Building Products for the Enterprise: Product Management in Enterprise Software

by Blair Reeves, Benjamin Gaines

If you’re new to software product management or just want to learn more about it, there’s plenty of advice available—but most of it is geared toward consumer products. Creating high-quality software for the enterprise involves a much different set of challenges. In this practical book, two expert product managers provide straightforward guidance for people looking to join the thriving enterprise market.

Authors Blair Reeves and Benjamin Gaines explain critical differences between enterprise and consumer products, and deliver strategies for overcoming challenges when building for the enterprise. You’ll learn how to cultivate knowledge of your organization, the products you build, and the industry you serve.

Explore

Identifying customer vs user problems is an enterprise project manager’s main challengeEffective collaboration requires in-depth knowledge of the organizationAnalyzing data is key to understanding why users buy and retain your productHaving experience in the industry you’re building products for is valuableProduct longevity depends on knowing where the industry is headed

Genres: Business, Management, Software, Nonfiction, Design, Startup, Technology

249 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 9, 2018

Reviews

[Adam Amran · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was more about "building products" than it was about "for the enterprise". I expected more on the differences between product management in B2C vs. B2B settings. The book did offer a bit but didn't really go deep on those differences.

Otherwise it was a good overview of what the product manager's job looks like in the enterprise setting.

It revolved around 3 types of knowledge that enterprise PMs need: organizational, product and industry. This is somewhat similar to 4 types of knowledge that Marty Cagan describes in Inspired: business, customer, data and industry.

Where Inspired was a lot more customer/user-centric, this was much more about collaboration across the organization. Which is fitting to the enterprise theme, I suppose.

[Ketil Moland · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are a bunch of Product Management books available, and I have read quite a few of them. The problem, however, is that most of these books are geared towards consumer products, which differ quite a bit from enterprise products in their very nature. This book sets out to bridge the gap, and succeeds in its mission. The authors do a good job at identifying specific Enterprise Product challenges, such as the difference between customers and users, and suggest how to tackle them. If you enjoyed Marty Cagan’s “Inspired” (2nd Edition), this book is an excellent companion that will help you utilize some of Cagan’s key principles in an Enterprise-context.

[Peter Rod · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great intro into product management for B2B,
A lot of kind of obvious info if you’re already in B2B or enterprise setting, but it was great to hear all of that defined properly.

However since the book is a couple of years old it has some stuff that’s not particularly actual in today’s product development.

[Aleksandr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definetely worth reading if you work in an enterprise and build products for enterprise usage. The book might not have a lot of tips for you, if you have been in this area for a while. But I found it useful to define my role for myself, confirm that it’s not only me who feels awkward with all that fuss about startup-ish/lean-ish product methods, and just accept that enterprise PMs are a different breed.

[Marc · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was really good. If you're an enterprise PM and have felt estranged by all those Medium articles telling you to "a/b test your way to success..." instead of sitting in on sales calls, this book is for you.

Wish I had it read it years ago....

[Raluca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good overview of specifics of product management in an enterprise environment.

[Varadharajan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Check out my review thread here.

[Nadya Tsech · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not only this is a rare book written for B2B product managers. It's also highly readable, light and at the same time packed with information.

This book can be used as a guideline. I was reading a few chapters and next month tried to implement my learnings.

Authors describe three categories of knowledge enterprise PMs need and how to acquire them:
• Organizational Knowledge (How your company works, who should be involved in decisions, how to obtain information)
• Product Knowledge (Understand your product to be able to empathize with users and define value proposition)
• Industry Knowledge (Understand customers' problems, market trends, opportunities for business and innovation)

I especially recommend this book to product managers who don't have a sales/business background.
I'm looking forward to rereading it.

[Tyler Riggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

A terrific primer on the nuts and bolts of product management. While I believe this would be a beneficial read for anyone who is interested in getting into enterprise software product management, I would highly recommend it to anyone tangential to product management, i.e. sales, solutions consulting, product marketing, etc.

I myself read this while I was in a solutions consulting role, and have since moved to sales, but it continues to be a beneficial guidestone to know what the product management teams I frequently interact with are actually doing. There seem to be many in sales, for example, who believe that product managers are catch-all geniuses who can solve any software issue that is thrown over their fence. To be certain, product managers often can solve a lot of these problems, but it is critical to gain understanding that doing so would require deviating from their biggest priorities.

In summation, I recommend this book to anyone working WITH product managers as a way to gain knowledge and empathy as to how you can maximize your relationship with the PMs in your organization.

[Maciek Głownia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Firm but short overview of things Product Manager (PM) should know and understand.

It should be treated as map. When you start your journey as PM this book is good for it. If you're already on route you can always take a look, to check if there's any side track you should consider to visit along the way.

I think this book is best for people who are from 0 - 1 year in role PM role in Enterprise business.
After that things in book are probably rather familiar - some of them you know deep, for some you've just sratched the surface.

