#pm_library: “Build”
Today another book review in my #pm_library. A great book, “Build” by Tony Fadel, joins my top 5 recommendations by storm for every product manager.
Tony Fadel created the first iPhones and Nest, revolutionizing many American homes’ heating systems. In the book, we will learn many behind-the-scenes of building products made of atoms (physical products) and electrons (digital products).
The book contains chapters for beginners and more experienced Product Managers.
What will a PM beginner find in this book? Based on his experience, the author advises how to start a career in new technologies and how to lead it consciously. One of the best chapters is about “classifying assholes.” Tony Fadel helps recognize different types of assholes and suggests how to deal with them or run away from them if needed.
Of course, there is a lot about building the product, working with clients, design thinking, and storytelling. Fadel tells how the Nest team came up with the idea of the famous “screwdriver” Nest, which customers loved and which became a model for building a product based on customer insights.
More experienced product managers will appreciate that “Build” is not only a book about building products but also a book about building a solid company.
The author devotes a lot of time to how to recruit people to the team, choose an investor, and scale the company. The chapters on how the product department should work with sales and marketing are also exciting. Based on my several years of experience working with the abovementioned departments, the author’s comments are very on point.
I especially liked the chapter on the work of the CEO and the supervisory board. Often for us product managers, these areas are closed for us. After reading this book, I understand better how they work, and I can have more impact and help build the business.
In many chapters, but mainly in the chapter “Buying and Being Bought,” the author describes the mechanisms of operation of large technology companies. The awareness of specific trends will allow each product manager to understand better how this world works and make conscious decisions in what environment and with which products to work.
I’d like to thank Rafał Kocik for recommending “Build.” We are now working together to develop our products at Displate; he is working mainly with atoms and myself more with electrons. I’m passing the recommendation on, especially for PMs dealing daily with digital and physical products daily.
