The Innovator's Dilemma: The Revolutionary National Bestseller That Changed The Way We Do Business
by Clayton M. Christensen
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (02 May, 2000)
list price: $16.00
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Editorial Review

What do the Honda Supercub, Intel's 8088 processor, and hydraulic excavators have in common? They are all examples of disruptive technologies that helped to redefine the competitive landscape of their respective markets. These products did not come about as the result of successful companies carrying out sound business practices in established markets. In The Innovator's Dilemma, author Clayton M. Christensen shows how these and other products cut into the low end of the marketplace and eventually evolved to displace high-end competitors and their reigning technologies.

At the heart of The Innovator's Dilemma is how a successful company with established products keeps from being pushed aside by newer, cheaper products that will, over time, get better and become a serious threat. Christensen writes that even the best-managed companies, in spite of their attention to customers and continual investment in new technology, are susceptible to failure no matter what the industry, be it hard drives or consumer retailing. Succinct and clearly written, The Innovator's Dilemma is an important book that belongs on every manager's bookshelf. Highly recommended. --Harry C. Edwards ... Read more

Reviews (130)

Entrepreneurs - read this & gain the upper hand
In this revolutionary bestseller, Harvard professor Clayton M. Christensen says outstanding companies can do everything right and still lose their market leadership, or worse, disappear completely. And he not only proves what he says; he tells others how to avoid a similar fate.

To be a successful entrepreneur you must be able to capitalize on change. "The Innovator's Dilemma" is all about dealing with change, from the incumbent's point of view. How valuable do you think it would be to understand how your larger competitors think? That's exactly what this book talks about.

Most large, established firms are inherently weak in one area - they cling to the status quo with a vengeance. While talk of innovation is commonplace, it is the attacker (entrepreneurs) who holds a definitive advantage. Without legacy systems and overbearing bureaucracy it is the entrepreneur who has the upper hand.

"The Innovator's Dilemma" consists of two major parts:

Part One: Why Great Companies Fail
Part Two: Managing Disruptive Change

This is one of the most insightful books on business that I have ever read. It explains a very important concept - how radically new (disruptive) technologies can overtake existing well-established (sustaining) technologies and in the process beat market leaders at their own game.

Large companies typically ignore small markets and instead look for growth in established markets. All too often executives of large companies are reluctant to take on challenges in small and unknown terrain since they are always trained to "think big" - which is good news for Aspiring Entrepreneurs.

Take heed, read this book and learn how to fully exploit disruptive technologies and become the next "great company."

-----------------
Michael Davis - Editor, Byvation

Fresh and insightful analysis
A great book with some very insightful ideas. Prior to reading this book, the term "disruptive technology" was foreign to me. I always thought that the large company's misfortunes were largely an indication of how short-sided or greedy their management have become. The more I read, the faster my previous assumptions disappear. We have had many companies come out of no-where and become a technological sensation over night, with products that are destined to become main stream. I never viewed those innovations as disruptive technologies but rather as fresh approaches to the same problems that have existed for sometime, which may seem sound to some, but to others who were focused on that core of business, they will see how some new innovations may spell the death-sentence for some companies as well as retire the current de facto products that are in that void. Christensen also discusses how companies can survive disruptive technology attacks and benefit from them to maintain their active participation as well as leadership in their respective industry. Foresight and the courage to invest in those disruptive technologies is key to keep the core business balanced as well as staying in touch with the new competitors.

Only the Paranoid Survive
In a landmark study, the author argues that the basis of competition among businesses undergoes a paradigm shift everytime a disruptive technology is born. So what is a disruptive technology? Remember what Walmart did to Sears? Of course you do, because disruptive technologies are usually products or services that are faster, cheaper, smaller, and more convinient. Ultimately, good companies must refrain from doing what got them to the top in the first place--listening to their customers and believing everything comes down to superior technology--in order to successfully compete with the onslaught of start-ups redefining both the buying hierarchies and value networks in which they are implicated.

This is without a doubt one of the best business books I have ever read. ... Read more

Isbn: 0066620694
Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Creative ability in business    5. Customer Service    6. Customer services    7. Development - Economic Development    8. Economics - General    9. Industrial management    10. Management - General    11. Organization Development    12. Reading Group Guide   

Developing Products in Half the Time: New Rules, New Tools, 2nd Edition
by Preston G.Smith, Donald G.Reinertsen
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (10 October, 1997)
list price: $34.95 -- our price: $23.07
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Reviews (6)

Lightweight Chat about New product Development
Using this text to teach MBA students about new product development.

Probably the worst text I've encountered for a course, never mind lacking useful information for guiding managers in this field.

Incrediably lightweight with passing comments about rigorous engineering tools, and of little use to anyone to actually do anything relating to creativity, innovation or technology commercialization. Pick up something like Ulrich/Eppingers's "Product Design and Development" for a much more thorough and useful approach.

Excellent must-read for senior managers
I found that this book was packed full of common sense, which is rare in a development management book.Although it has a lot of examples of manufacturing of phsyical goods, I found it great as a software manager.There aren't many spare words in this book, either -- it's terse and well edited, so you get the raw facts and the necessary stories to back them up, but not a lot (or any, really) fluff.

I am putting it on my bookshelf for software engineers, right next to Writing Solid Code and Debugging the Development Process, two classics for software engineers and team leads, respectively.

