The Principles of Project Management, by Meri Williams

People who have participated in successful projects without having participated in projects that failed will never understand the importance of good project management. People who have participated in projects that have failed will understand the importance of understanding project management but even then they may not know exactly what could have been done properly. In projects that I have participated in, those that failed cumulated in every individual within the team coming up with one thing that went wrong - and almost always, no one agreed.

Project management is about the bigger picture - but more importantly, it is about getting everything working in such a way that the project succeeds and perhaps even excels expectations. Some believe that this is magic. The author of The Principles of Project Management, Meri Williams, knows better and shares it in this book. As she states in the section, 'Who Should Read This Book?':

This book is for anyone who wants to learn enough project management to ensure their projects succeed. You won't become a world authority on the project management discipline, but you will become an effective and efficient project manager. Although some of the examples in this book focus on projects that address technological or systems-related issues - a growing indiustry in need of skilled project managers! - the book is intended for anyone who needs to manage projects of any sort...

She goes on to say that, unfortunately, the book will not teach you how to manage the construction of the next space station. I must admit some disappointment, because I did not realize I wanted to do that until she wrote it. That would have been fun.

Having been in both successful and failed projects, at all levels, what the author wrote of rings true - and it rings clearly: In less than 178 pages, she covers a lot of ground in a manner that demonstrates she applied the same principles she writes of while working on the book. That alone does not make a good book, though - what makes it a better book is the fact that she was able to write it all down in so few pages and yet cover what could only be described as the 'abstract of project management' by making it more tangible through her examples and personal experiences.

Even having learned my own way around projects through the whoosh of deadlines future, present and past, I found this book to be something I will reference in the future - and perhaps even throw at a few people. Too bad it isn't heavier. There are basic guidelines and principles that can not only make project management easier, they can make the difference between meeting the requirements and surpassing them.

Because of the author's handling of a difficult topic and her making it so simple, I give the book a KnowProSE.com 9 out of 10: If you want to get started managing your projects better, The Principles of Project Management is a definite asset with real world examples that will help you get started - and keep going.

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