I read a lot of books — averaging 5/month. For right or (most likely) wrong, I don’t read any fiction. I get my fiction fix through other mediums.
I usually pick up/download a book to gain perspective on solving a current technical or business problem. In that way, I am a very deliberate reader. I don’t skip around and read every word (unless the book turns into a total dud) while internalizing how to put these ideas into practice.
Books can give you a good education but true learning comes through practice.
My reading list recently has included all the new lean series of books out this year — and yes, there’s a lot.
Lean Analytics
By Alistair Croll, Benjamin Yoskovitz
Use Data to Build a Better Startup Faster
Lean UX
By Jeff Gothelf with Josh Seiden
Applying Lean Principles to Improve User Experience
UX for Lean Startups
By Laura Klein
Faster, Smarter User Experience Research and Design
Lean Entrepreneur
By Brant Cooper and Patrick Vlaskovits
How Visionaries Create Products, Innovate With New Ventures, And Disrupt Markets
I don’t do traditional book reviews, so I won’t waste a thousand words convincing you to buy every one of these books. Instead, over the next several posts, I’ll share how I’ve been synthesizing ideas from each of these books into my work.
If you want to grok a meta-topic like lean truly, you need to immerse yourself in unique perspectives (which each of these authors has), internalize their ideas, and then make them your own.
Best summed up as:
“Adapt what is useful, reject what is useless, and add what is specifically your own.”
- Bruce Lee
Stay tuned.