Buy and Read
Absolutely the best book there is on the subject of new product development.Of particular import is the discussion on market and pricing dynamics, which may be new to technical-types.Choosing the right product to develop is critical to avoid "The Innovators Dilemma".The book however needs to add more to the discussion of the importance (and risk) of rapid return of (partial) information to the team during the development cycle, as well as human (team) dynamics.I would therefore recommend "The Team Handbook" as a necessary adjunct. ... Read more

Isbn: 0471292524
Sales Rank: 34303
Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Development - Business Development    5. Management - General    6. Manufacturing    7. New products    8. Product management    9. Business & Economics / Development & Growth    10. Production & quality control management    11. Marketing - Product Management   

Building Strong Brands
by David A. Aaker
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (12 December, 1995)
list price: $28.00 -- our price: $18.48
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Reviews (14)

Rehashed, Recycled. Nothing new here.
This book is more of the same rehashed, recycled, repurposed content from the authors. Much of this material is available in any basic marketing text. In fact, this book reads strikingly similar to just about any training manual on the basics of branding. If you've worked at any of the big agencies: McCann, JWT, Y&R, you learn the contents of this book on your first day in about a hour. All the cases cited in this book are stale and extremely weak. The "editorial reviews" listed above are shill quotes from clients who are cited as "cases" in the book.
Remember this before you buy: the author, and the firm for whom he works, use this book as nothing more than a lead-generation tool--it's called "thought leadership", a nebulous term used by company to propagate its own way of thinking. Save your money. Don't become a victim of Prophet's propoganda. Buy something with substance like Jean Noel Kapferer.

A good brand classic!
This book is a comprehensive and holistic approach to brand , although a but out-dated. For more updated concepts I reccommend 60-Minute Brand Strategist by Idris Mootee. The author presents an expanded view of the meaning and role of brands and gives a new dimension, deeper than the single, limited conceptualization of a brand as a product. The role of the organizational associations, of the culture values and the emotional imput is very well integrated to understand the multidimensional meaning of a brand. Both books will help brand, marketing and/or commercialization managers to best leverage their corporate, range and product brands. Additionally, the insights presented to understand brand and company valuations are very well explained.

An Excellent Read
Building Strong Brands realizes right away how crucial a brand identity is in today's economy.Well written and researched, Aaker delves into case histories of some very well known brands--such as Saturn--to forcefully argue his premise about the vital importance that a well-established brand identity can play in marketing and selling a product.Although his case histories are strong ones, each situation is unique.Guerilla PR: Wired is laden with various techniques to help an organization market its brand identity. ... Read more

Isbn: 002900151X
Sales Rank: 38453
Subjects:  1. Brand name products    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Consumer Behavior - General    5. Entrepreneurship    6. Intangible property    7. Management    8. Marketing - General    9. Product Management    10. Valuation    11. Business & Economics / Consumer Behavior    12. Sales & marketing   

Crossing the Chasm: Marketing and Selling High-Tech Products to Mainstream Customers
by Geoffrey A. Moore
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 July, 1999)
list price: $17.00
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Editorial Review

Author Geoffrey Moore makes the case that high-tech products require marketing strategies that differ from those in other industries. His chasm theory describes how high-tech products initially sell well, mainly to a technically literate customer base, but then hit a lull as marketing professionals try to cross the chasm to mainstream buyers. This pattern, says Moore, is unique to the high-tech industry.

Moore suggests remedies for the problem that can help businesses meet their long-term goals. He coaches marketing professionals on how to move slowly through the gulf, teaching them to create profiles and target specific segments of the population rather than trying to plow right into the mainstream. He cites examples of successful chasm crossings by such companies as Apple, Tandem, Oracle, and Sun, showing what they all had in common and exposing the different weaknesses in their strategies. Moore also assigns responsibility for success to programmers and developers by suggesting they design a "whole product model." Here, because integration tasks are daunting to the mainstream market, all the components of a technological product must be in one package. Moore also describes strategies for competing with rival companies and assessing the best distribution channels for penetrating the target market.

Written not just for marketing specialists but for all employees whose futures ride on the success of a technical product, Crossing the Chasm delivers crucial information in an engaging, readable tone. ... Read more

Reviews (68)

Crossing the chasm moves you into market leadership
The high tech market illusion markets new technology immediately too the mass marketed. Enthusiasts of the market illusion argue, "if Bill Gates can market windows to the masses, why can I market my technology to the mass market?"At the origin, all high tech markets have a gap between the mainstream-market, the chasm. The chasm problem can't be solved by voluntary assistance, all the resources required to cross the chasm must be requested.In a closed market, a central authority controls all standards and rules.This works fine for a closed market, however, the mass market is composed of numerous interest groups and each group is distinguished by its own psychology and demographics.This each each group will have its own market response.The key too crossing the Chasm means understanding each group niche and its relationship to its neighbor niches.Make a total commitment to a niche and don't take on more than one or two niches at a time.Reverse the trend in the niche decision from high risk and low data too high data and low risk. Focus resources to become dominate in the niche, big fish in small pond.Characterize the target: create something that feels like real people, record down your customer scenerios, store thumbnail information about each customer, and determine how the product will be brought to use by the customer.

Accepting this reality means building a whole application that solves a 100 percent of the business problems of the group, this becomes the high tech lore: 1. target the right customer 2. derive the compelling buying reason 3. build the whole product 4. form partners and allies 5. create a distribution channel 6. find the right pricing 7. distinquish from competition or create competition 8. position into the niche and work to create a mass market merge 9. determine the next target customer.

The high tech innovator must become enlighten.As you cross the chasm you will not be a market leader, but by the time you reach the other side, there will be a strong following.The high tech innovator must realize the markets do not unfold in a smooth continuous manner, there are perils in the chasm, and gain niche loyalty is the key to gain mass-market loyalty. The innovator must gain the trust of the pragmatist.The pragmatist is critical to gain customers because of his large support base.Once the pragmatist is won over, he remains very loyal to the application.It is impossible to win mass-market acceptance with gain the pragmatist loyalty.

