If you’re an entrepreneur building a digital product, you don’t need to get bogged down with the nitty-gritty details of design. What you need is a clear overview of the fundamentals of not only product design but many related topics such as marketing or branding.
I’ve selected a list of the best product design books that will give you the tools to think strategically about your product.
I’ve also gathered a list of books from which you can pick and choose down the line depending on your needs, but you can also read them right now to have a broader perspective.
Top Criteria for selecting the best books
This list of books was curated for entrepreneurs. Your need as an entrepreneur is to have actionable advice that will help you to take action and learn by doing. I wanted to put at your disposal easy-to-understand frameworks, and real-world examples that you can apply immediately.
Look for books that are laser-focused on solving problems, ones that show you how to validate ideas, build products people want, and avoid wasting time on what doesn’t matter.
But I also wanted to give you the opportunity to go deeper with some theory. Sometimes you will be limited by what you know, and you will need to crack some ceiling. For those times, I’ve included some books that are more advanced and will hopefully save the day once you hit a certain threshold.
A lil bit of theory before starting out building stuff so you don’t waste your time
Before jumping into building your product, you need to understand the “why” behind what you’re doing. A little theory can save you tons of time and money.
You don’t need a PhD in product design, but having a foundation will help you avoid common pitfalls.
Start With Why by Simon Sinek
If you don’t know why you’re building something, you’ll easily be bored and get distracted. Usually entrepreneurs get excited by an idea and want to dive head first into execution. Little do they know if their “why” isn’t strong enough they have very little chance of competing against people with a strong why.
Just so you now how important it is, the Why is usually the first thing I try to understand when entrepreneurs come to me for advice. Simon Sinek’s “Start With Why” helps entrepreneurs question the real purpose of what they are working on. Is it a problem they deeply care about or is it just an opportunistic move?
This book is perfect for those struggling to articulate their product vision and need a solid foundation to keep them grounded as they scale. Building with purpose drives long-term success, and Sinek lays out exactly how to do that.
$100M Offers by Alex Hormozi
Building a digital product is one thing—making people want it is another. Hormozi’s book helps you understand how to create offers so good that would be a no-brainer for your customers.
Entrepreneurs looking to optimize their product positioning and offer should consider this a must-read. The book provides practical frameworks that allow you to craft high-value propositions and instantly elevate your product’s appeal.
The Lean Startup by Eric Ries
Entrepreneurs in the tech space know that speed matters. Eric Ries’ The Lean Startup helps you understand the fundamentals of entrepreneurship which are speed and adaptability.
This book gives you the blueprint to test, learn, and pivot fast. If you’re building a digital product, this book is essential for minimizing risk and avoiding costly missteps.
Self-Determination Theory by Edward Deci
Understanding the underlying principles of human motivation is a deadly weapon. Deci’s Self-Determination Theory taps into why people do what they do. You can leverage that knowledge when you think about your startup idea.
By focusing on autonomy, competence, and relatedness, you’ll design products that connect with users on a deeper level. For entrepreneurs, this book is a game-changer when it comes to creating products that people want to use, not just need.
Such books are rarely recommended but in my opinion that’s precisely where the true added value of entrepreneurs lies. Since these subjects are usually overlooked, you can differentiate yourself and have an exponential return thanks to this potentially unfair advantage.
Creativity, Inc. by Amy Wallace and Ed Catmull
Great ideas often come from great teams, and Creativity, Inc. shows you how to build and lead creative teams without losing your edge. If you’re an entrepreneur managing a team of ux designers and developers, this book offers invaluable lessons on maintaining creativity under pressure.
Catmull’s experience at Pixar translates well to any product design team working on innovative products and services. This book will help you understand how to build a culture where innovation thrives.
Inspired: How To Create Products Customers Love by Marty Cagan
Marty Cagan’s Inspired is a must-read for entrepreneurs and product managers. Cagan emphasizes the importance of focusing on solving the right customer problems rather than just shipping features. He critiques outdated waterfall approaches and advocates for continuous discovery and delivery processes.
This book provides practical techniques for reducing risks early, creating empowered teams, and using customer validation throughout the product cycle. For anyone looking to build great products, Inspired offers invaluable insights into modern product management.
Thinking in Bets: Making Smarter Decisions When You Don’t Have All the Facts by Annie Duke
One of the skills with the highest ROI for entrepreneurs is to understand how to make good decisions. Annie Duke’s “Thinking in Bets” offers a unique perspective on dealing with unknowns by thinking probabilistically.
Using real-world examples, Duke emphasizes the importance of focusing on process over outcomes. By acknowledging uncertainty and avoiding black-and-white thinking, you can improve your decision-making skills. This book is a must-read for adopting a process-oriented mindset and making better choices with incomplete information.
The Black Swan by Nicholas Taleb
Entrepreneurs are in the business of buying optionality. If you view your entrepreneurial career like this, you will certainly appreciate Nicholas Taleb’s book “The Black Swan”.
Taleb explains how rare, unforeseen events can have massive impacts on businesses. Taleb himself built a hedge fund based on the principle of betting on low probability events with a low cost of failure and a very high ROI.
Go out and talk to people
The Mom Test by Rob Fitzpatrick
When you’re developing a product, getting honest feedback is tricky. The Mom Test teaches entrepreneurs how to ask the right questions to get real answers, even from friends and family who might sugarcoat the truth.
Fitzpatrick’s book is crucial for refining ideas before pouring resources into them. This approach ensures you get actionable feedback without people telling you what they think you want to hear. A must-read for product discovery.
The One Thing by Gary Keller
As a tech entrepreneur, juggling multiple priorities can kill your focus. Keller’s The One Thing shows you how to hone in on the single task that makes everything else easier.
The simplicity of his approach is what makes it so powerful. You don’t have the bandwidth to do everything right, that’s why choosing carefully what to focus on and committing to it is so crucial.
Jobs to Be Done by Anthony W. Ulwick
Ulwick’s Jobs to Be Done framework shifts your focus to understanding the “job” your product is “hired” to do for users. This book gives an interesting perspective on solving your user’s problems.
By focusing on outcomes rather than just features, entrepreneurs can design products that solve real problems. This method is foundational for any ux design or product manager and will help them build user-centric products.
Start building with actionable advice
Solving Product: Reveal Gaps, Ignite Growth, and Accelerate Any Tech Product with Customer Research by Étienne Garbugli
Garbugli’s book is all about identifying where your product is falling short. Using customer research, he lays out a clear path to finding gaps in your product strategy.
Entrepreneurs can take immediate action by gathering insights from users and turning that data into growth opportunities. It’s a hands-on guide for accelerating your design and development process, and it’s especially valuable for those working on tech products.
Sprint: How to Solve Big Problems and Test New Ideas in Just Five Days by Jake Knapp
Time is money, and Sprint gives you a practical framework for solving problems. In just five days, you can go from an idea to a tested prototype. This method, used by teams at Google, is ideal for tech founders who need to validate ideas quickly without overcommitting resources.
Knapp’s book is full of actionable advice that strips down the design process to its essentials, helping you make real progress fast.
Discovery Discipline by Tristan Charvillat
Charvillat’s Discovery Discipline takes the principles from “Sprint” but gives a more flexible framework, having witnessed the downside of a rigid process.
If you are already familiar with the concepts from Sprint or want to go beyond, you can watch a summary of the book and directly read this book that is an evolved version of the former book.
The methodology from this book was developed at BlaBlaCar, one of the most successful French startups, so this is also a rare recommendation that can give you an edge.
Refactoring UI by Adam Wathan and Steve Schoger
You don’t need to be a professional UI designer to create a clean, functional interface. Refactoring UI simplifies the process, offering practical design tips that non-designers can implement.
You can apply Wathan and Schoger’s advice to instantly improve the UI and usability of their products.
