Independent consultant Berkum begins this readable how-to guide to project management with a brief history of the subject, and an explanation of why the subject is important. The book is then divided into three sections, with the headings of plans, skills, and management. The section on planning discusses schedules, figuring out what to do, ideas, and what to do with ideas. The next section addresses skills such as writing specifications, making good decisions, communication, how not to annoy people, and what to do when things go wrong. The final section on management looks at issues of trust, how to make things happen, strategies, and power and politics. Includes an annotated bibliography. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
"...Its strengths are its basis in experience; the inclusion of many illustrative stories; and the thoughtful sections on specs, making good decisions, and politics. ...I think it would be an excellent resource for someone going into project management or trying to make sense of project management."
- Kent Beck, Three Rivers Consulting, Inc. "The Art of Project Management covers it all - from practical methods for making sure work gets done right and on time, to the mindset that can make you a great leader motivating your team to do their best. Reading this was like reading the blueprint for how the best projects are managed at Microsoft. I wish we always put these lessons into action!" - Joe Belfiore, General Manager, E-home Division, Microsoft Corporation "Berkun has written a fast paced, jargon-free and witty guide to what he wisely refers to as the 'art' of project management. It's a great introduction to the discipline. Seasoned and new managers will benefit from Berkun's perspectives." - Joe Mirza, Director, CNET Networks (Cnet.com) "Most books with the words 'project management' in the title are dry tomes. If that's what you are expecting to hear from Berkun's book, you will be pleasantly surprised. Sure, it's about project management. But it's also about creativity, situational problem-solving, and leadership. If you're a team member, project manager, or even a non-technical stakeholder, Scott offers dozens of practical tools and techniques you can use, and questions you can ask, to ensure your projects succeed." - Bill Bliss, Senior VP of product and customer experience, expedia.com "Scott's manifesto on project management is a great balance of practical advice and inspiration, based on keen observations and experiences earned while in the trenches. It's well-researched, very readable, and humorous to boot." - Paolo Malabuyo, Lead Program Manager, Xbox, Microsoft Corporation " This book is useful to anyone involved in ongoing projects, regardless of whether they have an official leadership role. I'm a designer, not a project manager, and I found more practical information on how to get work done in a software company than any other book I've read." - Chad Thornton, Interaction Designer, Google A successful software application is a mixture of programming, designing, scheduling, marketing, testing, some black magic, and a lot of luck. Engineers see it as a technical problem; designers see it as a usability problem; marketers see it as a specifications problem; but nobody sees it as 100% their problem. This book is written for the people who take on the burden of making the whole problem their problem" - Steve Capps, CEO of onedoto.com and Former Apple fellow "How I managed so long without this book baffles the mind." - Richard Stoakley, Group Program Manager, Microsoft Corporation "As a software engineer, the observations in 'The Art of Project Management' resonated deeply with my own experiences. Scott's book gave me a new appreciation for the difficulty and risks, and the tremendous rewards of good project management. This book provides the knowledge and the incentive to become a better project contributor whether you are managing or being managed. Any stakeholder in a software project will benefit from reading this book." - Martin Frankel, Senior Software Engineer, TiVo Inc." Berkun provides valuable insight into how to accomplish projects without subscribing to a specific software engineering strategy. His discussions are supported with examples from projects he personally managed and include numerous citations from other works on philosophy, organizational behavior, and project management. This book should be required reading for anyone involved with development, from a single programmer in a small company to a vice-president of a large corporation. -Samuel Greenfield, Manager of System Development, Sports Illustrated Magazine "Of all the many books on project management, "The art of project management" is by far the most easy to read and entertaining. Scott Berkun's insights, knowledge and sense of humor delivers an exceptional book that no project manager can do without." - Michael Viola, Senior Consultant, IBM
