Review
“ I don’t care for cookbooks, as in ‘5 steps to success at whatever.’ I like books that urge you to think–that present new ideas and get mental juices flowing. Jurgen’s book is in this latter category; it asks us to think about leading and managing as a complex undertaking–especially in today’s turbulent world. Management 3.0 offers managers involved in agile/lean transformations a thought-provoking guide how they themselves can ‘become’ agile.”
– Jim Highsmith, Executive Consultant, ThoughtWorks, Inc., www.jimhighsmith.com, Author of Agile Project Management
“ An up-to-the-minute, relevant round-up of research and practice on complexity and management, cogently summarized and engagingly presented.”
–David Harvey, Independent Consultant, Teams and Technology
“ Management 3.0 is an excellent book introducing agile to management. I’ve not seen any book that comes near to what this book offers for managers of agile teams. It’s not only a must read, it’s a must share.”
–Olav Maassen, Xebia
“ If you want hard fast rules like ‘if x happens, do y to fix it’ forget this book. Actually forget about a management career. But if you want tons of ideas on how to make the work of your team more productive and thereby more fun and thereby more productive and thereby more fun and…read this book! You will get a head start on this vicious circle along with a strong reasoning on why the concepts work.”
–Jens Schauder, Software Developer, LINEAS
“ There are a number of books on managing Agile projects and transitioning from being a Project Manager to working in an Agile setting. However, there isn’t much on being a manager in an Agile setting. This book fills that gap, but actually addresses being an effective manager in any situation. The breadth of research done and presented as background to the actual concrete advice adds a whole other element to the book. And all this while writing in an entertaining style as well.”
–Scott Duncan, Agile Coach/Trainer, Agile Software Qualities
“ Don’t get tricked by the word ‘Agile’ used in the subtitle. The book isn’t really about Agile; it is about healthy, sensible and down-to-earth management. Something, which is still pretty uncommon.”
–Pawel Brodzinski, Software Project Management
“ When I first met Jurgen and learned he was writing a book based on complexity theory, I thought, ‘That sounds good, but I’ll never understand it.’ Books with words like entropy, chaos theory, and thermodynamics tend to scare me. In fact, not only did I find Management 3.0 accessible and easy to understand, I can [also] apply the information immediately, in a practical way. It makes sense that software teams are complex adaptive systems, and a relief to learn how to apply these ideas to help our teams do the best work possible. This book will help you whether you’re a manager or a member of a software team”.
–Lisa Crispin, Agile Tester, ePlan Services, Inc., author of Agile Testing
“ This book is an important read for managers who want to move beyond ‘managing by hope’ and understand the underpinning of trust, motivation, and the complexity that exists in nearly every team out there.”
–Cory Foy, Senior Consultant, Net Objectives
“ This book is a very accessible compendium of team management practices based on scientific research. It’s not only the tremendous value in each page of this book, but also Jurgen’s typical sense of humor that turns this book into a pleasant read.”
–Ruud Cox, Test Manager, Improve Quality Services
“ The very heart of software development is to get people to recognize they are in a complex system that should be managed accordingly. Management 3.0 addresses both the recognition and the concomitant transformative aspects. By so doing, Jurgen Appelo provides a bridge between theory and practice that has so far been considered too far away.”
– IsraelGat, Founder, The Agile Executive, author of The Concise Executive Guide to Agile
“ If you really want to know about Agile management, read Jurgen’s book. He explains why looking for results is key to involving the team and for a great outcome. As Jurgen says, management is not simple and this book explains why. With humor and pragmatism, Jurgen shows you how you can think about management.”
– Johanna Rothman, Consultant, Rothman Consulting Group, Inc., author of Manage It!
“ In this book, Jurgen does a great job of explaining the science behind complexity and how Agile management methods have arisen from the need to manage in complex, dynamic, and unpredictable circumstances. If you’re leading Agile development teams and interested in developing your management skills, this book is a must-read.”
–Kelly Waters, Blogger, Agile Development Made Easy!
“ I firmly believe that Management 3.0 will become the ‘Bible’ of Agile management books in the decade ahead.”
– Ed Yourdon, IT Management/Software Consultant, Nodruoy, Inc., author of Death March
“ This book is not written for those who want a quick fix. This book is written for serious students who have a passion and love for management. This book is written for management craftsmen.”