Visionaries give high tech companies their first breaks.The winning strategy is for the entrepreneur to define product deliverables. The Visionaries can give the high tech company a burst of revenue and exceptional visibility and without the boost the high-tech products can't make it to market.The visionary is in a hurry to build the future and perceives limited windows of opportunity.Because the opportunity windows are small, large sums of money are generated to complete the project on time.The entrepreneur must create phases of the visionaries project. The high tech company must seed the entrepreneur community with their idea and product overview and hope that a visionary will share its vision. The process is a creative imaginative dream and high tech company is offering a credible way for visionary to realize their dream.The core of the dream is a business goal and it involves a quantum leap forward in the way business gets done and it also involves a high degree of recognition and reward.The dream is looking for a fundamental breakthrough.

The market is flush with enthusiasm and vision.The high tech company must attempt to distinguish themselves from their competitors and once the mainstream merges with the market niche, wealth and growth occur.

The early majority wants evolutionary and not revolutionary product features.The early majority is concerned about disrupting their organization. A very pragmatic attitude compels the early major to seek resource references reassuring them on the technology investment.

The early adopters hope to gain a jump on their competition, lower production costs, provide more complete customer service, and create a radical discontinuity between the old way of doing business and the new way.

It is tough to break into a new industry when selling to a pragmatist.Pragmatists deeply value the experience of their colleagues and funds are in the hands of prudent souls.Pragmatists seek a percentage improvement: incremental, measurable, and predictable and too them risk represents a chance to waste money.The natural prudence and budget restrictions keep them cautious.Pragmatist focus on standardization, increased sales, and lower costs and once won they are very loyal.

The customer can't reference each other when they are in different markets.Customer reference is a chain reaction affected usually by word of mouth.The market purpose must be to develop and shape something that is real and has a set of potential customers and a given set of products and services and allows the customers to reference each other when making buying decisions.

a high tech business classic
Let's face it -- 80% of business books are pure garbage.

This is one of the gems. One that should sit on your office bookshelf.

Moore came up with an interesting take on how high tech businesses must move from early adopters to the mainstream and the challenges involved.

Worth reading, even if you think you already understand
Long established as a classic, the drawing depicting the different classes of customers and their adoption rates are commonly used in the industry. I personally thought I already understood it, just from osmosis. However, reading the book taught me more about the characteristics of those customers, how you gain penetration into their markets, and most importantly how you manage a team and produce a product into those markets.

There are also lessons in there about establishing a beachhead and how to choose your target customer that dovetail nicely into some more modern work around persona identification in software development and the need to identify just one target persona for your application at a time. This is a great marketing book -- even if some of the specific company examples are somewhat dated -- whose concepts readily translate into not only management but directly into product development and vision. ... Read more

Isbn: 0066620023
Subjects:  1. Advertising & Promotion    2. Business & Economics    3. Business / Economics / Finance    4. Business/Economics    5. High technology    6. Industrial Technology    7. Management - General    8. Marketing    9. Marketing - General    10. Sales    11. Sales & Selling - General    12. Selling    13. Technological innovations    14. Technology And Industrial Growth   

Rapid Development
by Steve McConnell
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (02 July, 1996)
list price: $35.00 -- our price: $23.10
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Editorial Review

I can hear some of you exclaiming, "How can you possibly recommend a book about software scheduling published by Microsoft Press and written by a consultant to Microsoft?!" Well, put aside any preconceived biases. This is a tremendous book on effective scheduling software development, and it drinks deeply from the wisdom of all the classics in the field such as Brook's Mythical Man Month -- and is likely well-informed by McConnell's experiences, good and bad, in Redmond.

The nine page section entitled "Classic Mistakes Enumerated" is alone worth the price of admission and should be required reading for all developers, leads, and managers. Here are some types of the 36 classic mistakes that McConnell describes in detail:

• People Related Mistakes
  • Heroics
  • Adding people to a late project
  • Politics placed over substance (etc.)
  
  
• Process Related Mistakes
  • Abandonment of planning under pressure
  • Planning to catch up later
  • "Code-like-hell" programming (etc.)
  
  
• Technology Related Mistakes
  • Silver-Bullet syndrome
  • Overestimating savings from new tools or methods
  • Switching tools in the middle of a project (etc.)

I suspect that if you've ever been involved in software development, you winced after reading each of these nine points. And you will learn a great deal from the remaining 640 pages about concrete solutions.

My only substantive gripe: cheesy Powerpoint graphics. Nonetheless, this book is Very Highly Recommended. ... Read more

Reviews (97)

Yes, yes and more yes
If you do software project management i'd bet you would benefit pretty greatly from either having its contents under your belt or at least near your fingertips when you need it.

Great stuff - truely awesome.

Old but classic, still required reading
If you buy this book, keep in mind it was written in 1996.Despite that, it is a great book and still relevant!

Those interested in XP are referred to the author's website.He has published a white paper there.

One request:Mr. McConnell, please update this book!We need an update with more on risk and schedules, agile processes, teamwork, productivity tools, fresh case studies, etc.

STILL top notch advice, 8 years later
It never ceases to amaze me how "hard" it seems to be to deliver a software project in on time...The truth is, it's NOT hard (when you follow the best practices outlined in this book).I've been searching for a book to back up my experience and common sense approach to software development and I found it!Now I'm just depressed that the problems I see happening every day were documented in 1996 as "Classic Mistakes", and they're as common today as ever.This is such a great read for anyone of any level of responsibility for software projects - from the CIO to the Programmer.You CAN develop great software, it CAN be developed on time and on budget, and your developers CAN truly enjoy their jobs during the development process.You just have to commit to doing it right - and this book explains what's "right" and what's "wrong". ... Read more

Isbn: 1556159005
Subjects:  1. Computer Bks - Languages / Programming    2. Computer Books: General    3. Computer software    4. Computers    5. Development    6. Programming - Software Development    7. Software Development    8. Computers / Programming / Software Development   

Product Leadership: Creating and Launching Superior New Products
by Robert G. Cooper
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 May, 2000)
list price: $23.00
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Reviews (13)

Not what I thought it would be
This is a good book about developing a new product Process. I recommend it for anyone working to develop a product development Process.It has less to offer directly to product managers, entrepreneurs or anyone on the front lines of launching new products.

