The Art of Product Management

Monthly Book Review

I’ve always considered product management much more of an art than a science. There are certain tools and frameworks you can apply, but experienced product managers know that we’ll never work in our ideal, SVPG-style environment. So we have to navigate the complexities and ambiguities of building new products in organizations that are always evolving and always shifting the goalposts.

I was intrigued when I saw a new version of Rich Mironov’s book. I’ve always enjoyed Rich’s insights, and was looking forward to some updates and classic wisdom.

Overview

Rich Mironov’s The Art of Product Management, Second Edition is a collection of essays that cuts through the glossy surface of product management to reveal its gritty, people-centric core. Rather than focusing on frameworks or theory, Mironov draws from his years of experience to offer practical insights into what it really takes to be an effective product manager or product leader in actual organizations with real constraints.

Rather than focusing on templates or tools, Rich emphasizes the mindsets and skills PMs need to thrive, especially in the chaotic middle of product, engineering, and business.

While most of the essays are the originals from years ago, it’s surprising how well they hold up, even today.

So let’s dive into a few key ideas from the book.

Key Takeaways

Product Management ≠ Project Management

Product managers don’t manage timelines or tasks—that’s the domain of project or engineering managers. Product management is about identifying problems worth solving and working cross-functionally to solve them. Mironov repeatedly emphasizes this distinction, especially in organizations that try to conflate the roles.

Of course, this is one of my favorite topics to discuss. Product management is not project management. Both are incredibly important, but they are very distinct.

“Product managers are responsible for what and why, not how or when.”

PMs Live in the "Between"

PMs are the connective tissue between business, engineering, marketing, and customers. It’s a role defined more by influence than authority. Much of the job is political—navigating competing priorities, building coalitions, and keeping everyone aligned.