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Build What Matters: Delivering Key Outcomes with Vision-Led Product Management
Rapid iteration, A/B testing, and growth hacking--these buzzwords have everyone's attention in product management today. But while they dominate the current discussion, something even more significant has been lost in their long-term value creation for the customer.
Product advisors Rajesh Nerlikar and Ben Foster believe that consistently delivering meaningful outcomes requires a deep understanding of your customer's definition of success. Combine a bold customer-centric vision with a practical execution strategy, and you have a recipe that reveals product development priorities and the pathway to innovation.
In Build What Matters , Rajesh and Ben introduce you to their methodology for becoming a product-driven company. Through their tested strategies and stories of success, you'll learn how Vision-Led Product Management helps you achieve company objectives by meeting both current and future customer needs.
Product advisors Rajesh Nerlikar and Ben Foster believe that consistently delivering meaningful outcomes requires a deep understanding of your customer's definition of success. Combine a bold customer-centric vision with a practical execution strategy, and you have a recipe that reveals product development priorities and the pathway to innovation.
In Build What Matters , Rajesh and Ben introduce you to their methodology for becoming a product-driven company. Through their tested strategies and stories of success, you'll learn how Vision-Led Product Management helps you achieve company objectives by meeting both current and future customer needs.
296 pages, Hardcover
Published August 28, 2020
102 people are currently reading
1185 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
November 7, 2020
Perfectly complements Marty cagans inspire (broad and mostly generic) and Melissa Perris escaping the build trap by being more prescriptive in all steps needed to get from output to outcomes.
August 9, 2021
I perfectly agree with what some of the other reviewers here are saying; this book contains a more thorough framework to apply as a product leader (I read it after having read Inspired by Marty Cagan and Escaping The Build Trap by Melissa Perri and I'd say that's the right order). This book helps clarifies what a product vision and strategy really is and how you actually create it! I myself am a product manager and not a product leader and still feel this book has and will help me tremendously in my day-to-day job. The icing on the cake is that whenever I had a question about some of the book's contents, I was able to email Rajesh(!) and ask it to him, and he'd get back to me on the same day! That's what I call a delighter ;)
There's one single thing that's a bit vague at times and it's that teams are obviously mentioned a lot, but sometimes (albeit not often) it's not clear which team is being referred to - Is it the executive team? The team of product managers i.e. the product department? Or the product team i.e. Scrum team?
All in all a super well-written book that I'm so happy I invested time in reading :)
There's one single thing that's a bit vague at times and it's that teams are obviously mentioned a lot, but sometimes (albeit not often) it's not clear which team is being referred to - Is it the executive team? The team of product managers i.e. the product department? Or the product team i.e. Scrum team?
All in all a super well-written book that I'm so happy I invested time in reading :)
July 5, 2021
I’ve always been a big fan of vision-led product management and it’s always been an area of product that I’ve naturally gravitated towards. However, this book has made me see this approach as an absolutely critical cornerstone for product. The book is so comprehensive in giving you, the reader, the blueprint for execution (and answering the whys). So much so that I met Rajesh as part of an author Q&A and rarely had no questions to ask, only praise for writing such an excellent product companion. I’d highly recommend this to anyone working in product and beyond, as this approach can definitely transcend product.
March 23, 2022
Absolutely Fantastic
First PM hire here and no formal PM experience. Ben and Rajesh have done an excellent job of outlining the PM fundamentals along with tactical ways to apply it in real life. In our organizing, I've been experimenting with several of their recommended strategies and the feedback from engineering, design, and growth teams has been positive. Looking forward to deeper implementation and collecting results!
First PM hire here and no formal PM experience. Ben and Rajesh have done an excellent job of outlining the PM fundamentals along with tactical ways to apply it in real life. In our organizing, I've been experimenting with several of their recommended strategies and the feedback from engineering, design, and growth teams has been positive. Looking forward to deeper implementation and collecting results!
February 4, 2024
This is definitely one of the best product management books out there.
The thing that first got me hooked to this is the 10 dysfunctions of product management, and it stuck a chord with me.
After that great first chapter, the next thing that got me stuck to the book is the circle square and the dots or where product has to be built and where product should not be built and left for services.
The Outcome pyramid is the next thing that got me interested, the outcome pyramid is really useful to tie the vision, mission of the company with the KPIs and metrics down to the last level.
But then they change the AARRR pirate metrics with Customer Journey stages which did not really impress me.
The Chuck wagon example that they have used through out the book to explain and illustrate the theory at each stage of the journey is really useful. The authors also include their real life experiences along with the concepts which also help a lot.
The authors story - one of them from BEN about HIDDEN SHIPPING COSTS also impressed me.