User Story Mapping: Discover the Whole Story, Build the Right Product by Jeff Patton and Peter Economy
If you want to build products that truly meet user needs, User Story Mapping is your guide. Patton breaks down how to visualize the user journey and prioritize features that matter.
The Laws of Simplicity (Simplicity: Design, Technology, Business, Life) by John Maeda
Maeda’s The Laws of Simplicity is a quick but impactful read on reducing complexity in your designs. The book covers how to streamline your product to improve usability and clarity. It’s a must-read for founders looking to strip away unnecessary features and focus on what delivers the most value to users.
Greatness Through Subtraction by Sam Schreim
Schreim’s book focuses on minimalism. He teaches you how to cut the noise and focus on building only what’s necessary. By removing distractions and unnecessary features, you can create a more focused, high-quality product. This is particularly valuable for tech founders looking to move fast without getting bogged down by complexity. It’s a refreshing take on how less can actually lead to more.
The User Experience Team of One by Leah Buley
If you’re the only UX designer in your startup, Buley’s book is your survival guide. The User Experience Team of One offers actionable tips for handling UX design on your own, even when resources are limited.
Entrepreneurs will appreciate Buley’s no-nonsense approach to balancing product management and design, giving them the confidence to lead user experience without needing a large team.
Branding advice you want to know about
The Brand Gap by Marty Neumeier
In The Brand Gap, Neumeier explains how to bridge the gap between strategy and creativity to build a cohesive brand. This book is the 101 of Branding taught by the father of modern branding.
Designing Brand Identity: An Essential Guide for the Entire Branding Team by Alina Wheeler
Wheeler’s Designing Brand Identity is a step-by-step guide to creating a powerful brand that connects with customers. It’s perfect for tech entrepreneurs who may not have a branding expert on their team but still want to get it right.
The book walks you through the entire process, from research and strategy to design and execution, making it accessible even if you’re starting from scratch.
Business strategy 101
Good Strategy/Bad Strategy by Richard Rumelt
Rumelt’s Good Strategy/Bad Strategy is an excellent introductory book to business strategy.
It helps you understand what a good and a bad strategy look like, and give you a simple definition of business strategy that he illustrates with many examples that all add value and help you have a good grasp of the subject.
This is by far my favourite book because it gives you a clarity of vision about the subject and all the examples help reinforcing your understanding of the fundamentals of the subject, instead of throwing new concepts now and then. The fundamentals are what sticks and you will forget the rest with time, so I personally give a very high importance of understanding the fundamentals with everything I’m learning.
Zero to One by Peter Thiel
Peter Thiel’s Zero to One refers to the entrepreneurial phase. This book will help you understand how to create a unique product that stands out from the competition in a sustainable way.
Thiel focuses on innovation, teaching you to think beyond incremental improvements and aim for breakthrough solutions that disrupt entire industries.
Advanced product design books
Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products by Nir Eyal
Nir Eyal’s Hooked introduces the hook model, a framework for building products that keep users coming back. The book explores how to design products that tap into user behavior and create lasting engagement.
For tech entrepreneurs, it’s invaluable for learning how to build habit-forming products that naturally retain users. The principles can be applied to anything from apps to physical products.
Don’t Make Me Think by Steve Krug
Steve Krug’s Don’t Make Me Think is a practical, no-nonsense guide to web usability. Krug emphasizes that websites should be self-explanatory, reducing the user’s cognitive workload.
His first rule of usability: if users have to stop and think about how to interact with your product, you’ve already lost them. Krug explains how users don’t read pages—they scan them, and they often settle for the first reasonable option.
With engaging illustrations and humor, this book is a must-read for entrepreneurs who want to streamline their interaction design for a better user experience.
Actionable Gamification by Yu-kai Chou
In Actionable Gamification, Yu-kai Chou introduces the Octalysis framework, a system that breaks down human motivation into eight core drives. These drives explain why people engage with certain activities, making this book essential for entrepreneurs looking to boost user engagement.
