Patterns of project behavior
2 January 2009 6:08 by Tomasz KorzeniowskiTom DeMarco is one of my favorite technical writers.
Recently, on a blog of one my friends, I have read a recommendation for Deadline by Tom DeMarco.
I fully agree with my friend that this easy, entertaining book provides some valuable ideas about how to improve a project and can be a great read for a software engineer who has been moved to project manager role.
In addition to Deadline I would like to recommend another book by Tom DeMarco I have just read - Adrenaline Junkies and Template Zombies.
Software engineers should be aware of elegant solutions to common problems in software design. They should know patterns for managing object creation, composing objects into larger structures, and coordinating control flow between objects. They should also recognize and correct bad habits of code and design.
I believe the same story is with project managers.
Project Manger should know good patterns to follow and anti-patterns that should be avoided.
Tom DeMarco together with the team of his friends from the Atlantic Systems Guild has done a nice job and described 86 patterns of project behavior.
Patterns can be read in a moment. Each pattern is about two pages long with titles that build strong association in the brain… e.g. adrenaline junkies, dead fish, project sluts, template zombies…
You won’t be surprised how often you will say… “Ahh… I recognize it… somebody is spying on my company… this is exactly what is happening right now in my project…”
I strongly believe this is a fun, interesting read for all software engineers and project members and… definitely the must read for project managers who want to avoid pitfalls and boost effectiveness of their teams.
Adrenaline Junkies and Template Zombies can be consumed in an evening or during a longer flight with very little effort.
If you normally fall asleep while reading books about project management, give Adrenaline Junkies and Template Zombies a try. I am sure you won’t be disappointed!
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