The Product Mindset: Succeed in the Digital Economy by Changing the Way Your Organization Thinks

by David H. DeWolf, Jessica S. Hall

In the digital economy, businesses need to adapt quickly to satisfy customers’ constant demands for new and updated products. But too many organizations are held back by antiquated IT mindsets that separate developmental groups from the rest of the team. To stay ahead of the competition, you need to embrace enterprise-wide thinking that gets everyone—from engineering to the C-suite—on the same page and speaking the same language.

The Product Mindset approaches product development from a bold, new direction, based on a shared internal outlook that drives focus, speed, experimentation, and innovation from a wide variety of stakeholders. David DeWolf and Jessica Hall provide you with all the tools you’ll need to revitalize your company’s methodologies, reframe its culture, and help your company thrive in the digital marketplace.

If your business is shackled to an IT mindset, break free from the past and discover the fast track to future success.

Genres: Business, Leadership, Nonfiction, Design

135 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 17, 2019

Reviews

[Vlad Ardelean · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's one of those books that is good to read as a reminder, or as motivational material.

The shallowness of thoughts in the book is slightly irritating. I get that it's short, so not much can fit in it, but then because it's short, and because introductions take time (or page space), there's nothing else in the book except rushed introductory material.

I think the purpose of this book is to signal to the clients of 3PillarGlobal good things about the company. I do not doubt the people there have experience in services, technology and methodologies, but the book is too short to be useful.

One idea did stick however. It's nothing crazy, but I wouldn't have enumerated it in a list of good ideas, and this was more of an unknown known: "Solve for need". Basically, whenever companies take feedback from their customers, great care should be taken to identify those features which the customers would actually pay for...not just desire!

Good book, don't expect much of it, but good to keep employees/managers/executives motivated.

Merged review:

It's one of those books that is good to read as a reminder, or as motivational material. I read stuff like this, and this book doesn't really stand out among this kind of literature.

The bad-ish:
The shallowness of thoughts in the book is slightly irritating. I get that it's short, so not much can fit in it, but then because it's short, and because introductions take time (or page space), there's nothing else in the book except rushed introductory material.

The ugly:
I think the purpose of this book is to signal to the clients of 3PillarGlobal good things about the company. I do not doubt the people there have experience in services, technology and methodologies, but the book is too short to be useful. Feels more like marketing material than serious material on the topics discussed.

The good:
One idea did stick however. It's nothing crazy, but I wouldn't have enumerated it in a list of good ideas, and this to me was more of an unknown known: "Solve for need". Basically, whenever companies take feedback from their customers, great care should be taken to identify those features which the customers would actually pay for...not just desire!

Conclusion:
Good book, don't expect much of it, but good to keep employees/managers/executives motivated.

[Raluca · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read to stress the importance of the product mindset and focusing on the outcome and the real value, as opposed to thinking in projects and number of release features. We should focus more on the delivered value and early user feedback, rather than just counting the features delivered while being trapped un the build, “project” mindset.

[Nacho Bassino]

I thought it was oriented to product people, but it is a basic introduction to product thinking definitely not for product people.

[Tovin Seven · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lại là một cuốn sách nữa được sếp "cho từ khóa" để tìm đọc. Và nó thực sự xứng đáng.

Đây là cuốn sách không dài, tập trung vào câu chuyện "tư duy", "tư tưởng", viết ít hiểu nhiều. Sách có đưa ra một số đặc tính cơ bản của product mindset như dưới đây:

To recap, the Product Mindset sets forth three characteristics that are unique to this particular type of software: they must self-fund, they must be chosen, and they are never done. It also lays out three principles that correspond with each characteristic: minimize time to value, solve for need, and excel at change.

Product Mindset(*) có nhiều điểm tương đồng với các phương pháp luận phổ biến như Agile, Design Thinking, Lean Startup. Chúng ta hoàn toàn có thể hòa hợp những phương pháp luận này với nhau, dùng ngôn ngữ, cách hiểu sao cho phù hợp với hoàn cảnh thực tế của mình.

(*) viết hoa - tạm coi là cách định nghĩa của nhóm tác giả

Nhặt nhạnh một số ý ứng dụng được luôn:
- Muốn có idea để làm biz mới ư? Có lẽ đi hỏi thực sự ngẫu nhiên 5 người đã đủ cho chúng ta một khởi đầu
- Văn hóa không thể hiện ở văn bản, giáo điều, tuyên truyền. Văn hóa ở hành động, thái độ của bạn hằng ngày trong công việc.
- Chọn người phù hợp với phong cách, văn hóa ngay từ đầu là rất quan trọng để đi đường dài.
- Đừng cố micro-manage làm gì, chỉ đường cho người ta là đủ rồi. Một vài lần cầm tay chỉ việc mà không có kết quả, có lẽ, nên chia tay nhau

[Zafer Sahinoglu · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is a book that I enjoyed reading, but I wouldn't consider it as an essential piece in my library. Known frameworks and tools including lean startup, design thinking and market-oriented product innovation are synthesized for the audience.

[Michelle S. Berryman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Succinct, easily read and understood - and a great explanation of the philosophy of building products. This is the type of primer most people working in digital product development would do well to read every year or two as a way to refocus and recenter their thinking and approach.

[radu]

the author is the CEO of an IT company in Chisinau

[Shubhankar Yash · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bang average PM book. Scratches the surface of all concepts without explaining any of them properly.

[Jordana Simon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nothing new in here, all the same things that you've already seen and read elsewhere.

[Disha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Better read The lean startup

[Daniel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nothing worth reading here.

[Guthrie C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a must have to complete every product management library. While many other books speak to the how or mental frameworks for the how, the book takes the necessary step back and reveals the key mental traits of a successful product minded organization, and the people within it. It's a necessary companion to The Lean Startup, Shipping Greatness and the Startup Owners Manual. If you have read other books but haven't seen the agile results yet, read this: it helps you understand where the heart AND mind need to change to be successful, and why.

[Jimmie Butler · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Product Mindset is a must read for all levels of an organization, but most critical for management. Many approaches to product management need adjustment and this book keys in on the primary adjustment that makes all the difference - mindset. A great mix of concept and case study keep the flow interesting and engaging.

[Seb Swann · Rating 3 out of 5]

“If you want a successful product, you need to fall out of love with your idea, and fall in love with your customer.”

If you like business books about how organizations should think; in laying out their Product Mindset, DeWolf and Hall provide some interesting lessons on important ways to think about how business approach their work.

[Pradeep · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

Concise description with lots of practical case studies sprinkled throughout. Highly recommended for leaders and practitioners alike. This is a great read!

[Csabi · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book grants a healthy perspective for product development in today's digital age. It encourages a mindset and flow that, put into practice will bring success, and most importantly sustainability.