The Vision Led Product Management along with KANO model and the RICE models are the usual suspects nothing new there into the fifth chapter.
The rest of that chapters are just some random discussion about product management.
Again it becomes a little interesting in chapter 8 - where they talk about how to build a product team.
Product OPS is interesting.
But the rest of the book felt like a space filler, there was no value add there, but the authors felt the need to add everything that needs to be done to support the core i.e the vision led product management.
The last three chapters were really boring. But this is one book you must have if you are a product manager.
The thing that first got me hooked to this is the 10 dysfunctions of product management, and it stuck a chord with me.
After that great first chapter, the next thing that got me stuck to the book is the circle square and the dots or where product has to be built and where product should not be built and left for services.
The Outcome pyramid is the next thing that got me interested, the outcome pyramid is really useful to tie the vision, mission of the company with the KPIs and metrics down to the last level.
But then they change the AARRR pirate metrics with Customer Journey stages which did not really impress me.
The Chuck wagon example that they have used through out the book to explain and illustrate the theory at each stage of the journey is really useful. The authors also include their real life experiences along with the concepts which also help a lot.
The authors story - one of them from BEN about HIDDEN SHIPPING COSTS also impressed me.
The Vision Led Product Management along with KANO model and the RICE models are the usual suspects nothing new there into the fifth chapter.
The rest of that chapters are just some random discussion about product management.
Again it becomes a little interesting in chapter 8 - where they talk about how to build a product team.
Product OPS is interesting.
But the rest of the book felt like a space filler, there was no value add there, but the authors felt the need to add everything that needs to be done to support the core i.e the vision led product management.
The last three chapters were really boring. But this is one book you must have if you are a product manager.
February 4, 2024
Build What Matters" is a comprehensive guide to Vision-Led Product Management was offering us a practical solution to common dysfunctions in product teams. The authors had blend theoretical concepts with real-world examples and case studies which made me to connect with my previous experience and also it created a compelling narrative that resonates with product managers at various stages which is going help in my career. The importance of a vision-led approach was focusing on key customer outcomes and aligning with the business goals. Each chapter was providing a step-by-step roadmap for me to be a product manager. From identifying dysfunctions to crafting a visionary product strategy, the book equips readers with actionable insights, case studies, and tools for successful product management. For instance The Octopus Interactive case study demonstrates the challenges and successes of a rideshare media company, while the DrFirst case study illustrates the strategic decision-making and prioritization frameworks in action.
February 28, 2021
A great framework for a VISION LED product development strategy. You will need to understand the wider aspects of Product Management, lean, agile, design thinking etc to truly put this into action. You can adopt this on top of those foundations.
A thoughtfully crafted and evidence based approach, including a wealth of supporting assets for book buyers.
A thoughtfully crafted and evidence based approach, including a wealth of supporting assets for book buyers.
November 30, 2020
The problem with this prescriptive approach is that it largely ignores the role that complexity plays in product management and does not account for the underlying assumptions that are inherent in the goals and KPIs that are set.
May 23, 2021
Very practical and well structured compared with other product management books. Walks you through step by step how to get to the main artefacts for your product. Maybe could get rid of some fluff here and there, but great otherwise.
March 19, 2025
vài điều rút ra:
1. Product driven.
2. Vision nên rõ ràng và truyền cảm hứng
3. Điều quan trọng hướng tới là mang lại value cho user. Value có thể phân thứ bậc.
Còn nữa mà cũng suy nghĩ. Sau có thời gian thì đọc kỹ hơn nửa sau.
1. Product driven.
2. Vision nên rõ ràng và truyền cảm hứng
3. Điều quan trọng hướng tới là mang lại value cho user. Value có thể phân thứ bậc.
Còn nữa mà cũng suy nghĩ. Sau có thời gian thì đọc kỹ hơn nửa sau.
December 23, 2020
Excellent book!!!
January 27, 2021
Highly recommended
For all curious about product and for tech companies in particular. Read with our son, try that and enjoy the ride.
For all curious about product and for tech companies in particular. Read with our son, try that and enjoy the ride.
March 11, 2021
The best book on product management I've read. Has humbled me and revolutionized my thinking.
April 4, 2022
This book is an excellent step-by-step guide for formulating your product strategy.
I'd recommend it to every product person.
I'd recommend it to every product person.
August 13, 2022
my favorite PM book ever!!!
did-not-finish
August 8, 2025a very rare DNF for me but decided i don't want to be in product after taking a grad school class....only took me 8 months later to take this off my Currently Reading
May 19, 2023
Had to read this for work but there were some good nuggets in here about building a product organization and the dysfunctional companies that struggle.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews