Every discipline and domain has foundational texts. These texts are oft cited and under read.

They represent the dominant philosophy of the domain. For example in business: Innovator’s Dilemma, Crossing the Chasm, and Strategy books by Michael Porter.

Everyone cites their superficial perspectives. To be an expert in your domain you have to read the foundational texts. No matter how dense no matter how boring. You have to have a perspective. Otherwise you don’t have a point of view ok the foundations of your own domain and are suceptable to colleagues’ sophistry built upon misinterpretations.

Recently I’ve had the opportunity to work with a few talented Product Managers who are new to the discipline. So I decided to capture a few of my thoughts on onboarding in hopes that at it will be useful to others.

It’s still very much a work in progress, full of typos and incomplete thoughts, but please check it out even in this raw form and please share your thoughts.

Most accountable party.  Product Management has accountability for defining what we deliver to our customers. However, what is a highly-opinionated question. Take for example a successful product like the fitbit…

In Progress Product Manager Onboarding Guide

Your career is defined by your skills and how you’ve used them, not by any external measure of your progress.

Continue reading: Julie Zhou VP of Product Design, Facebook How to Think About Your Career

I am Mikal Lewis, a Seattle based Product Leader and entrepreneur. This blog focuses on the intersection of philosophy, design, and business strategy specifically as it relates to technology.