This is part four in my series on becoming a product manager. It is a list of resources that you, as an aspiring product manager, can reference. Part one discusses the career path to a product manager; part two discusses thinking like a product manager, and part three discusses how to get that all-important experience to become a product manager.
There is a pretty broad sampling of books, web sites, communities, and other resources. Product management is a cross-functional discipline, so many of the resources reflect that cross-functional nature. Product management is also a social discipline. If that doesn't come naturally to you, I doubly encourage you to get involved!
Books
- The Phenomenal Product Manager: The Product Manager's Guide to Success, Job Satisfaction and Career Acceleration by Brian Lawley
- Expert Product Management: Advanced Techniques, Tips and Strategies for Product Management & Product Marketing by Brian Lawley
- The Product Manager's Desk Reference by Steven Haines
- Purple Cow, New Edition: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable--Includes new bonus chapter by Seth Godin
- The Innovator's Dilemma: The Revolutionary Book that Will Change the Way You Do Business by Clayton M. Christensen
- Don't Make Me Think: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability, 2nd Edition by Steve Krug
- The Four Steps to the Epiphany by Steven Blank
- Making Things Happen: Mastering Project Management by Scott Berkun
Blogs and Websites
This is not actually a list of blogs; it is a list of lists of blogs. There are some very high caliber product management blogs that provide a lot of real-world information on how to manage products.
Other websites that don't fall into other categories also show up in here.
- On Product Management blog role
- Alltop Product Management list
- Resources for Product Marketing Managers
- Pragmatic Marketing has a lot of very good information, even if you never buy their training or consulting services.
- Product Management View webinars
- Usability.net "Methods" has some great information on many of the tactical things a product manager is regularly involved with or responsible for.
There is a lot of good conversation on Twitter. Worth finding people to follow there.
- My Product Managemer Twitter List
- AprilDunford's Product Management Brains list
- Cindy Alvarez's Products People on Twitter list
Communities
- Product Camps: If there is a product camp near you, definitely attend! See PCamp 09 (Bay Area), Product Camp Austin, and Product Camp Seattle, for example.
- LinkedIn Groups and Answer topics, such as The 280 Group, AIPMM Group, and the Product Management topic.
- Ning.com Product Management groups like Product Management Consortium (Pacific NW) and Cambridge Product Management Network
Training and Education
- Pragmatic Marketing
- 280 Group Product Management & Marketing Courses
- Pivotal Product Management Training
- Brainmates Product Management Training
- Blackblot Product ManagementTraining and Certification
- Berkeley Product Management Executive Program
- University of Wisconsin Center for Brand and Product Management
Associations
- Product Development and Management Association
- Association of International Product Marketing & Management
- Local Product Management Associations are great for networking and learning. See Utah Product Management Association, Toronto Product Management Association, or Technology Association of Georgia Product Management Community, for example.
Jobs
- Careers in Product and Brand Management has some good product management job meta-information.
- Product Manager Jobs
- Indeed.com Product Manager Jobs
- Simply Hired Product Manager Jobs
What resources did I miss? Add your favorite Product Management resources in the comment. You can even include an ad for your service as long as it is truely valuable for the aspiring product manager!
Disclaimer: I have received no payment for any links on this list. Most of the items on the list I have direct experience with, a few I know only by reputation. Make sure to do your own research before you spend money. YMMV. Blah blah blah.
Photo courtesy of Lin Pernille.
