Lean Mindset

Lean Mindset by Mary and Tom Poppendieck is only 160 pages long, but it packs a punch: companies that follow the agile way of building software driven by customer needs will eventually deliver a good result. But good does not mean exciting nor innovative. Just good does not set you apart from any other software company out there and makes you replaceable as a service provider.

In their book Mary and Tom take the reader on a quest that eventually leads to finding the answer for the most powerful question: how can organizations create breakthrough innovations in a predictable (or at least sustainable) way?

Chapter by chapter they lay out their understanding of the fundamentals that are needed to build software that truly serves the customer, and they don't all short on highlighting what's needed to achieve that: engaged employees with a deep understanding of the underlying business rules, a clear purpose and vision for the product they are building. Every section is supported by a real-world case study so you don't have to take their word for granted, but can see the respective theories in action in real life.

This book easily made it to the top of my reading recommendation for managers, founders, and developers as well. Keep a copy of the book handy, so you can check once in a while their questions to ponder provided after every chapter.