5min books review #1
Marty Cagan: Inspired: How to Create Tech Products Customers Love
Value for money
7/10
Ebook or Bookshelf?
This deserves a place on your bookshelf.
Year, Price, Pages, Cover design
2018 by Wiley; EUR 20,41; 326 pages; Hardcover
Very nice cover image by John Lawson. I would definitely expect a paper of better quality (quite disappointing). The is a bizarre and significant difference between a nice hardcover design with gold type and grey, light and thin (cheap) paper
5 sentences about the book
It is the second edition of the book originally released 10 years ago. Inspired is a structured compendium of product knowledge that includes well-defined roles and processes. It is the handbook that should become handy in your daily routine. Chapter 6 “The root causes of failed product effort” is a stunning, depressing and condensed list of pitfalls which define the toxic work environment. The second part of the book shortly describes and enumerates many discovery techniques and inspires for further searching in other resources. I am excited for the next book called Empowered which should be released by the end of 2020.
What did I learn?
- I learned I am not alone (Chapter 6)
- As a Product Manager, I should take a programming class and business accounting/finance class
- Condense overview of roles (“The right people”), artefacts (“The right product”), discovery (“The right processes”) and relationships (“The right culture”)
- Product management at a glance: A handy compendium of knowledge that should lay on my desk for daily use
What was missing?
Nothing.
Favorite quotes:
“It doesn’t matter how good your engineering team is if they are not given something worthwhile to build” 2
“The honest truth is that the product manager needs to be among the strongest talent in the company. If the product manager doesn’t have the technology sophistication, doesn’t have the business savvy, doesn’t have the credibility with the key executives, doesn’t have the deep customer knowledge, doesn’t have the passion for the product, or doesn’t have the respect of their product team, then it’s a sure recipe for failure.” 42
Ed Catmull: Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration
Value for money
9/10
Year, Price, Pages, Cover design
2014 by Bantam Press; EUR 22,19; 326 pages; Hardcover
Exceptional cover design and cover image (Buzz from Toy Story as an orchestra conductor). Top-quality paper with Sabon Type, the exquisite reading experience
5 sentences about the book
I was reading this book in kindle edition several years ago and I’ve decided to buy the hardcover version to my library. What I like foremost is Cadmull’s storytelling, how warm he depicts Pixar’s beginnings though circumstances. I was not focusing on advises how to build creative work culture, I rather focused on an amazing story of developing a culture of candor.
What did I learn?
- How great storytelling looks like. I will for sure return to this book again.
- Well described creativity process at Pixar (Braintrust, Notes day, etc.) and Disney
- A great product is not a matter a spark idea of one genius but hard, repetitive, collaborative work of the team
What was missing?
Nothing.
Favourite quotes:
“Having a finite list of problems is much better than having an illogical feeling that everything is wrong” 151
“If you give a good idea to a mediocre team, they will screw it up. If you give a mediocre idea to a brilliant team they will either fix it or throw it away and come up with something better”. 74
“‘You can’t manage what you can’t measure’ is a maxim that is taught and believed by many in both the business and education sectors. But in fact, the phrase is ridiculous — something said by people who are unaware of how much is hidden. A large portion of what we manage can’t be measured, and not realizing this has unintended consequences. The problem comes when people think that data paints a full picture, leading them to ignore what they can’t see. Here’s my approach: Measure what you can, evaluate what you measure, and appreciate that you cannot measure the vast majority of what you do. And at least every once a while, make time to take a step back and think about what you are doing. 219
