Book details of 'Making It Happen : A Non-Technical Guide to Project Management'

Title	Making It Happen : A Non-Technical Guide to Project Management
Author(s)	Mackenzie Kyle
ISBN	0471642347
Language	English
Publisher	John Wiley & Sons

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virtualbookcase.com score: 5.0   Vote for this book

The Virtual Bookcase Reviews of 'Making It Happen : A Non-Technical Guide to Project Management':

Reviewer Rob Slade wrote:
Now, how do I classify this? If I say it is fiction, then you might miss the fact that the material herein is instructional, and intensely real. If I say that this is a management guide, people will stay away from it in droves, unaware of how readable it is. The book is in the form of a novel (or, perhaps, novelette). Not the Great Canadian Novel, maybe. Maybe the Great Project Management Novella. (Well, we'll reserve judgement on the "Great" for the moment.) All right, then, we *will* talk about "Great." This volume is certainly readable, and easily interesting enough to qualify as bathroom or bedside fodder. Kyle grabs your attention with a reasonably sympathetic character in a difficult situation. The author does not take dangerous chances with either the characters or situation, so as fiction it is somewhat bland. That does, however, leave you enough concentration free to deal with the educational content. The management substance is realistic, and the more palatable for taking potshots at manajargon and MBA-speak. I have definitely read management tomes with more verbiage and much less content. The early chapters are used to set the stage, rather than get into practical matters, but they also serve to present the sense of frustration and confusion that is all too familiar to anyone who has undertaken such a task. Besides, with the storyline, I am quite willing to wait for the meat. And meat there is. Kyle's outline, although not presented in a linear manner, addresses not only specific functional business needs, but also the "why"s of several points. A rather subtle lesson points out that "political" activities have a purpose as well, in a positive way, as well as the negative ones more often recognized. For those not comfortable with the somewhat scattered presentation necessitated by the story, the major points are brought out in a boxed format that gets more frequent as the book progresses. In fact, the story does start to suffer as the book moves on. There are only so many "emergencies" you can pack into a plot before the audience stops caring. There is also only so much ignorance you can attribute to one project manager before the willing suspension of disbelief starts to fray at the edges. However, the pace does pick up as the project gets down to the wire. The different types of planning tools, with their strengths and weaknesses, get a quick, but reasonable overview. This definitely deserves a place on the management shelf, alongside "Technimanagement" (see reviews). copyright Robert M. Slade, 1999
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Book description:

Making It Happen: A Non-Technical Guide to Project Management provides a fresh and clear approach to project management. Written in the form of a novel, it covers the basics of project management in a friendly, interesting, and memorable way. Will Campbell, a reasonably competent middle manager, is suddenly thrust into managing a high-profile project that could make or break his career. With no project management experience, and armed only with the guidance of his eccentric menror, Martha, Will learns the hard way. As Will navigates the rough seas of company politics, treacherous competition, and a project swirling out of control, he narrowly evades many pitfalls, and masters some indispensable project management tools along the way. Against the backdrop of this personal drama, a simple, rational approach to project management unfolds. Will's ability to grasp these principles is the key to his survival, and could be the key to yours. Making It Happen enables the reader to transform risky, real-life situations into success. .&UL; &LI; Provides a simple, non-technical approach, useful to any business person involved in teams or managing projects Offers practical tools and principles that will make any project a success: from office moves to product roll-outs, systems implementations to training program delivery, and everything in between Boxes, definitions, and charts highlight key points and practical project management tips.&/UL;