–Robert C. Martin, Owner, ObjectMentor, Inc., author of Clean Code
“ Every 21st century Agile (or non-Agile) manager needs to read Jurgen Appelo’s Management 3.0. With an engaging and accessible style, Appelo outlines current theories from complexity science, management, leadership, and social systems [and] then pulls them all together with practical examples. Then he throws in reflective questions to assist managers in applying it all to their current situations. Whenever I work with a manager, executive, or leadership team, I’ll recommend this book.”
– Diana Larsen, Consultant, FutureWorks Consulting LLC, co-author of Agile Retrospectives
“ Jurgen takes his readers on a wide-ranging romp through system theory, complexity theory, management theory–and distills it for practical application. His book will help managers think about their work differently and expand their options for effective action in the workplace.”
– Esther Derby, Consultant, Esther Derby Associates, Inc., co-author of Behind Closed Doors: Secrets of Great Management
“ Jurgen managed to write a book that links the tons of books he has read. Although there were a few moment I did not agree with him, I loved the way this book challenged my thinking. This is the perfect book if you want to know how to create your own answers in this complex world.”
–Yves Hanoulle, Agile Coach, PairCoaching.net
“ Management 3.0 brings together the best thinking in the fields of complex adaptive systems, Agile management, and Lean product delivery to suggest a pragmatic framework for effective management in the 21st century. To be successful in the face of rapidly changing market conditions, we must create organizations that enable our people to adapt, with a minimal amount of oversight and direction. Management 3.0 gives us a roadmap for leading teams in the face of profound uncertainty. Jurgen has made a significant contribution to the field of Agile management and leadership.”
–Mike Cottmeyer, Agile Coach, LeadingAgile
“ Too many Agile practitioners ignore the realities of the real world. But in the real world Agile projects must be managed, directed, and moved forward. This benefits both the company and the team, and Jurgen has done a great job of bringing those practices into focus in a real and practical way. If you’re involved with Agile software in a shop of any size, or if you’re a manager (or executive) who’s seen the benefits of Agile and want to bring them into your shop, you owe it to yourself to read this book.”
–Jared Richardson, Agile Coach, Logos Technologies, co-author of Ship It!
“ I had felt quite well-equipped to manage teams adopting an Agile software development approach, having read works like Managing Transitions, Leading Change, and Behind Closed Doors, until I began to read Management 3.0. Appelo’s compendium works at a variety of levels: It helps novice managers with a diverse collection of easy-to-apply models, it helps experienced managers see what they need to unlearn, and I assume it will help even expert managers adapt to contemporary styles of leadership and governance. Management 3.0 has opened my eyes to the vast world of modern-day management whose surface I see I have only scratched so far, and I look forward to Appelo’s work guiding me along as I learn.”
–J.B. Rainsberger, Consultant, Coach, Mentor, jbrains.ca, author of JUnit Recipes
“ Software projects are complex living systems; knowledge loss happens as soon as you manage them. Make your life easier, minimize the loss: Read this book!”
–Jacopo Romei, Agile Coach, co-author of Pro PHP Refactoring
“ For people who ‘get’ the message, this book may prove to be as valuable as Darwin’s book On the Origin of Species.”
–Florian Hoornaar, Entrepreneur, Octavalent
Product Description
In many organizations, management is the biggest obstacle to successful Agile development. Unfortunately, reliable guidance on Agile management has been scarce indeed. Now, leading Agile manager Jurgen Appelo fills that gap, introducing a realistic approach to leading, managing, and growing your Agile team or organization.
Writing for current managers and developers moving into management, Appelo shares insights that are grounded in modern complex systems theory, reflecting the intense complexity of modern software development. Appelo’s Management 3.0 model recognizes that today’s organizations are living, networked systems; and that management is primarily about people and relationships.
Management 3.0 doesn’t offer mere checklists or prescriptions to follow slavishly; rather, it deepens your understanding of how organizations and Agile teams work and gives you tools to solve your own problems. Drawing on his extensive experience as an Agile manager, the author identifies the most important practices of Agile management and helps you improve each of them.
Coverage includes
• Getting beyond “Management 1.0” control and “Management 2.0” fads
• Understanding how complexity affects your organization
• Keeping your people active, creative, innovative, and motivated
• Giving teams the care and authority they need to grow on their own
• Defining boundaries so teams can succeed in alignment with business goals
• Sowing the seeds for a culture of software craftsmanship
• Crafting an organizational network that promotes success
• Implementing continuous improvement that actually works
Thoroughly pragmatic–and never trendy–Jurgen Appelo’s Management 3.0 helps you bring greater agility to any software organization, team, or project.
