Why did I write a
Book on Real Progress?

​Dear Reader,​

I decided to send this newsletter one day earlier than usual this week because of current events. You guessed right:

After more than two years of work, I'm proud and excited to share with you that the paperback version of my book, Real Progress: How to Connect the Dots of Product Strategy, OKRs, and Discovery, is now live on Amazon. You can find all the local buying links below.

🇩🇪 Amazon Germany, Austria, and Switzerland​

🇬🇧 Amazon UK​

🇺🇸 Amazon US​

🇫🇷 Amazon France​

🇳🇱 Amazon Netherlands​

🇨🇦 Amazon Canada​

🇦🇺 Amazon Australia​

🇮🇹 Amazon Italy​

🇵🇱 Amazon Poland​

Let me share the essence of what this book is about to get you excited:

In this book, I focus on three key domains for building products and what Real Progress looks like for each.

Product Strategy needs to help you say no.

Product OKRs need to help you measure progress.

Product Discovery needs to help you reduce uncertainty.

To ensure teams can create value in their context, they need to measure their influence on solving the right customer problems. And the right problems are those that help drive strategic choices and business goals. Alibi Progress would mean to complete activities like writing OKRs or talking to customers, only to tick them off.

To make Real Progress, teams need to understand and practice two core ideas:

1. Value over Correctness: Focus on what a practice delivers for your context over following its "right" implementation.
2. Integration over Isolation: Let practices reinforce each other over optimizing individual methods in silos.

The book is designed to be both a sequential read and a practical reference that you can access based on your most pressing needs:

• If you're new to these concepts, reading from start to finish will give you a comprehensive understanding of how these domains work together.
• If you're facing specific challenges, you can jump directly to the relevant chapter:
  • Struggling with strategic focus? → Start with the Product Strategy chapter
  • Unable to measure meaningful progress? → Begin with the Product OKRs chapter
  • Uncertain which problems or solutions to pursue? → Dive into the Product Discovery chapter

No matter where you begin, you'll find references to the other domains throughout each chapter, helping you connect the dots and avoid the trap of isolated practices.

Of course, in reality, the sequencing across these three domains is much less linear. You might start with explorative Discovery, using insights to set your Strategy, derive OKRs to guide your Deliver, while engaging in more evaluative Discovery to test solutions.

But, for the purpose of your and my sanity, I decided on a more distinct approach by arranging them in a particular order. That doesn’t mean it’s the right order you have to follow and that applies to all circumstances. I will present the aspects of each of the three practices in a way so you can choose your own adventure of where to start and how to make your practices more valuable in your context.

I hope you enjoy reading the book as much as I enjoyed writing it for practitioners like you. Thank you for your support, and let me know how the book helps your work.

Thank you for Practicing Product,

​Tim​

If you consume one thing this week, make it this...

Who is Tim Herbig?

As a Product Management Coach, I guide Product Teams to measure the real progress of their evidence-informed decisions.

I focus on better practices to connect the dots of Product Strategy, Product OKRs, and Product Discovery.