My review of Inspired - How to Create Tech Products Customers Love

I’m glad I read this book before it was too late.

Recently, I’ve been trying to get more involved in the software development of Sesam (this has been one of my long-term goals since joining DNV Digital Solutions). However, coming from a hydrodynamics R&D background in an EPC company (Kanadevia, previously Hitachi Zosen), which focuses on developing physical things rather than software, I felt a bit lost when working with the software development team, trying to grasp the many roles (product manager, product delivery manager, software engineers, etc.), the jargon (product, OKR, etc.), and the reasons behind the many customer engagements. In that confusion, I asked my colleague, Laurens Alblas, for book recommendations on product management (as I saw how central this role was in the product team), and I was recommended several books, one of which was Inspired by Marty Cagan.

After reading this book (which I completed last year), I finally understood who does what, and more importantly, why. While I may not yet fully understand all aspects of the work (if I did, I could probably try to become a product manager), I can now use this knowledge to contribute better to the team. I understand the teamwork in the product team far better than before, and above all, I now have a clearer idea of how to contribute more effectively in my current role as a customer success engineer, despite the distance to the rest of the team. (I now understand very well why Japan is called the land of the rising sun.. The sun rises here long before it does in Europe, and when it rises there, it is already setting here!)

I would recommend this book to anyone working in software development roles, or at least to those who work closely with the product team. In my opinion, it works especially well as a reference book that you can open and quickly find guidance from when needed.

Note: I regret not buying a physical copy of the book and purchasing only the Kindle version.