Kathy Schwalbe

IT projects comprise a particularly difficult niche of project management. The field is so new, and IT professionals’ proficiencies vary widely. The technology quickly evolves, so what was true about project management a few years ago might not be relevant soon thereafter. Personalities can also pose a problem since software developers aren’t reputed to be the most personable workers. In this textbook, impressively in a ninth edition, Kathy Schwalbe provides sage advice by summarizing show more the entire profession. It can serve as a more-than-adequate guide for those relatively new to the profession, like me.

I’ve worked as a software developer for decades and have managed my personal projects for some time. However, I’m moving into a role of guiding others. This book helped me emotionally distance myself from my personal routines and refocus on how I can serve others to add real value through IT practices. I especially benefitted from sections on stakeholder management and project quality management. Since I’ve never managed the financials of a project, the sections on cost were supremely beneficial, too. Even though the terminology caused me to slow down somtimes, Schwalbe’s prose was not too overwhelming.

A lot of books focus on one topic in IT project management or general project management. Other books take a more relational approach based on practical experience. This book does neither; instead, it provides a comprehensive overview of the field in an academic manner. That’s why it’s a mainstay in the field and could see a tenth edition sometime. IT will continue to add business value over coming decades, and this book will teach interested readers to leverage it to benefit their organizations and customers. show less

This book was required reading for one of the project management courses I took between May and August this year, and I think it is very informative, well written, and I loved all the practical examples the author adds to make the subject more interesting. The structure is roughly the same as that of the "PM Bible", the "A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide)–Fifth Edition" (also required reading for the course), but is is far less dry. With its focus on show more information technology, it is a good addition to the more theoretical PMBOK. And even though I have never worked on projects in that area, I found the book easy to follow and full of interesting facts and case studies.

Recommended to anyone interested in in this area! show less

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