12 Product Management Thought Leaders
It has been said that you can learn Product Management in a weekend, but it takes a lifetime to master. And so it is important to continue learning and stay abreast of new frameworks and methods. One of the best ways to do that is to follow the writings of thought leaders in the space, via their blogs, books, and conferences. Here are a few of the names to know:
1. Marty Cagan
It is safe to say a list of this kind will not be complete without this Silicon Valley Product Group (SVPG) founder. Cagan is a highly-respected figure in the product management space. He is often cited in articles relating to how Product should work. Author of the best-seller “Inspired,” Cagan has worked with top companies including the likes of AOL, HP, and eBay. The renowned product coach is known for producing well-researched, insightful pieces on the SVPG blog and social media.
2. Nir Eyal
This Israeli-born American author is renowned for the bestselling book, “Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products.” That resource is a go-to for product managers looking to build a product that customers can almost not do without. The serial investor provides science-based insights that can help to improve how you work.
Eyal’s Hooked Online Workshop is worth checking out by anyone looking to understand the psychology behind user behavior. You may check his blog to read about how you can build healthy habits and boost productivity.
3. Teresa Torres
A popular author and coach, Torres is a thought leader deserving a follow, especially when it comes to product discovery. She brings product teams up to date on best practices when doing discovery, teaching an ordered and sustainable approach to the process.
On her Product Talk blog, you can learn about validated best practices relating to continuous product discovery. She provides in-depth resources on how you can improve your decision-making with research, data, and experimentation.
4. John Cutler
He is Amplitude’s Head of Product Education – which clearly suggests that he should have some useful tips that can help increase your product knowledge. A self-proclaimed “product evangelist,” Cutler transitioned from a touring musician to a respected name in the product space. He is one to follow if you have a great interest in user experience and evidence-driven, impact-focused development.
You can follow him on Amplitude’s blog where he dishes out bits you can use from his impressive product knowledge. He also posts on Medium and you can find him on social media.
5. C. Todd Lombardo
A master of product design and UX, Lombardo is a multiple-hat wearer like some others on this list. He is a scientist, designer, visualizer, author, and professor. The product leader began his career in science before transitioning to product and design. Openly’s VP of Product & Experience has led both enterprises and startups in his career. The self-styled data nerd and product fanatic has written several great books on the practice. You can follow him on his blog.
6. Roman Pichler
Pichler, an eminent author as well as an Agile and Product coach. He has played a key role in enhancing the practice of product management at organizations throughout Europe, over the past decade. The author of “Agile Product Management with Scrum” maintains a popular blog and teaches best Agile practices. He has his own product management podcast and provides useful resources and tools on his website.
7. Jake Knapp
This New York Times best-selling author is the brain behind the Design Sprint, a popular five-step process for problem-solving and idea testing. Knapp worked at Google and Google Ventures for about a decade and has run numerous design sprints with startups. He teaches smart ways to approach big projects and has trained teams at NASA and Slack, among others. You can check the Google Meet co-founder out on his website. There you can find helpful insights on design strategy as well as effective time management.
8. Hiten Shah
Here’s another key figure to monitor, particularly in related to startup products. Shah is the founder of multiple SaaS companies that include KISSmetrics, Crazy Egg, and Nira. The Space Pencil Inc co-founder has advised or invested in more than 120 companies. Shah writes a popular blog where you can learn how to create successful digital companies and solutions. He has huge followership on social media and produces valuable weekly newsletters.
9. Dan Olsen
An authority on the Lean Product Process, Dan Olsen is a product management trainer, consultant, and author. The leading Lean product expert works with companies to put together strong product teams and produce excellent solutions. Organizations he has worked with include Microsoft and Facebook. Olsen is the author of The Lean Product Playbook, a useful guide on how to build products that resonate with customers. He maintains an informative blog and hosts the Lean Product Meetup, a monthly Silicon Valley speaker series on Lean Startup.
10. Neal Cabage
Neal Cabage has offered a number of popular frameworks for product strategy, teams, and the role of Product Management such as Product Team Competencies, 3 Pillars of Product, and the Business Model Archetypes. He is the author of the book, The Smarter Startup, a founder himself of a couple startups as well as a practicing product leader. Check out his blog for tips on product strategy, technology, and entrepreneurship.
11. Martin Eriksson
The organizer of the global product professional meetup Product Tank, Eriksson has very significant experience in product management. He has been building products and product teams in both enterprises and startups across the globe for over 25 years. The respected product leader and speaker is a co-founder and chairman of Mind The Product. Eriksson co-authored the bestseller Product Leadership: How Top Product Managers Launch Awesome Products and Build Successful Teams. Check out his website to read some of his latest articles or see what he’s up to.
12. Melissa Perri
The founder of ProdUX Labs and Product Institute is an esteemed product leader and rightly so. She lectures on product management at Harvard and her online school is popular among product managers. More than 3,500 students have benefitted from her deep knowledge of the practice via the Product Institute. Perri believes that great product leadership is critical for creating great products. And she has a lot to share to promote that, making her blog worth following.
Summary
The list of top product thought leaders is a good start but obviously not exhaustive. There are numerous other contributors to the body of thought both in and proximal to Product management. The best thing you can do is to just start turning in and following the conversation, to make yourself a better Product Manager.
