Surprise! Now You're a Software Project Manager

Bas De Baar
Multi-Media Publications (2006)
ISBN 1895186757
Reviewed by Regan Windsor for Reader Views (2/07)

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.

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