The subtitle of this book is a misnomer. There are few specifics regarding "Creating and Launching Superior New Products".As that's why I purchased the book, the first 100+ pages were..... disappointing.A more apt subtitle/marketing proposition would be "Developing and Managing New Product Development Efforts"

That said, "Product Leadership" will be a very useful resource to me for several reasons:
1) Comprehensive checklists of what to consider when working with new products
2) A clear framework for Managing New Product Development (Stage-Gate).
3) A terrific introduction to product portfolio management

Pros
- Clear, consise, well-written by an expert and well-edited
- Breezy helpful checklists easy to revisit as needed
- Clear, simple frameworks help focus on the big picture for the company.

Cons
- Few case studies or anecdotes
- Not much here about how to actually create and launch the new products

Six principles and more for fundamental guidance
As a PM, conflicts between company departmens are routine, 6 principles based on various research Mr. Cooper provided do guide me through the product initiative to its GA (general available). They also formed my defense to do the right thing while to maintain the time to market or to choose.

Personally I think, these principles address the requirements of good product development processes, and one of the instances is his Stage-Gate. That is, I do need to understand the principles in a sophiscated way to faciliate its benefits in my real life with my grasp of previous experience and other theories or rules.

In addition, this book provides some general concepts used in industry product development process. Whereas, the most valuable forceful points come from the six principles.

Technical perspective of product development process
Excellent text book style on the product development process.First part of the book is a bit dry and technical but does its job of highlighting the necessities of succesful product development and management.

Later in the book the principles are applied in more real examples that are easier to comprehend.

Overall a very good book for Product Managers new to the task or looking to refocus their energy.There are other books just as good and a bit less technical so don't end your reading with this book. ... Read more

Isbn: 0738201561
Sales Rank: 183376
Subjects:  1. Business / Economics / Finance    2. Business/Economics    3. Development - Business Development    4. Management    5. Marketing    6. Marketing - Product Management    7. New products   

The Mythical Man-Month: Essays on Software Engineering, 20thAnniversary Edition
by Frederick P. Brooks
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (02 August, 1995)
list price: $34.99 -- our price: $23.09
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Editorial Review

The classic book on the human elements of software engineering. Software tools and development environments may have changed in the 21 years since the first edition of this book, but the peculiarly nonlinear economies of scale in collaborative work and the nature of individuals and groups has not changed an epsilon.If you write code or depend upon those who do, get this book as soon as possible -- from Amazon.com Books, your library, or anyone else. You (and/or your colleagues) will be forever grateful. Very Highest Recommendation. ... Read more

Reviews (82)

Key concepts for project managers
This is an old book full of good concepts. Its value is not in the examples but on the concepts presented. The reader should focus on the concepts.

Some of the great qualities I found in this book:

- It is compact. Each chapter develops a major idea or concept in full.

- It is inspirational ( I think as you read it, your brain is activated in such a way that you will have ideas about your projects)

- It introduces a solid perspective on the value and impact of intelligence and skill in building or designing a product/system.

- It is applicable to many situations and not only to software projects. (if we could get the internal story of projects done by companies like GM, Ford, Toyota, Daimler Chrysler, Accenture, IBM we probably would find several examples for many of the ideas and concepts presented in the book)

The examples are old, but if you cannot deal with this, it is better to look for another book. One day you may come back and enjoy it.

Read it every 5 years...
I read this book about 1992, when I was just starting my career in software engineering.At the time, I didn't appreciate the book.I struggled through it, but frankly, didn't get much out of it because I was constantly saying to myself, "This book is ancient... what does IBM's OS/360 have to do with the world today?"

Fast forward to 2 years ago...I now had a lot more experience under my belt, and came across this book looking for material on the concept of "Conceptual Integrity" in architectural design.Now that I had the experience to 'relate' to this book, I got so much more out of it!This book isn't so much about the software part of software engineering as it is about the human element.If you are a programmer with several years of experience, or if you are a manager on a growing software project, you will get a lot out of this book.

I made a resolution to myself at that time to read this book once every 5 years...both to get new material out of it, and to provide some kind of 'reflection' on what I have seen in my career in those past 5 years.

So much better than "Code Complete" I can't believe it.
First if you are comparing "Code Complete" a book from MS which has yet to release a product that was complete, it is difficult to stop laughing.

Every new middle manager should read this book, and stop trying to ignore 50 years of experience. Oh yeah, we live in internet time, but we still can't make a project deadline, because human's haven't evolved much in the last 100 years. Yes extreme programming has its place. It's the mini team within the 7 person teams that Brooks outlines.

But its the communication issues within a project that kill bigger teams. Yes some programs and projects don't need this full scale project team. But try to write the flight control software for a modern jet, and you'd better be paying attention to the lessons in this book.

Yet managers still don't learn, go find "Programming Disasters" and see some examples of millions of dollars spent and no working project. People believe that there is some silver bullet instead of trying to work within the framework that they have. No one thinks that gravity doesn't apply to them for very long and neither will they think that communication issues don't apply once they see the disaster that unfolds. Usually though the money has been spent and the company folds/the project dies.

