Empower Product Teams to Rock the World by Uncovering and Overcoming Dangerous Traps
Untrapping Product Teams guides you to simplify what gets unintentionally complicated and equips you to overcome dangerous traps while steadily driving customer and business value. This isn't just another book about product management. It's a thought-provoking guide filled with simplicity, encouraging you to act today for a better tomorrow.
This book is for anyone facing the challenges of working on or with product teams. It lays out leading best practices, combined with "secret ingredients" crafted by the author based on years of experience. Learn what makes or breaks product teams so you are ready to do what it takes to thrive with digital products.
Learn the differences between coordinative and collaborative workflows Recognize dangerous traps and the strategies to overcome them Explore the product simplify decision-making, apply mindful product discovery, use delivery to accelerate value, and measure results beyond outputs Craft product principles and set solid foundations for product teams Benefit from proven product health checks to uncover where to act today for a better tomorrow "This is my new favorite book on product management. Untrapping Product Teams covers everything you need to know to lead a product team and be successful as a product manager. Author David Pereira does an excellent job of pointing out biases and thinking traps that doom products. The book is full of many insights and tools that will be useful for years to come."--Mike Cohn, co-founder of Agile Alliance
"David's book shares several hard-earned lessons of what happens when product leaders, product managers, and especially product owners are not trained to succeed in their jobs, and they go on to make predictable and avoidable mistakes. This book can help you avoid some of these pitfalls."--Marty Cagan, partner, Silicon Valley Product Group
"This book touches on all the daily essentials for a product person. It's a practical guide and a meta-analysis rolled into one, serving as the 'Greatest Hits' album of Product Management. Ideal for newcomers and an excellent refresher for those already immersed in the field."--Petra Wille, author of Strong Product People
David Pereira is a product leader with more than 15 years of experience. He has sharpened his skills by leading diverse teams, from startups to giant corporations. Since 2020, he has openly shared his mistakes, failures, and insights on product management, reaching over 10 million readers worldwide. His thought-provoking courses have more than 15K satisfied students across 120+ countries.
When I first got into Agile 15 years ago it was as a Product Owner. I wasn't great at it.
I read everything I could back then and whilst some of the books and blogs I discovered back then were useful, but nothing really hit the mark.
Why do I say this? Well I wish I had a time machine to go back and give my younger self David's book.
As someone who has been involved with digital product management and agile for a long long time, this is the first book I have found that speaks the truth about how as a product person in an agile (or other environment) can be ineffective and what can be done to improve the situation.
David's book is overflowing with brilliantly practical advice and written in a fantastically relaxed and conversation tone. Never condescending and 100% ground in reality.
I was a beta reader of Untrapping Product Teams. The book is grounded in reality, offering immediate, actionable insights that are based on David first-hand experience as a product person and leader. David covers a lot of ground in a concise and compelling manner, using his typical no-nonsense style and real-world examples. Perfect for anyone involved with product teams, this book is highly recommended to elevate your product skills.
Has to rank among the best books on digital product management I have picked up. Great insights, real world examples that are relatable (unlike reading nth time about "how we do things at Google" and similar billion dollar powered bs).
Clarifies many misconceptions and anti-patterns around product management and offers fresh thinking and clear advice.
David Perreira's "Untrapping Product Teams" is a great work of literature in the world of product management literature and comes second only to Itamar Gilad's 'Evidence Guided'.
This book resonates deeply with both individual contributors and leaders in product roles, offering validation and permission to address common pain points we often face but rarely discuss openly.
Perreira challenges industry norms, taking aim at sacred cows like bloated backlogs and excessive process-focus that can hinder true innovation. He reminds us of what really matters: the customer and the value we're creating. It's refreshing to see someone articulate the frustrations many of us experience but struggle to address.
What sets this book apart is its practical approach. Perreira doesn't just identify problems; he offers actionable solutions. His insights on team organization and evidence-gathering techniques are immediately applicable, giving readers tools they can implement right away to improve team performance and product outcomes.
The author's experience shines through in his nuanced understanding of product management challenges across different organizational levels. Whether you're an IC looking to make a bigger impact or a leader aiming to unlock your team's potential, you'll find valuable guidance here.
"Untrapping Product Teams" serves as both a wake-up call and a roadmap. It encourages us to break free from unproductive habits and refocus on what truly drives product success. If you're feeling stuck in your product role or sensing your team isn't reaching its full potential, this book provides the perspective and strategies needed to break through those barriers.
