to shorten product development cycles and rapidly discover if a proposed business model is viable.
It emphasizes the importance of customer feedback, iterative design, and agile development. The book has become a foundational text for entrepreneurs and product managers wanting to learn more about lean methodologies.
Key lessons
- Build-Measure-Learn: Use a feedback loop to test hypotheses and iterate quickly.
- Minimum Viable Product (MVP): Launch with the simplest version of your product to start learning as soon as possible.
- Pivot or persevere: Decide whether to change direction or continue based on validated learning.
- Innovation accounting: Measure progress in a startup through actionable metrics.
Who is it best for?
This instant classic is best for entrepreneurs, startup founders, and product managers working in fast-paced, innovative environments.
Where to buy?
Available on Amazon in Kindle, hardcover, paperback, and audiobook formats.
8. Escaping the Build Trap by Melissa Perri
Escaping the Build Trap addresses the common pitfall where companies focus on output (building features) rather than outcomes (delivering value).
Melissa Perri provides a framework for aligning product strategy with business goals and creating a culture prioritizing customer value.
Key lessons
- Outcome over output: Success is measured by the value delivered, not the number of features released.
- Product strategy: Develop a clear strategy that aligns with business objectives and customer needs, and get early adopters fast.
- Cross-functional collaboration: Effective product management requires collaboration across all areas of the business.
- Continuous discovery habits: Regularly gather insights to inform product decisions.
Who is it best for?
Product managers, executives, and teams looking to align their work with broader business goals.
Where to buy?
Available on Amazon in Kindle, paperback, and audiobook formats.
9. Build: An Unorthodox Guide to Making Things Worth Making by Tony Fadell
Build is part memoir, part guidebook, offering insights from Tony Fadell, the creator of the iPod and co-creator of the iPhone. The book explores practical advice on product development, leadership, and building companies, all drawn from Fadell's extensive experience in the tech industry.
You may not get all the answers, but you'll get real value and a deeper understanding on creating products.
Key lessons
- First principles thinking: Break down problems to their fundamental truths to find innovative solutions.
- Design matters: A focus on design can differentiate products in crowded markets.
- Leadership: Empower teams and foster a culture of innovation.
- Resilience: Learn from failures and persist through challenges.
Who is it best for?
Product managers, designers, entrepreneurs, and anyone interested in taking a deep dive in building impactful products.
Where to buy?
Available on Amazon in Kindle, hardcover, and audiobook formats.
10. Product Management's Sacred Seven by Parth Detroja, Neel Mehta, and Aditya Agashe
Product Management's Sacred Seven outlines the seven core skills that every product manager should master: product design, economics, user psychology, user experience, data science, law and policy, and marketing.
The book provides a comprehensive overview of each area, making it a valuable resource for aspiring and experienced PMs.
Key lessons
- Holistic skill set: Effective product managers need a diverse range of skills.
- Interdisciplinary knowledge: Understanding concepts from various fields enhances product decision-making.
- Continuous learning: The best PMs are always learning and adapting.
- Practical application: Real-world examples illustrate how to apply these skills in practice.
Who is it best for?
Aspiring product managers and current PMs looking to broaden their skill set.
Where to buy?
Available on Amazon in Kindle and paperback formats.
Conclusion
There you have it. Ten essential books that every product manager should have on their shelf. These are the books that have helped us build Featurebase, a full product management suite for modern startups.
Featurebase is a modern feedback & support platform that helps you collect all feedback in one place with integrations, AI, surveys, and a public forum. This lets you prioritize your roadmap based on real insights, sorted and prioritized by pain points, revenue potential, and your business goals.
It’s loved by thousands of product, marketing, and support teams from companies like Lovable, Polymarket, and Elementor. You can get started with a Free plan, so there's no downside to trying it. 👇
✨ Start building products your users love with Featurebase today →
