Customer Reviews

Brilliant Project Management (Revised Edition): what the best project managers know, do and say

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Brilliant Project Management was recommended to me by a colleague in the UK but it wasn't easy to find around here. It's worth taking the trouble to track down a copy - it's easily the best book on project management that I've come across.

I've checked out loads of books recently and this one is different to the others. It's mainly about giving good practical advice based on experience and I caught myself saying: "yeah, good idea, I could easily do that" several times. I was able to start using their guidance immediately.

Most of it is based on commonsense and good practice. It also contains good supporting aids too, like checklists and prompts - they really help to put the ideas into action.

It also makes a change to see chapters dedicated to the people side of project management. In my opinion, too many so-called experts forget that building effective teams and motivating people are a key part of project management.

This book appeals to a wide audience too. It was perfect for someone with a reasonable level of experience like me, but you'd get a lot out of it even if you're new to the subject.

It's written by two English guys and it has plenty of their wry, hilarious humor. They feature a stack of their own excellent anecdotes dotted throughout the book and even the cartoons work well, so I get the feeling there was plenty of attention to detail.

Brilliant Project Management is easy to read and easy to dip into. And I can't remember laughing at a business book before. My only complaint is that it's so darned hard to find. Why? My colleague in the UK told me that over there this is currently the bestselling book on project management, so only the publishers know, I guess.

I have been managing IT projects for 20 years now and although I have been on many training courses for various Project Management methodologies it is sometimes very easy to deviate from the core (common sense) principles of Project Management. The thing I like about this book is that it is something that is easy to pick up at the beginning of a project to give you a quick refresh of all the things that are needed to maximise your chance of success. Although I like to think I know it all, I never fail to find a nugget of advice that adds real value every time I pick it up.

I also have a team of project managers working for me of varying levels of experience and everyone of them has been bought a copy of this book. All of them would recommend it too! Again they are all qualified in one methodology or another but this book gives practical, real world advice/examples and doesn't pretend that every project can be run according to a text book.

Whether you are starting out in Project Management or a seasoned campaigner, you will get a lot out of this book. Highly recommended.

I found this book to be full of really useful tips, reminders and warnings. These have clearly been drawn from considerable experience and provide a concise overview of Project Management. This is a great tool to have at hand regardless of how much experience you have in the (sometimes) complex world of Project Management.

Brilliant Project Management (Revised Edition): what the best project managers know, do and say

Brilliant Project Management is a highly practical and pragmatic exploration of the essentials of project management, and timeless in that it does not rely on a prescriptive or changing body of knowledge. Everything you need to know about managing a project from start to finish is here and explained in straightforward terms - useful for customers and suppliers alike! While no book can replace hands-on project management experience, Barker and Cole's book provides solid advice to start even the most novice project management on the path to project success. Tongue-in-cheek humour is amply sprinked throughout the text and provides a light-hearted, but vivid illustration of real-life situations. I especially enjoyed the sidenoted sections: "it shouldn't happen to a project manager (but it did)..." containing anecdotes from real projects.

Barker and Cole's practical tips and techniques prove that they've experienced the real-life trenches of many projects and lived to share their best tips for project survival. The authors wisely chose not to encumber the book with excess theory and instead focus on fundamental principles for project success. Witty, practical, experienced, and never haughty, Barker and Cole provide the right level of detail and guidance for projects to succeed.

Every project manager should have several copies of this book on his/her bookshelf - one for reference, and the rest as gifts to customers and project sponsors. It is seldom that a book comes along like Brilliant Project Management that can meet the needs of project managers and, at the same time clearly explain the value of sound project management to project stakeholders. Bravo!