In a field often bogged down by jargon and rigid methodologies, Perreira's work is a refreshing reminder of why we got into product management in the first place: to create value and make a difference. This book is an essential read for any product professional looking to elevate their game and drive meaningful results.
David Pereira’s "12 Product Principles" is an absolute gem for anyone involved in product management. As a seasoned product leader with over 15 years of experience, David brings invaluable insights that resonate deeply with both beginners and seasoned professionals. From the very first chapter, David’s emphasis on simplifying decision-making and focusing on goals rather than distractions is a game-changer. His principle of "Stop starting, start finishing" is a mantra every product manager should adopt to avoid the common pitfall of juggling too many tasks at once. The book brilliantly breaks down complex concepts into easily digestible principles, making it clear that effective product management is more art than science. David’s advice to "Dare to take risks" and prioritize evidence over opinions provides a practical roadmap for driving real value in any organization. One of the standout sections is the emphasis on "Building What Creates Value." David challenges the obsession with increasing velocity and instead advocates for measuring the impact of your work. His principle of "Good enough is better than perfect" is a refreshing take on delivering functional solutions that can be iteratively improved based on real user feedback. David’s collaborative principles are equally compelling. His guidance on meeting audiences where they are and establishing alignment rather than trying to please everyone is both practical and effective. The advice to focus on solving current problems over potential future issues helps teams maintain momentum and deliver meaningful results. Overall, "12 Product Principles" is a must-read. David Pereira’s wisdom, drawn from a wealth of global experience, provides a clear, actionable framework that can transform how you approach product management. This book is not just theory—it’s a practical guide that has already worked for countless teams worldwide. Highly recommended!
Soy formador y consultor en OKR, agile, product management y temas relacionados. Sigo a David Pereira en las redes sociales desde hace tiempo.
Tras leer "Untrapping Product Teams", pienso que puede ser una lectura esencial para product managers que buscan mejorar tanto a nivel individual como en el rendimiento de sus equipos. El libro aborda de manera clara y práctica las trampas comunes que enfrentan los equipos de desarrollo de productos y ofrece estrategias efectivas para superarlas.
Pereira destaca la importancia de una mentalidad abierta y adaptable, enfatizando cómo una mentalidad fija puede limitar la capacidad de los equipos para crear soluciones valiosas. La obra también subraya la relevancia de la colaboración sobre la coordinación, promoviendo un flujo de desarrollo colaborativo que empodera a los equipos.
Uno de los puntos fuertes del libro es su enfoque en la creación de valor real, en lugar de simplemente cumplir con plazos o características predefinidas. Pereira proporciona herramientas para gestionar el backlog de manera eficiente, evitando la deuda técnica y permitiendo a los equipos centrarse en los objetivos a largo plazo.
Además, el autor ofrece valiosas perspectivas sobre la importancia de la experimentación y el aprendizaje continuo. Alienta a los product managers a probar diferentes soluciones, aceptar la posibilidad de errores y aprender de ellos para mejorar continuamente.
En resumen, "Untrapping Product Teams" es una guía imprescindible para cualquier product manager que desee impulsar la innovación, mejorar la colaboración y maximizar el valor que sus equipos pueden ofrecer. La combinación de consejos prácticos, ejemplos claros y un enfoque en el aprendizaje hace de este libro una herramienta valiosa para llevar el rendimiento del equipo al siguiente nivel.
I really love to be inspired by David Pereira's book 📚“Untrapping Product Teams”📚. Under the motto "simplify the complexity of creating digital products" all things product teams have to know and to manage are part of this book. David shows how important it is to create a product strategy that bases on the four elements: product vision, roadmap, lean canvas and value curve. I have been eagerly awaiting this book and was not disappointed... I can only recommend it to all product lovers who are already convinced by David Pereira's thoughts (follow him at LinkedIn, I although can recommend), the path of thought-provoking and his ideas and sharing his experience, but also to those who are still hesitant with this mindset about productteams and their work. Short teaser from the blurb “Untrapping Product Teams guides you to simplify what gets unintentionally complicated and equips you to overcome dangerous traps while steadily driving customer and business value.” I mean, one has to read this book as a responsible productowner, prodcutmanager, stakeholder, team member, scrummaster (#younameit). I love also the things David tells us about the Backlog, complexe Jira-workflows and what to do getting the Product Team right. In my opinion, the book also impresses with its very easy-to-read and effortless writing style. Another thing that struck me as really positive was the "onboarding" into the book and topic before the chapters start. Colleagues, I told about the book, are also in love with this inpiring thoughts put together in this book. This book is an invest, written to read more than once a time, it will be a always be asked again partner in product things for me. Thank you David Pereira for deciding to write this book and thank you to everyone who supported you. I find it absolutely inspiring! 📚
“Untrapping Product Teams” is a great book for product people (of all levels and also for those who are thinking about becoming one). It is written in simple words and has a great flow and very easy to read. It was written in a way that will make it not just a good book but also a good product. The overall approach is very personal and as it was stated in the book it’s should feel like having a conversation with a colleague in a quiet coffee shop or a neighborhood bar.