So pay attention! If you want "chief programmers" train them! It's not rocket science. The military trains generals and sargents with regularity, we can train our leaders if we care. To do it on the cheap well, we can see what happens when we try it. ... Read more

Isbn: 0201835959
Subjects:  1. Computer Bks - Languages / Programming    2. Computer Books: General    3. Computer Engineering    4. Computers    5. Microprocessors    6. Programming - Software Development    7. Software Engineering    8. Computers / Programming / Software Development   

The Product Manager's Handbook : The Complete Product Management Resource
by LindaGorchels
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (01 June, 2000)
list price: $39.95 -- our price: $26.37
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Reviews (15)

Great book, highly recommended for new PM's
I read this book in 2000 when I started my first job as a PM.Since then, I have re-read it a few times.Each re-read is such a pleasure as I am able to tie in my experience to more and more facets of the book that were previously unclear.The book is an industry independent, general review of the roles and responsibilities of a product manager.It lays a nice foundation for those who are new to the position by outlining business processes, internal and external interactions and organizational roles a PM can expect to have.

The book does not delve into the mechanical details of marketing: such as conducting research, performing surveys, managing channels or evaluating effectiveness.However, it does talk about which kind of product managers would benefit from certain types of marketing initiatives.

If you are new to Product Management or would like to learn more about the processes involved in managing a product's lifecycle, this book is an excellent introduction.

Best in the lot.
I wouldnt say that this is an exceptional title but compared to other books in the market , this is the best. Be aware that this covers 'Product Management' in a very generic fashion. It doesnt talk about the role played by a PM in Software Development Process.

Good coverage but a bit light on details
This is a very good introductory text to anyone who aspires to be a Product Manager.It skims through the generics of what is required of a Product Manager in general.Coverage of topics such as planning for new products, some light financial discussions, discussions about marketing plans, etc. are useful to know.

It pays to note that this book is light on details and should be used as an introductory text.There are books that offer in-depth coverage of specific areas of product management areas such as marketing planning, business planning, marketing analysis, data mining, and so on.

Although a bit light on details, I gave it 4 stars because if it went into details it would have been a 5000 page book as Product Management sits anywhere between a simple to complex discipline depending on what industry and what firm one works in. ... Read more

Isbn: 0658001353
Sales Rank: 12103
Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Management - General    5. Marketing    6. Marketing - General    7. Marketing - Product Management    8. New Product Development    9. New products    10. Product Management    11. Business & Economics / Marketing / General   

Leading Product Development : The Senior Manager's Guide to Creating and Shaping the Enterprise
by Steven C. Wheelwright
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (01 October, 1994)
list price: $30.00 -- our price: $30.00
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Reviews (3)

One of the best books that I've ever read on any topic
This is an excellent book.Thorough plan on how to implement a new product process and senior management's role.We're using this at our company to define the processes.

Essential for anyone involved with product development.
This is definitely a senior executive's reference or summary to product development.Some of the essential concepts in taking products to market are covered.Steven Wheelwright and Kim Clark capture the essence ofmaking products successful although many concepts have been capturedalready in the field of software engineering.The importance of seniormanagement's involvement in the process, effective portfolio management andthe journey to building effective teams are well laid out.We have foundthat product managers can relate to the content and use some of the macroprinciples on projects.Reading this with "Developing Products in Half theTime", "Managing the Design Factory", "Commercializing New Technologies","Microsoft Secrets", "Seeing Differently", and "The Innovator's Dilemma"will give you a full appreciation of the content.

Hard to read, very theoretical, too general
I found this book tough to plow through. Straight from the "ivory tower", it belongs in a college classroom, not in the real business world. It is quite general, so perhaps it is helpful in some segments ofbusiness. I found it hard to relate to my world of commercial softwaredevelopment. ... Read more

Isbn: 0029344654
Sales Rank: 286685
Subjects:  1. Business / Economics / Finance    2. Business/Economics    3. Development    4. Development - Business Development    5. Entrepreneurship    6. Industrial management    7. Manufacturing    8. New products    9. Product Management    10. Project management    11. Business & Economics / Marketing / General   

5-Phase Project Management: A Practical Planning & Implementation Guide
by Joseph W. Weiss, Robert K. Wysocki
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 January, 1992)
list price: $32.50 -- our price: $32.50
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Reviews (4)

5 Phases of Project Management
This is a good entry level book for a class. Easy to read and has great graphics. Good starting point book for project management. Would like to see them update a little bit as it is 10 years old

The most useful methodology in the field.
This book was extremely helpful in providing a framework for structuring my work group's projects. After implementing some new methods, our efficiency and productivity increased by at least 50 percent. It is easy touse and understand. Also good for training.

Excellent, covers all the bases
A well researched book with excellent templates to help put all this knowledge into place.I am currently using it to help me manage the development of a large power plant in Brazil.I highly recommend readingand following the principles outlined by Wysocki and Weiss.A valuabletool for any project manager. ... Read more

Isbn: 0201563169
Sales Rank: 183180
Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Management - General    5. Project Management   

Innovation and Entrepreneurship
by Peter F. Drucker
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 May, 1993)
list price: $16.95 -- our price: $11.53
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Reviews (18)

Companies must be greedy for new products.
Drucker encourages company managers to drive their products into obsolecance through pricing reduction and get rebirth by driving new product innovation, in their place.The power of innovation is the survival force of a company.A company should not wait for his competitors to drive him out of business.The proactive nature of innovation keeps him ahead of his competition.

Companies must give innovative individuals freedom and time to innovate new products.R&D creates a brain trust of bright ideas that solve problems. So, systematic innovation identifies gaps in economic niches. Innovation must occur before the service or products breaks or competitor for the company out of business.

Companies must be greedy for new products.Greed is essential to drive product and service development. Entrepreneurship favors medium sized companys that make at least 500 million dollars.The Medium size company is the most likely to innovate and become successful at developing the marketing and research for the product. 1 in 100 Bright ideas patent every develop into a product or service that pays for development costs, marketing, and management of the product. Profitability becomes a function of marketing and management.The Entreprenueur is a manager.

