Reviews: Surprise! Now You're a Software Project Manager

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Surprise! Now You're a Software Project Manager [ebook]
[9781895186765]

$17.95

Displaying 1 to 6 (of 10 reviews)

Result Pages: 1 2 [Next >>]

by Raven Young

Date Added: Tuesday 08 April, 2008

As a seasoned software project manager I found Bas De Baar's book very interesting. When I started as a software and web development pm there wasn't much in the way of good project management books, let alone ones focused on working with software. "Surprise!" is a real gem that PMs working in technology will definitely get something out of. It's easy to read and stuffed with solid advice and valuable information for someone thrust into a new project management role. It also contains some interesting insights, tips and tricks that someone with more experience can benefit from.

I also liked the fact that the book is based on real world experience and isn't selling the latest(elusive) silver bullet methodology. It's a must-read for newer tech PMs and others might consider adding it to their PM toolkit for the examples and from-the-trenches perspective it provides.

Rating: [5 of 5 Stars!]

by W Boudville

Date Added: Tuesday 08 April, 2008

De Baar eschews a detailed prescription of tasks you should perform as a new software manager. Instead, he provides an easily read synopsis of the two main approaches to managing a project - a plan-driven method and an agile method. Under the rubric of each, there are several actual methodologies that are heavily pushed by their industry proponents. (For the former, think of CMMI as just one example.)

The book takes into account that you might be new to all this, and avoids information overload. It describes the pros and cons of both approaches. That having detailed plans and a systematic procedure is hard to argue against. But the agile way can give more flexibility, especially in coping with unforeseen events that crop up, either in the technology or in the people on your team.

Other aspects covered include getting the project's requirements, and involving all the stakeholders in the planning, development and testing, to the maximum extent that you can. The chapter on requirements is number 7, which is somewhat late in a narrative about project management. Since assembling requirements is usually one of the big main tasks you do first.

The book's main attraction is that it furnishes a quick and understandable read, without underplaying the difficulties of management.

Rating: [4 of 5 Stars!]

by Charles Ashbacher

Date Added: Tuesday 08 April, 2008

The initial scenario of the book is that your manager comes up to you late on a Friday afternoon and informs you that you have the honor of being the project manager for a new software development project. The project is due to begin first thing Monday morning and you are congratulated for the promotion. Furthermore, this is the first software project that you have ever managed.

Assuming that the shock wears off before Monday morning, you have some time to gather yourself and prepare for your new job. One of the best things that you could do during this time is read this book. It takes you through the first steps of the managerial process, which is determining who the stakeholders are and how to get some idea what it is they want and need. Bas is clear that in most cases, the users will not precisely know what they want. Many times, the end-users will tell you, "I will know what it is I want when I see it." Not the most helpful position, but a very common one.

Once you have interacted with the stakeholders and have some idea what the project will entail, it is time to determine the approach that you will take in building the product. Some products can be done using a weak set of initial guidelines, but others must be thoroughly defined before work can begin. In the first case, there will be an iterative feedback process with very short cycles and in the second a great deal of work will be done before feedback is solicited and acted on.

Getting and acting on solid feedback is the mother's milk of sound management. It is a rare occasion when you know nearly everything about the requirements when you start, so keeping your ear stuck to the response channel is a necessity. Feedback can come in many forms and it is largely up to you to determine which feedback type is generally the best one for you and at each specific point in the development process.

Bas deals mostly in the generalities needed to get your project started. There are few diagrams and charts; most of the information is in the form of text that uses a minimum of technical jargon. Reading this book will not solve all your management problems, but will go a long way to making them more manageable, even if your situation is not as dire as that of the opening scenario.

Rating: [5 of 5 Stars!]

by Reader Views (Regan Windsor)

Date Added: Tuesday 08 April, 2008

Anytime you have a project that involves more than one stakeholder, which is every time you work on a project for someone other than yourself, you will have stakeholder complexities. Each stakeholder will have a different idea of what the project deliverable(s) should look like – which means increased complexity for the Project Manager!

“Surprise! Now You’re a Software Project Manager” gives a general overview on Project Management without the technical jargon. The technical factors of a project will vary depending on the type and scope of project you are undertaking. However, some processes of project management, such as stakeholder analysis, are guided by some general, but critical, processes.

“Surprise! Now You’re a Software Project Manager” describe how to use stakeholder analysis and risk management to develop a project strategy and project organization. The project manager must also determine the appropriate approach for getting requirements for the product and process and then ensuring feedback on these components throughout the project. As the project progresses, requirements and processes have a tendency to change as stakeholders continue to struggle with what they are looking for in the software being developed (scope creep). Since a project is a balance of time, cost, and scope (quality/ size), a change in one results in a change in one or all of the other components. It is important that stakeholders have a clear understanding of these implications so they can weigh their decisions appropriately. That way, if part way through the project the stakeholders determine they want a more robust system they will understand the trade-off of increased time and/or cost.

For anyone new to the Project Management world, looking for a refresher, or just curious about what Project Management is all about this book provides an easy to read overview of the key elements of managing a project. A key element of any project is the complexity of stakeholders; “Surprise! Now You’re a Software Project Manager” provides an understanding of how to determine stakeholder needs, assess risk, understand requirements, and ensure stakeholder feedback mechanisms throughout the project.

Rating: [5 of 5 Stars!]

by Segei Toropov, Marketing Director, VIP Quality Software

Date Added: Tuesday 08 April, 2008

I would recommend this book to any project manager no matter whether he is in the software business or not. The work reveals the pitfall other project management books try to avoid -- the human factor.

Rating: [5 of 5 Stars!]

by Virtual Projects

Date Added: Tuesday 08 April, 2008

Delivers practical advice for dealing with a proejct management role in IT-related projects. [...] If you are looking for a good, practical introduction to the purpose and process of software project management, this book might be for you.

Rating: [4 of 5 Stars!]