In every group of people there are the few who are good storytellers, In the sense that they can engage the others in the conversation and relate to the story. David is one of those people.
His openness and honesty are what capture you in those stories, they are not about the winning but the failure, the journey and the realization that led to eventual success.
I had the pleasure to not only meet David but also work with him and I can honestly say that the approach he is using in this book is the one he is using in real life and in every thing he does.
Some of the guidelines that are suggested in the book might rattle some product people (especially the parts that talk about the engineers and stakeholders) but I personally think that you should really take the time to contemplate.
One more thing that I have noticed and appreciate is the fact that unlike many product related books I have read, there are hardly any repetitive sentences, there is enough content to not say the same things in different words four times in every chapter. The only repetition of ideas comes in the end of every chapter as “what to take from it”.
Guess what I’ve been reading in between meetings these past two weeks?
David Pereira’s book, Untrapping Product Teams – it is that good!
I first came across David Pereira and his work at Agile Tour Vilnius last year. I attended his presentation on Untrapping Product Teams, and it was so anti-bullshit, straightforward, and grounded in his own failures and triumphs that I knew I needed to learn more from him.
As a Scrum Master and Agile Coach for years, I know the importance of continually bolstering my product knowledge to truly partner with the Product Managers I work with. David’s book has already helped me immensely on client work, allowing me to spot barriers to value creation and gently steer improved ways of working.
This book only arrived two weeks ago, so that’s a hell of a return on investment.
If you’re in Product Management or Product Engineering, do yourself a favour – order it and get inspired to further your own quest for value delivery!
Product Management is a complex discipline, primarily because there are far too many approaches to mastering it. Unfortunately, there are so many and they are so different that it is almost impossible to figure it out, especially for entry-level specialists.
David made it possible! He is a known author and recognized voice in the Product Management world, mainly because of his strong dedication to common sense and zero tolerance for meaningless texts. Each post by David feels like a glass of fresh water in a swampy desert. Can you imagine how his book feels?
When I was reading it, I was constantly energized. I wanted to scream: Finally, someone said it out loud! The book gives you motivation and helps you not to lose sanity. It leaves you with a nice aftertaste of having your Product Management Craft in order. The book is filled with plenty of criteria for a reality check and tools to make life easier for you and your Product team.
I highly recommend it to all PMs out there. Whether you're just starting your career or have already faced quite a few challenges, you will find this book useful!
And even if you're not a product manager but want to become more proficient in this discipline, feel free to explore it. The book is written very easily.
This is my new absolute favorite book about product management! If someone is considering this role, I'd suggest they read it. If someone has already been in this role for 10+ years, I'll suggest they read it (you can fast forward the parts where you're already good at and put more emphasis on those where you still struggle).
Why?
It details all the different sides of a PM job. It's a practical book, not just a far-away inspiration. David shares real-life examples that resonate and are easy to understand. David's views and values align with how the top companies in the world operate. He makes it easy to see the big picture—how everything fits together and why it makes sense to approach this way.
Despite my 20+ years in the digital product-building world, this book still managed to spark lively discussions among me and fellow product managers. It pushed for even higher clarity on some questions, proving its ability to provoke insightful conversations.
For example, if the opportunity tree was more of a theoretical tool for me, then now I could not live without it. And the most important thing—after that book, I deleted 70% of the backlog!
A very useful book not only for product managers but also to everyone who participates in a complex process of building the products. Being a UX designer found there a lot of challenges I am tacking daily at work. I wished I could read it when I started working as a part of product team like years ago, it would definitely help to avoid the hard earned lessons. Even though having experience for venture building and creating products from scratch make the book appear as a treasure to see what could have been done differently and treat the failures not as mistakes but as crucial learnings. The simplicity of the language and a lot of personal stories make the book not only useful but fun to read. Knowing David in person and working with him for more than a year gives a chance to be a witness of being all learnings he has applied in real life. Which definitely adds credibility and trust and a wish to recommend this book to everyone who is a part of a product team. The cover and the design of the book make the experience of reading even more pleasurable.