Entrepreneurship is about hard work, reducing risk, and promoting a simple solution.Entrepreneur ares risk reducers and leave nothing to chance.Entrepreneurs take a prove it attitude and gain strong understandings of how the product works.Little is left to chance or guess work.

Drucker warns about complicating a new product, instead, it encourages to offer a simple solution and focus on developing this solution. Furthermore, quality is measured in terms of what people are willing to pay for. Companies can not afford to be non-profit. The economy depends on cash generating business and they have no time to consider non-profit. Marketing and management understand "what customers" will pay for, technology quality does not guarantee customer demand. Technology may product the product but it can not claim its own quality rating, only the consumer defines quality. Customer demand and their williness to pay for a product or service is the only measure of quality. Drucker illustrates this concept by telling about the migration for the vacuum tubes to transistors. RCA built the transister, but a Japanese firm licensed the technology, built a transistor radio for a 1/3 of the cost and 1/5 of the size, and market domination in five years. The second case was the photocopier. Xerox recognized that companies, schools, and individuals would want to replicate print media.

Lets examine the inconsistency in Company A, a telecommunication business.Suppose, the biggest inconsistency that Company A has is not resolving it customer service breakdowns. Company A's customer service is difficult to deal with: long waits, disputes over billing, service availablity, and lack of loyalty incentatives.

Suppose company B realizes these inconsistencies exploiting the weakness by offering a better telecommunication business model and attempts too remedy customer disatification research by providing 24x7 customer service which is accessible within 30 seconds, the customer experiences no significant delays, and company B resolves the problems relating to billing and service within the hour.

Also giving that Company A does reward customer adovacacy by rewards for loyalty and promotion there is establish not incentitive to help Company A.Even if, the customer tells a hundred people about Company A and the people he talks with to sign up with Company A, there is absolutely zero reward from Company A.In this scenerio one would think Company A would reward the individual for advocacy and promoting their business.Instead, Company A believes that large dollars spent marketing their service is causing their growth.Company A further knows a chasm has been forming being the company and its consumer basis because of the increasing number of complaints, so it changes its brand logo and enforces heavy penalities on its cusotmer service department to improve performance.Company A debates the cost of customer service against customer retention and new signons. Company A agressively follows a policy of 1 year contracts to secure its customer base from abandonment.

Lets look at Company B.Company B offers competitive rates and superior customer service.Company realizes that international calling services are an important service.Company B offers international services for a cheap fee and creates customers seem pleased with the service. Company B members talk free between each other and most important any customer referral generates for the advocate.

Company B growth is a result of the customer labeling the company has having quality.Company B effective markets Company A serviceinconsistencies by promoting better products and services.Company B recruites top management, manages its cash flow, and provides cash incentitives to keep its sales force motivated.

Company B realizes if the sales force is not receiving a strong cash flow, they will become discouraged.Company B realizes that the sale force must be financially rewarded and the stars will immediately rise to the top management.Top management helps the new venture survive. External wisdom is sought to help guide Company B into sectors of strong customer demand.

Helping innovators figure out where to innovate !
Peter Drucker has conducted an extraordinary thought experiment and corroborated his hypothesis with retrospective data.I really believe both the logic and the implications of his book.This is because I have been an innovator (scientist and manager) in Fortune 500 companies as well as tiny Startups and no matter what the environment, Druckers definition of the "seven sources of innovative opportunity" are exactly true in reality.Especially the two most prevalent sources: solving a consumer need or desire and the extreme opposite of that, finding an application of a newly available technology.This book spells out the "what" of innovation.It does not talk about the "how" of innovation since that is a different technical subject altogether.

Enjoyable, but with missing pieces
I enjoyed reading this book, especially because it focuses so much on anecdotes.I definitely understood Drucker's point that innovation and entrepreneurship come out of changes in the environment.

However, I believe Drucker missed the most important point, which is: What makes someone more able to exploit an opportunity than someone else?For example, he tells a story about how Ray Krok found out about McDonalds, bought it, and made it great.However, I thought he should have focused on why it was Ray Krok, and no one else, who saw the opportunity, rather than how he bought and made McDonalds.It is an entertaining read, but do not expect any lessons on how to be an entrepreneur. ... Read more

Isbn: 0887306187
Sales Rank: 29236
Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Entrepreneurship    5. Management - General    6. New business enterprises    7. Small business    8. United States   

Joint Application Development
by JaneWood, DeniseSilver
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (February, 1995)
list price: $85.00
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Reviews (4)

the classic JAD text book
Comprehensive, effectively illustrating do's and don'ts based on years of experience.Essential for all consulting firms and in-house IT departments.Based on my experience, JAD techniques have been essential for capturing all system requirements and developing applications in an efficient manner.

JAD is a good book
I love it .....it is a good boo

Not just JAD - this is a fabulous book on facilitation
The only bad thing about this book is that you can't locate it when yousearch for books on facilitation.This is one of the most basic anddown-to-earth books ever written about group facilitation.Anyone involvedin facilitation . . . especially if they're just starting out . . . shouldget this book.There's something for everyone.Even if you're notfacilitating JAD sessions, there's so much to draw from. ... Read more

Isbn: 0471042994
Sales Rank: 409186
Subjects:  1. Computer Bks - General Information    2. Computer Books: General    3. Methodology    4. Programming - Software Development    5. Programming - Systems Analysis & Design    6. System design    7. Systems Analysis (Computer Science)    8. Computers / Programming / Systems Analysis & Design    9. Systems analysis & design    10. Group facilitation    11. Workshops   

Handbook of Team Design: A Practitioner's Guide to Team Systems Development
by Peter H. Jones
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (01 July, 1997)
list price: $55.00
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Reviews (3)

A comprehensive and practical guide
This book is a comprehensive analysis of the points throughout development life cycles where team collaboration is appropriate for creating deliverables.Formats and methods for conducting team workshops are setout in great detail, based on the organizational environment, project type,end result desired, and particular phase of the life cycle.

