Product Operations

        Book name & original: Product Operations Melissa Perri & Denise Tilles 2023 260

        

Book name & original: Product Operations
Author: Melissa Perri & Denise Tilles
Published in: 2023
Publisher:  Product Institute Inc.
Pages: 260
Book description:

Many companies want to reap the benefits of economies of scale that comes with being a product-led company. As our businesses change shape to focus more on software, so do our ways of working. We need to make sure we’re breaking down these silos of information and capabilities that arise at scale. To react quickly and set great Product Strategies, leaders and team members alike need access to high quality data and a process to implement their decisions.

In this book, Melissa Perri and Denise Tilles explain how Product Operations helps solve many of scaling issues companies face today, like:

• Connecting financial metrics back to the delivery of software features
• Better working relationships between go-to-market teams and software teams
• Getting the right information to set and monitor company and product strategies
• Streamlining the flow of user insights into the right teams
• How to set up a Product Management Operating Model

Executives and leaders of SAAS scale up and enterprise companies will discover the benefits of the Three Pillars of Product Operations as they read through the stories of real companies who have implemented the function, like Stripe, Uber, athenahealth, Oscar Health, and Fidelity. This book covers the following topics:

• What is Product Operations and why is it an essential function in scaling software companies
• The Three Pillars of Product Operations: Data and Insights; Customer and Market Insights; and Process and Governance
• How to Introduce and Build a Team for Product Operations

Read by me: 03.01.-18.01.2024
Read in: in English
Key words: Operations- Data- Insights- Governance- Research- Process
Where did I come to the book: realized it on LinkedIn 

My favorite part: I have to say, 3 pillars. 

My current goal is to deepen my knowledge about Data & AI. Governance, risks, research, working with data telling you a story, analyzing them, that all makes a lot of sense to me and I would like to work towards a goal of better understanding and application in daily work & dedication. 3 pillars in this book are very well explained, giving examples, even visual overview. That helps me tremendously. 

My thoughts:

In the start of the book is pointed out, that we should want Product Operations, too. From my past experience, especially - but not only - as Product Manager, I always wanted to have and work with Operations team. It was however until I read fully this book, my horizons opened much more (and I even thought how much we did in Product operations in my past teams). It is truly complex field, which can help any Product go so much further.

I often say, that it is people who create and make the Product possible, existing at all. Product manager needs to cooperate, listen, believe and motivate, as well as trust and work with outcomes provided by other teams. 

At the same time, I have very much understood, that not only Product Manager who works on Data products, but really any products, needs to work well and enough with Data. This book helps a lot with all 3 pillars described, which I can come back to any time to work with for my approach. I am sure, that this book will be my very close friend with no time limitation, really. 

What did I take from it:

• broader knowledge of Product Operations
• more detailed comprehension and tools of 3 pillars described 
• confirmation on many approach areas as good direction from my past experience
• the options

Conclusion:

I had an imagination and experience with Product Operations teams and I knew, how much work & knowledge is behind it. I have not known how much & fast it evolved. I never questioned its importance and need overall for whole company, not only from product point of view. After reading this book, I feel even more aware of how much as product manager I want to cooperate and learn from these teams. 

In my role, there is huge amount of information, tasks, discussions, which fill every day. It is easy sometimes to get focused more on some area, depending of the actual need. With this team being there, providing the tools, understanding, governance, data, there is much likely less room for errors, missing anything. I always liked my simple questions, which saved me very often in any role or activity being done. Quite many of my simple questions can be answered or pointed in right direction with outcomes from Product Operations. That is very inspiring!

Other books from the author:
Melissa Perri wrote another book: Escaping the build trap How Effective Product Management Creates Real Value.