Preface

The role of a Technical Program Manager (TPM) has been around inside and outside of the tech industry for quite a while; yet somehow there is still quite a sense of mystery around what the role is and why it is beneficial, let alone how someone can succeed in being a TPM. This book looks to correct that by diving into what it means to be a TPM, where the role came from, and where it is headed. You’ll get a look into how the TPM works and develops their career in the Big 5 – Amazon, Apple, Alphabet (Google), Meta (Facebook), and Microsoft.

I’ve been at Amazon for a little over 9 years now and I remember that when I first interviewed, I had a hard time remembering what TPM even stood for, let alone what they did. In my onsite interviews, I asked what the job role was and what the day-to-day was like. 9 years later and I’m asked those same questions by interviewees at least once a week. I attend conferences discussing what it means to be a TPM and have written papers on what it means to be a TPM within my own organization because as you’ll see in this book, it depends on where you are as to what the role entails. However, no matter what, there are foundational principles that are followed across the industry that will set you on the right path and help you when you get stuck in a rut without a way forward.

Let’s get you ready to be a successful TPM!