“Untrapping Product Teams” by David Pereira isn’t just another manual; it’s a revelation in product management. With a craftsman’s precision, David dissects the intricacies of product development, equipping teams to sidestep common pitfalls and instead channel their energies into productive, value-driven efforts.
The book excels in demystifying complex decision-making processes and shifts the focus towards a proactive, result-oriented approach. Particularly transformative are the product health checks—ingenious tools crafted to preemptively identify and remedy team dysfunctions, ensuring continuous improvement and alignment towards common goals.
This guide stands out as a beacon for both novices and seasoned professionals in the field; it is the most important new release in 2024 so far. His work is an indispensable toolkit for those aspiring to master the nuances of effective product management.
This book is a refreshing departure from the typical product management guides out there. It's not just another theoretical manual; it's a pragmatic, hands-on playbook that provides actionable insights to navigate the complexities of product development.
David's writing style is both engaging and relatable, having made it very easy for me to connect with the content on a personal level. He has a knack for simplifying complex concepts and providing practical strategies that can be implemented immediately.
One of the book's greatest strengths is its ability to help readers identify and name pitfalls when they experience them. With David's descriptions, it becomes so much easier to pinpoint the root causes of issues and take proactive steps to address them.
I'd definitely recommend reading "Untrapping Product Teams" - whether you're a seasoned product leader, product manager or just starting out in the field.
As I started reading "Untrapping Product Teams" it, I immediately found myself unable to put it down. Unfortunately, life got in the way and since I couldn't sit back to read it, so I had to imported it to my Speechify app so that I can listen to it while I went about my day.
This book is jammed packed with relatable stories that keep giving me flashbacks to personal experiences in my own career. I can't recommend it enough. Especially, starting in Product or Software Development in general. For those finding themselves stuck or "trapped" in a feature factory's every growing backlog of "stuff", this is the book for you!
I love that David's focus in this book is not about what and how to do the work but sharing down to earth experiences and anti-patterns to avoid those blind spots that often make an already complex world unnecessarily more complicated and less rewarding. He dares to share what a lot are afraid to admit.
Where to start? I have nothing but praise for this book and its author. This book succinctly encapsulates David's years of experience, utilizing real-life use cases to illustrate his insights. There are lessons inside for both newcomers and veterans of product development.
David's skill lies in his ability to simplify complicated concepts, which can make the daunting product world appear less overwhelming. With his clear explanations and experience, he transforms the perception of the product world from a twisted maze to a surmountable challenge. He doesn't just make things easier for the sake of understanding but also emphasizes on the importance of focusing on the obvious aspects, which may seem hidden until explicitly shown.
Overall, David’s book changes the way beginners perceive product management, providing them with simplified insights into the field and revealing the true structure that drives it.
I came across David's 2 weeks ago on LinkedIn. I was compelled to buy his book and went through it religiously. Despite his 76K+ following, he is the most down to earth people I've ever met. David was on my LinkedIn Live and patiently answered my audience question. His book is a game changer and based on true stories. What I love about his advice is it's practical and applicable even if you don't work at a fancy company like Microsoft or Amazon. He is self-made comes from a small village in Brazil and that type of warmth shows in his book. He's authentic, he's real, and he'll teach you more than just building products but to be a better human being. I frankly recommend his book to anyone, not just a product person. Anyone who has to deal with the agony of the workplace and want to create value for customers. Buy his book, follow him on LinkedIn, get every opportunity you can to learn from him.
David Pereira's "Untrapping Product Teams" is a refreshing and insightful guide for anyone navigating the complexities of digital product creation. What sets this book apart is David’s honest recounting of his journey as a young Product Owner. He doesn’t just share best practices; he opens up about the traps he fell into early in his career and, more importantly, how he overcame them.
This book is more than just theory—it's a practical guide grounded in real-world experience. David’s storytelling is engaging, and his lessons are invaluable for both aspiring and seasoned product professionals. By sharing his mistakes and growth, he provides keys for avoiding common pitfalls, making it a must-read for anyone looking to simplify and succeed in product development.
If you're looking to enhance your product management skills and steer clear of the traps that can derail even the best-intentioned teams, this book is your go-to resource.
I had the chance to get to know David personally, as we worked together for several months. His knowledge about product management is outstanding - it doesn't come from books but from real experience - he knows what works and what does not work, he is not afraid to share ups and downs of his path. I enjoyed working with David cause he always reminded me about Simplicity! We tend to build our environment so complicated, we introduce processes, frameworks and rules… and we forget about what matters in great product management: It is about our mindset. David masters to phrase this mindset into a wonderful book and explains modern principles for product leaders as well as product beginners. After reading this book you have an holistic view of successful product management - I hope many people from the industry will read it.
