Summary
As we said in the introduction, what this book is really about is managing the technology of information systems as a project manager. More particularly, this book is about project managing software projects. Managing such projects requires expert skills in managing budgets, people, and processes. It requires someone who is not only proficient in project management, but also someone who understands the highly complex, project-driven information technology (IT) industry. It also helps to have a few tricks up your sleeve, if not from your own experience, then from someone else's, such as author Jolyon Hallows.
In his Conclusion, Jolyon observes that:
"Project overruns are the norm. Rare is the company that consistently delivers on projects on time, on budget, and fully functional. Rarer still is the company that overtly identifies the benefits it expects and actively pursues them.[20]
If our industry is to mature to the point where it can routinely deliver what is required of it, one of the issues we must resolve is the shortage of qualified, experienced, professional, career project managers. We need to find and develop people who can work with special ambiguities of project life, who can muster the intricacies needed in project planning and execution, and who are powerful managers themselves and their teams. Such people are not common."[21]
So, in this book, Jolyon has managed to dispense a wealth of practical experience and pragmatic advice specifically on managing IT projects of significant size. These come in the form of anecdotes, for light reading; worksheets, for immediate use; action plans, for "what if" scenarios; and checklists for fast lookup. This book gives you appropriate tips and tools to solve unexpected problems and sidestep the all-too-frequent pitfalls of so many IT projects.
Whether your project entails implementing major packages, upgrading hardware, designing a technology architecture, or developing a systems plan, Jolyon's book should improve your chances of delivering a successful product on time and on budget. But of course you have to read it, digest it, and apply it to become one of those people who are not all that common!
R. Max Wideman
Fellow, PMI
20. Ibid, p279
21. Ibid, p280
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Downside