But like any other map, this one also has scale. Here you dont see detaild tracks. Only highway and the main roads.
What this book lack is more tips for what subjects, tools or techniques you should consider to get to know. At least at the end of each chapter after summary should be some list of recommendations
In other words, it should recommend more detailed maps in specific areas :)

[Chris Haleua · Rating 5 out of 5]

Real actionable advice from real product management experts

I really enjoyed this book because it felt relatable and applicable to my role as an enterprise software product manager. I already knew most of what they explained about market focus on users vs customers. Still those parts were described in such an interesting and concise way. I am motivated to apply more of what I knew about field support and product leadership teams but too frequently ignore in the rush for the next release. The other quarter of the book that was truly new and unique were the perspectives on product measurement and testing. I have just started to apply their advice and it is already starting to pay off significantly.

[Yumi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book truly offers many valuable insights. Enterprise software differs from consumer products! It has a longer sales cycle and higher customization! The product is an extension of the sales team, driving iteration through data rather than pure sales pitches, inspiring readers to rethink the competitiveness of SaaS. It's a practical guide for product managers, especially suitable for those transitioning from startups to the enterprise market; the downside is that the case studies are predominantly American, requiring Asian readers to adjust their perspective. Highly recommended for anyone wanting to improve their B2B PM skills; it can help optimize product roadmaps! This is a must read for anyone new to enterprise management; highly recommended👍

[Aksena · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an awesome book for enterprise product managers to understand the basics of work which include:
- roles and responsibilities
- how product management works in enterprise
- product roadmapping
- collaboration with sales and marketing
- specialties of user interviews and research etc.

It will be a great tool to dive deeper into the
« Enterprise mindset ». I totally recommend this book.

Ps: it might be a but boring to read from page to page, but this is not a fantasy or a drama - so take your time and do this!

[Mikhail Filatov · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's an overview of Product management in Enterprise SaaS. Can be useful for a newcomer or as an introduction.
Having said that, their guidance is really high-level in most cases "get product knowledge" and the number of times they mentioned that "enterpise product management is not consumer product management" is approaching infinity.

[Thomas Ziegelbecker · Rating 4 out of 5]

At times feels unfinished but still is a great intro into the enterprise software world and a great start for new PMs in the B2B world. Enjoyed reading it and had to nod many times, being a PM in the enterprise world as well.
It’s definitely the best book for B2B for Product Managers that I have come across!

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must-read for enterprise product managers.
Users vs customers (they're two different folks).
Find the Cassandras - sales and customer support to find out what your enterprise customers and users' pain points.

[Spencer Dobrik · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great introduction and guide to the work of an Enterprise product manager and the unique situations which separate it from product managers at smaller companies.

[Jesse Richards · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some good pointers, but it was dense to read and the memorable tip-to-page ratio was low. Might be a useful reference for beginners, if they can get through it.

[Ankush · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the best product management books for B2B. Only thing I wish it went deeper into some topics like strategy and pricing

[Nikhilesh · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Scientific/empirical
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Novel idea
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Engaging
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Overall
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Who should read the book - Anyone in enterprise product management

In a world inundated with consumer product management literature, this book truly resonates with those of us dedicated to enterprise product management. The authors' genuine empathy for their readers shines through, reflecting their expertise and dedication to their craft.

This insightful book is a treasure trove of practical wisdom. Whether you're aspiring to break into the world of product management or already a seasoned pro, it offers valuable insights. The principles it covers are foundational, making it a great resource for beginners to grasp the basics and a valuable reminder for experienced Product Managers to revisit those crucial first principles.

While it doesn't introduce groundbreaking concepts, that's perfectly fine because the tried-and-true concepts within this book work effectively in the real world. It's all about execution, after all. 📈

Moreover, the book strikes a perfect balance in terms of length and content. It doesn't overextend itself or unnecessarily repeat information, making it a highly efficient and enjoyable read. 📖

I wholeheartedly recommend "Building Products for the Enterprise" to anyone in the field of product management. It's a concise, insightful, and practical guide that can benefit professionals at all stages of their careers. #ProductManagement #EnterpriseProducts #ProfessionalGrowth

[Kristiina Keelmann · Rating 3 out of 5]

While most product management books and articles focus on consumer products the book written by Ben Gaines (PM @ Adobe) and Blair Reeves (PM @ IMB, SAS, SalesForce) concentrates on product management in the context of enterprise software. Three main aspects which set building products for enterprises and consumers apart are: 
* the business model - operating with a direct-sales model with long and complicated sales cycle;
* product specialization - (complex) software tailored to serve a specific technical or business need; 
* split between the customer and the user - users who use our product on a daily basis to succeed in their jobs are almost never the same people who actually pay us for it.

The above-mentioned points are covered through details from the perspective of three types of essential knowledge for a product manager to master which are organizational, product and industry knowledge. The latter found most important (and unfortunately most difficult to obtain because it just takes some time) for successful product manager. It also covers how to discover and solve the most important problems on the market, how empathy can help us build better products and how communication really is the key (including many practical tips to consider while communicating with different parties). 

Tip: If you can only read a small piece of the book, I would suggest you check out these:
* How Product Managers Engage With Sales (p. 69)
* Discovery interviews (p. 127)
* How Do Enterprise Product Managers Spend Their Day (p. 146)

Audience: Everybody working in a product development team, but in my opinion Product Owners, Analysts and Designers could benefit the most from reading it. 

[Colby Tibbet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easily the best product book for anyone working in enterprise software. Extremely
Helpful that I bought the physical
After getting the kindle for better reference