This book will be on my recommendation list for anyone who's interested in honing their product management expertise.
Here are a few things I loved about it: - best crafted definition of product value and practice I have ever read - clear vision of the challenges rooted in experience; and humbly shared I will add - many effective solutions that I can vouch really do work - content is organized in a way that allows you to read it in bits that are searchable for your problem; making it practical to browse and get immediate help.
The content and writing style get high marks. I’ve read a lot of books, and don’t love them all, so trust me when I say this is a good one.
🏃♀️ Run to get this book. It’s simplicity, humility, and pragmatism is wonderfully refreshing and enlightening.
David definitely nailed this one. There are so many personal stories about his struggles in product and I really could feel him.
So many times I was thinking: Yes, this is exactly what happened to me.
I am in product for nearly 10 years and I still found this book a great reminder how to not do things and what you can do about the anti-patterns, that product people are facing on a daily basis.
Sometimes I came to the same conclusion as David how to tackle a particular situation and sometimes he gave me a new perspective on things, that was very valuable for me to read about.
In any case: I can highly recommend reading this book.
it's funny because it's true! David Pereira’s ‘Untrapping Product Teams’ is full of true funny stories, every PM can relate. The book immediately proves its value with its smooth and concise writing style, making complex concepts accessible and actionable. David’s treasure trove of experiences and knowledge, shared through numerous real-world examples, helps readers avoid common pitfalls and learn from his career mistakes. Highly recommended!
I am very happy to have handed over my copy by David - thank you very much!
"Untrapping Product Teams" by David Pereira brings together many powerful tools to help product managers beat the fracture factory syndrome. David brings the best of product management, how to conduct product discovery, and so many other useful tips to untrap yourself in BS... And, he puts it in a way that sounds so easy! Yet, for me, after untrapping your team to deliver real value, the cherry on top of the cake are the amazing insights to remain untapped. The health checks are spot on! Trust me, you will want to read all pages!
A must read for product management professionals and executives
David’s "Untrapping Product Teams" brilliantly simplifies product management, highlighting traps and offering practical solutions. It's a must-read not just for product professionals but also for CEOs and commercial leaders looking to better collaborate with P&E teams. If you're tired of the product jargon and overly complicated roadmaps, you'll find this book incredibly useful for implementing practical approaches and improving product development. Highly recommended!
A must read book for product managers and leaders. Will not only help you unlock your personal potential but also create better products for the world. Knowingly and unknowingly we get trapped into some obvious yet deadly process traps in product teams, this book does a great job of identifying, addressing, and proactively avoiding those traps. David does a great job at listing almost all the potential issues in your processes and mindset, that are keeping your organization from achieving its true potential.
Really enjoyed David's book, is it practical, pragmatic, honest and truly appreciates the hard work done by others before him with various respect given to the many amazing people in product and agile ways of working.
I really appreciate David's style, it is approachable and authentic, whilst this may not be ground breaking in terms of new ideas, it is very much practitioner-based experience from the trenches which I really appreciate. There is truly little fluff, and lots of good stuff from what worked and what didn't and importantly in what context.
I will definitely be recommending this book to product leaders, product managers, teams in general, agile and delivery leads etc.
Just finished reading Untrapping Product Teams by David Pereira, and it was packed with insights on how to simplify product development while maximising value.
If you're only going to read one product management book this year, I highly recommend making it this one!
The book covers a wide range of themes that are beneficial not only for newcomers to product management but also for experienced professionals.
A fantastic read for anyone involved in product management! Highly recommend if you want to break free from traditional approaches and focus on delivering true customer value.
Stop what you are doing. Buy the book. Sit down and read it slowly and carefully
I’ve been in tech for 20 years - 8 years in QA and the last 12 years as a Product Manager and Director of Product. In that time I’ve worked for over 10 different tech companies (some startups, some growth stage and a few enterprise ones) and what David shares here is highly accurate and relevant to all of them.
This will probably become the Product Management Bible. Yes, it’s that good!
Untrapping Product Teams is a must-read for everyone who wants to succeed in Product Management. David shares all his knowledge and experience, providing actionable insights on how to excel in crafting digital products. The book is written in a way that helps you identify and tackle common traps, providing clear examples for each case. One of the most valuable aspects is the list of traps to avoid, which can save you tons of time.