Jonesproposes a "framework" for development which he calls Team Design and whichhe contrasts with Joint Application Development (JAD) and other groupmethods.Jones defines five Formats (Business Process Design, RequirementsDefinition, Application Design, Team Planning, Decision Making) under whichalmost any development project or part thereof can be placed.He devotesseparate chapters to each Format, defining for each Format the life-cyclesteps within the Format, the workshop agenda activities that apply to eachphase of the life-cycle, and recommended workshop methods (e.g.,brainstorming, scoping diagrams, scenario analysis) that can develop thedeliverables for the phase.

Team Design comprises a generic set oflife-cycle Phases (Initiating, Scoping, Visualizing, Usage, Packaging,Validating) that can be mapped to each of the five Formats.For eachPhase, Jones then recommends certain workshop methods that can be usedregardless of the Format.This allows flexibility in analyzing all thefactors facing a Project Manager and Facilitator (organization type,project type, end result, life-cycle phase) and adapting a workshop planthat will apply best.It also allows for bridging of experience withworkshop methods across different Formats.

Jones also deals in depth witha wide variety of topics related to team-based development, including: (1)JAD and Participatory Design: A survey of the history of these twogroup-based methods, and an assessment of their strengths and weaknesses invarious environments; (2) Facilitation: The scope of Facilitation; thetechnical competencies required of a Facilitator in a developmentenvironment; in-depth description of facilitation tools (e.g., conflictresolution, problem solving) and workshop methods (e.g., brainstorming,diagramming, Pareto charts), and their applicability; (3) Requirements:Analysis of the major problems faced by organizations in creating andmanaging requirements, and how Team Design can address those problems; (4)Team Dynamics: The phases of team development; team-building techniques;special issues involving workgroups comprising members with differentfunctional backgrounds; and (5) Organizational Culture: The impact oforganizational dynamics on a company's receptiveness to structured methodsand team-based approaches to development.

A really unique and original work for teaming know-how.
A tremendous discussion and reference of the nuts and bolts for all kinds of teaming in the IT world.It's loaded with nuances related to teaming that you won't easily find in one place. It's also a good review, thinker, and is exceptionally well researched and written. I definitely reccomend this book to anyone who is serious about adding to their skills in this often overlooked but necessary specialty.

Comprehensive study - & a good practitioner's guidebook
This book is a comprehensive analysis of the points throughout development life cycles where team collaboration is appropriate for creating deliverables.Formats and methods for conducting team workshops are set out in great detail, based on the organizational environment, project type, end result desired, and particular phase of the life cycle.Jones proposes a "framework" for development which he calls Team Design and which he contrasts with Joint Application Development (JAD) and other group methods.Jones defines five Formats (Business Process Design, Requirements Definition, Application Design, Team Planning, Decision Making) under which almost any development project or part thereof can be placed.He devotes separate chapters to each Format, defining for each Format the life-cycle steps within the Format, the workshop agenda activities that apply to each phase of the life-cycle, and recommended workshop methods (e.g., brainstorming, scoping diagrams, scenario analysis) that can develop the deliverables for the phase. Team Design comprises a generic set of life-cycle Phases (Initiating, Scoping, Visualizing, Usage, Packaging, Validating) that can be mapped to each of the five Formats.For each Phase, Jones then recommends certain workshop methods that can be used regardless of the Format.This allows flexibility in analyzing all the factors facing a Project Manager and Facilitator (organization type, project type, end result, life-cycle phase) and adapting a workshop plan that will apply best.It also allows for bridging of experience with workshop methods across different Formats. Jones also deals in depth with a wide variety of topics related to team-based development, including: · JAD and Participatory Design: A survey of the history of these two group-based methods, and an assessment of their strengths and weaknesses in various environments · Facilitation: The scope of Facilitation; the technical competencies required of a Facilitator in a development environment; in-depth description of facilitation tools (e.g., conflict resolution, problem solving) and workshop methods (e.g., brainstorming, diagramming, Pareto charts), and their applicability · Requirements: Analysis of the major problems faced by organizations in creating and managing requirements, and how Team Design can address those problems · Team Dynamics: The phases of team development; team-building techniques; special issues involving workgroups comprising members with different functional backgrounds · Organizational Culture: The impact of organizational dynamics on a company's receptiveness to structured methods and team-based approaches to development ... Read more

Isbn: 0070328803
Sales Rank: 535834
Subjects:  1. Application Software    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Computer Books: General    4. Computer Systems    5. Computers    6. Management - Teams    7. Management information systems    8. Programming - Software Development    9. Programming Languages - General    10. Reference - General    11. Software engineering    12. System design    13. Project Management    14. Teams    15. Business process    16. Management consulting   

The PDMA Handbook of New Product Development
by Milton D.Rosenau, AbbieGriffin, George A.Castellion, Ned F.Anschuetz
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (27 September, 1996)
list price: $125.00
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Reviews (4)

Product Marketing Professionals - BUY THIS BOOK!
The PDMA Handbook is one of those rare and valuable books that characterizes a "body of knowledge" for a professional discipline. It was produced by the preeminent industry organization for New Product Development (NPD) professionals, the PDMA .... This text describes current, best practices in NPD and includes contributions from knowledge leaders in academia, consulting, and industry practice. If you are a CEO, COO, CTO, Marketing Manager, Product Manager, Product Planner, Engineering Manager, Project Manager, Program Manager, or any other professional involved in new product development (especially for technically complex products like hardware and software) you really need this book.