Unlike other gamification models, Chou’s approach offers a deep understanding of psychology and practical applications. The book is packed with actionable insights on integrating game mechanics into products, helping you build habit-forming products that captivate users. A must-read for anyone serious about driving engagement through design.
Articulating Design Decisions by Tom Greever
In Articulating Design Decisions, Tom Greever emphasizes that great designers must be great communicators. The book teaches you how to defend your design choices in front of stakeholders, focusing on how to explain decisions clearly without alienating non-designers. Greever argues that design success isn’t just about usability—it’s about aligning your team and getting everyone on board with your vision.
For entrepreneurs, this is crucial when working with developers, investors, or clients. By mastering communication, you’ll bridge the gap between design thinking and business needs.
100 Things Every Designer Needs to Know About People by Susan Weinschenk
Susan Weinschenk’s 100 Things Every Designer Needs to Know About People is a practical guide to understanding human behavior in design. The book covers how people see, read, and process information.
One key takeaway is that people process information best in story form, which can be applied directly to improving user engagement. Weinschenk also emphasizes motivation by progress—small rewards keep users engaged.
This book is packed with research-backed principles that every UX designer and entrepreneur can use to improve product usability.
Escaping the Build Trap by Melissa Perri
In Escaping the Build Trap, Melissa Perri explains how many companies get stuck building features without delivering real value. She introduces the concept of the Build Trap, where teams focus on outputs instead of outcomes.
Perri emphasizes that product managers should focus on solving user problems rather than just shipping features. This book provides a clear framework for creating product-led organizations that prioritize customer value and business outcomes.
Build Better Products by Laura Klein
Laura Klein’s Build Better Products is packed with actionable advice for building user-centric products. It goes beyond simply shipping features and focuses on understanding customers’ needs through data-driven decisions. Klein introduces practical tools like the User Lifecycle Funnel and Provisional Personas to help teams prioritize and align with business goals.
This book emphasizes validating assumptions before development and highlights the importance of measuring impact. For entrepreneurs, it’s a comprehensive guide to creating products that solve real problems and deliver real value.
Evidence-Guided: Creating High Impact Products in the Face of Uncertainty by Itamar Gilad
In Evidence-Guided, Itamar Gilad explains the difference between companies that base decisions on evidence versus those that rely on opinions. He introduces the GIST model (Goals, Ideas, Steps, Tasks), a framework that guides product development through continuous testing and learning.
Gilad also emphasizes the importance of using metrics like the North Star Metric to measure success and alignment. This book helps entrepreneurs focus on creating impactful products by reducing uncertainty and making informed decisions, avoiding the pitfalls of guesswork.
Introduce your offer to the world
Building a StoryBrand by Donald Miller
Donald Miller’s Building a StoryBrand offers a simple yet powerful framework for creating clear, customer-focused marketing messages. Miller emphasizes that your customer is the hero of the story, not your brand. The book uses a Hollywood-style storytelling structure to help businesses craft their message.
By cutting out clutter and focusing on the core message, Miller teaches you how to create a clear and simple message that helps you connect with your target customers.
Value Proposition Design by Alexander Osterwalder
In Value Proposition Design, Alexander Osterwalder zooms in on two key components of his Business Model Canvas: the Value Proposition and Customer Segments. This book provides the Value Proposition Canvas, a practical tool for identifying customer pains and gains, helping you design solutions that meet real needs.
The focus shifts away from the business and onto the customer, emphasizing the importance of product-market fit.
While the canvas is excellent, the book can feel overly detailed, as the core concept is simple to grasp.
Contagious by Jonah Berger
In Contagious, Jonah Berger explores why certain ideas and products spread like wildfire. Surprisingly, only about 7% of word-of-mouth marketing happens online, despite the dominance of social media.
The book talks about what makes some ideas go viral, focusing on how people pass ideas in everyday offline conversations. Berger provides examples like a blender that can crush marbles, to show how creativity and clever advertising make products memorable.
For entrepreneurs, this book is essential for understanding how to market your product effectively so that people naturally want to talk about your product and generate word of mouth.
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