Strong Product Communities - The Essential Guide to Product Communities of Practice
"Strong Product Communities - The Essential Guide to Product Communities of Practice". This comprehensive guide by seasoned product leadership coach Petra Wille and accomplished writer Melissa Suzuno empowers professionals to develop thriving product Communities of Practice. Drawing on survey data, expert interviews, and hands-on experience, the book provides actionable advice for cultivating an engaging, innovative product culture.
About the book
Strong Product Communities is a comprehensive guide that empowers product people, product leaders, HR, and Learning & Development professionals to develop and nurture successful product Communities of Practice (CoP).
The book offers valuable insights gathered from survey data, interviews with CoP leaders, and the author’s hands-on experience.
In this essential guide, readers will be introduced to the concept of a Community of Practice and discover its benefits for both individuals and organizations.
The book provides practical advice on getting started with CoPs, including community guidelines and regular rituals, while also featuring interviews with CoP leaders and organizers who share what’s worked, what hasn’t, and advice for others who are trying to launch or revitalize their own CoP.
By digging into the data and exploring real-life examples, Strong Product Communities equips readers with the knowledge and tools necessary to establish and maintain thriving product Communities of Practice, which unlocks employee engagement, leads to longer tenure, and creates a product culture where learning, growth, and innovation are top priorities.
Foreword by Melissa Perri
Containing Interviews with Teresa Torres, Sarah Reeves, Jennifer Michelmann, Patrick Sauerwein, Priya Biswas, Nesrine Changuel, Zainab Arilesere
What others say
“I’ve seen first-hand the transformative power of active product communities. These vibrant hubs of collaboration and learning have consistently proven to elevate the quality of product work in organizations. I encourage more companies to foster such communities, and this book is the perfect guide for those embarking on this path.”
“Petra’s books are not just academic masterpieces, but practical guides to putting theory into practice. That’s what has made ‘Strong Product People’ the ultimate guide for any product leader. And that’s what makes ‘Strong Product Communities’ a truly valuable step-by-step guide to building a solid product community in practice. I can’t wait for the next chapter in the ‘Strong’ series.”
“As part of assessing product organizations or giving general advice
on how to train product managers, I always advocate for a Community
of Practice. The next question of course, is “How do I do that?” Before,
there was not a simple guide on how to do this. With Strong Product
Communities, Petra has now finally made that guide and I can’t wait
to hand it out.”
The structure of the book
There are six chapters in Strong Product Communities to help you get familiar with the basics and then dive into more details about what makes a successful product CoP.
Chapter 1: Communities of Practice: The Essentials
Chapter 2: Getting Started: What Do You Need to Know?
Chapter 3: Community Guidelines
Chapter 4: Regular Rituals
Chapter 5: Learning from Other Product People
Chapter 6: Digging Into the Data: My Research on CoPs
What you will learn from the book
By the time you finish reading this book, you will understand:
The broad range of benefits you can expect from a product CoP (this will also help you “sell” the idea of a CoP within your organization or to your line manager)
How to define your community’s purpose and guidelines
Which regular rituals to consider for your CoP
How organizers from several well-known companies approach their CoPs
What CoP participants have to say about their experiences
And you will be able to:
Build or enhance an existing CoP
Empower knowledge sharing and network-building in your product organization
Identify (and avoid) common pitfalls