Product Managers (should) perform the nitty, gritty, roll-your-sleeves-up: opportunity analysis, business case formulation, and requirements management for new products. Research shows that judicious performance of this critical pre-work is a key determinant in the ultimate market success of new products and is usually performed inadequately. Unfortunately, most professionals in such roles have had no formal training beyond an MBA (sometimes). The PDMA Handbook provides a comprehensive treatment of virtually all the subject areas new product development (business) managers need to understand to drive the success of their endeavors. Want to know the key success factors for new products, understand value proposition, differentiation, features vs. benefits, uniqueness, sustainable competitive advantage, the fuzzy front end, pipeline management, how to plan a new product launch, manage a product portfolio, and more? This is the book you need. The PDMA Handbook is the Gray's Anatomy of product management. Buy it and READ it at least twice.

This book should have been read when it was published!
This book seem to be written by persons who really know what NPD (or NPI) really is. All those described mistakes possible to be done is made by me during last five years...this is a good book.

The area of NPD is large. Luckily people in PDMA have come to the right conclution: it is not possible for one person to handle the whole area throughly. Every chapter in this book is written by expert on his/her own area. Unfortunately the maximum size of one book restricts the possible space per one writer to include only the most vital parts into this book.

To whom I can recommend this book? --- To anyone who will to increase his/her own scope of NPD and especially to a person who already have gained some experience on this field and is able to compare his/her own experiece to this book.

Wonderful!
I purchased the PDMA Handbook on the strength of a review and have been very glad I did so.After quoting a few passage to my staff they began to borrow it, and now the Handbook has made the rounds of the office.It isworn and dog-eared, and quoted from on a daily basis.

The message of"treating each other with respect and dignity" by author Holahanet al has really struck a chord around here.Many of us believe she mustbe staunch Christian, one who lives her faith on a daily basis.

The PDMAHandbook has provided guidance in mapping out strategies for new serviceswe hope to bring to market as well as the way our organization is managed. It has changed the way we do business and the way we percieve the world. ... Read more

Isbn: 0471141895
Sales Rank: 284476
Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Development - Business Development    3. General    4. Handbooks, manuals, etc    5. Management    6. Management - General    7. Marketing    8. Marketing - Product Management    9. New Product Development    10. New products    11. Product management    12. Production Engineering    13. Science/Mathematics    14. Technology & Industrial Arts    15. United States    16. Business & Economics / Development & Growth    17. Manufacturing industries    18. Research & development management   

Software Product Management Essentials
by Alyssa S. Dver
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (13 April, 2003)
list price: $34.95 -- our price: $29.71
(price subject to change: see help)
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Reviews (19)

For Level-0 or wannabe product managers
This book illustrates the product manager's duties, responsibilities in detail, and provides a good overview from product initiation to product lifecycle management. Sample templates are provided to provide an idea to a beginner. This book is not for present product managers. If you are a student and would like to become a product manager, then start with this book.

If you are a product manager, you already know this stuff
This book is really good for people who need a "birds eye view" of product management like business journalists, CEOs/Directors and anybody and everybody who wants to "know" what product management is all about BUT doesnt have to "Do" it.

Required reading for software product managers
I read this book while it was still in galley form and once I'd finished it, immediately began to recommend it to my friends in the software industry industy who are involved in product management.

Essentials begins with a useful overview of the role product management plays in the software development, sales and marketing process. The role of a product manager is to serve as a communications "hub" for a publisher's software, coordinating the different and frequently conflicting wishes, needs and priorities of development, sales, marketing and customers.

While product management is one of the most enjoyable and exciting positions within the firmament of software marketing positions, it can also be a wearying and frustrating job. One of the hoariest observations in the software industry is that product managers have "all the responsibility and none of the authority." To succeed as a product manager it helps to have the reflexes of a juggler (to help keep multiple balls in the air), the proboscis of a basset hound (to help sniff out the political winds), and the hide of rhinoceros (to help deflect the flight of poison darts that will be coming your way).

After its look at the role of product management in software, the book moves onto discussing frameworks for managing the process. Software Product Management Essentials is particularly enamored of the Base Level Integration Planning (BLIP) methodology. BLIP is a time-based system that begins with:

"...A schedule for each development cycle or Base Level (BL), and then builds a practical set of features and development work into the schedule, rather than the other way around. In software engineering, this approach is called "time boxing." By using the BLIP process, your company can maintain fleet-footedness and flexibility while ensuring functionality to keep ahead of the market. The BLIP process is flexible enough to allow you to focus on one of the development attributes (quality, functionality or time) as much or as little as desired for each release cycle."

BLIP is favorably contrasted with the traditional method of product development, which often consist of a product manager walking into a meeting with the development group, presenting a list of desired features, and then threatening, blackmailing, and eventually sobbing piteously until he or she gets buy-in from the programmers. Or the methodology, which consists of the development group ignoring marketing while they build the next version of the product they think is cool and which may or may not correspond with the desires and needs of the buyers of said products. Or the system in which the sales group promises that software will soon have the ability to product anti-gravity waves on demand if the customer will sign the PO today.

A word about some of the sillier reviews I've read here.No one with any experience in the industry would regard reading this book as a waste time (except maybe some disappointed developers who are accustomed to buying books by the pound.)Software Product Management Essentials is a compact, pithy book.It gets to the point, provides up to-date-info on current industry techniques and approaches and is one of a small handful of books which focuses specifically on the issues facing software PMs, not product managment in general.

A very valuable tool for those of us in the software industry.

... Read more

Isbn: 0929652010
Sales Rank: 34593
Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business/Economics    3. Marketing - General    4. Public Relations