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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
PMO in a Can Good title eh? I must admit I was intrigued when I first heard about Andrew's new book especially when the book is introduced by stating "Many books will speak about "establishing a PMO", as if an amorphous administrative function revolving around administration, process and tools will add value and automatically improve project performance. Too many organisatons failed with this approach because it didn't translate to tangible success criteria".
There is so much in this book that it's actually hard to describe, the nearest I got to it was a "treasure trove" of PMO information; case studies, Q&As, exercises, website links, diagrams, soft skills, lessons from the trenches and so on. In fact, when reading through this book it felt more like a mentoring exercise or relationship between the author and reader. Buck's style is very conversational so where he starts with a specific subject or area, for example, communication management, we're straight into a very readable and entertaining dialogue. Kicking off with the Temperament Indicators (are you a Guardian type like me?), then onto communication across timezones, the communication channels equation, sender/receiver models, communication myths, communication plans, good and bad meeting behaviours, RACI &RAM, Kickoff Meetings, emails (a brilliant section on the ins and out of good email communication, are you aware of the "4 D" approach) and so on. The amount of information, tips, thought provoking comment and opinion is actually quite breathtakingly packed into each chapter.
The book relies heavily on Andrew's own credentials as a lot of what he talks about and describes are taken directly from his own personal experiences. It's also quite a difficult book to dip in and out of at first because the chapters and information contained within them feels a little hiddledy piggledy. Once you've read it through there are definite pages which will be bookmarked to returned to (PMO metrics, the 12 step program for initiatives...)
So if it's not a "how to guide" to implementing PMOs, what exactly is it? I found it to be a book that not only gave me a greater insight into how programmes, projects and ultimately PMOs fit into organisations but why they are there in the first place, which ultimately effects how they operate. I believe professionals who work within these disciplines need to have this insight in order to ensure their "functions" deliver what is needed and to ultimately perform their roles to the best of their abilities.
All in all, I loved this book and I loved its different approach to the whole subject of PMO. It's a recommended read for anyone working in the area of PMO regardless of seniority or experience levels; I certainly learnt a lot, especially how general business management / practice impacts the PMO and how all PMOs need to understand business (not just programme and project management). There's a nice blend of the hard and soft skills side to PMOs and I think it meets its objectives of; challenge our thinking, challenge our goals, challenge our approach and challenge process vs strategy. As mentioned before; this book feels like a mentor-in-a-pocket and I for one find this an effective way to deliver messages / learning's / information which do indeed challenge the PMO professional. Coming back to the subtitle of the book "Pragmatic Management of Strategic Objectives", it certainly delivers on the pragmatic front.
There is so much in this book that it's actually hard to describe, the nearest I got to it was a "treasure trove" of PMO information; case studies, Q&As, exercises, website links, diagrams, soft skills, lessons from the trenches and so on. In fact, when reading through this book it felt more like a mentoring exercise or relationship between the author and reader. Buck's style is very conversational so where he starts with a specific subject or area, for example, communication management, we're straight into a very readable and entertaining dialogue. Kicking off with the Temperament Indicators (are you a Guardian type like me?), then onto communication across timezones, the communication channels equation, sender/receiver models, communication myths, communication plans, good and bad meeting behaviours, RACI &RAM, Kickoff Meetings, emails (a brilliant section on the ins and out of good email communication, are you aware of the "4 D" approach) and so on. The amount of information, tips, thought provoking comment and opinion is actually quite breathtakingly packed into each chapter.
The book relies heavily on Andrew's own credentials as a lot of what he talks about and describes are taken directly from his own personal experiences. It's also quite a difficult book to dip in and out of at first because the chapters and information contained within them feels a little hiddledy piggledy. Once you've read it through there are definite pages which will be bookmarked to returned to (PMO metrics, the 12 step program for initiatives...)
So if it's not a "how to guide" to implementing PMOs, what exactly is it? I found it to be a book that not only gave me a greater insight into how programmes, projects and ultimately PMOs fit into organisations but why they are there in the first place, which ultimately effects how they operate. I believe professionals who work within these disciplines need to have this insight in order to ensure their "functions" deliver what is needed and to ultimately perform their roles to the best of their abilities.
All in all, I loved this book and I loved its different approach to the whole subject of PMO. It's a recommended read for anyone working in the area of PMO regardless of seniority or experience levels; I certainly learnt a lot, especially how general business management / practice impacts the PMO and how all PMOs need to understand business (not just programme and project management). There's a nice blend of the hard and soft skills side to PMOs and I think it meets its objectives of; challenge our thinking, challenge our goals, challenge our approach and challenge process vs strategy. As mentioned before; this book feels like a mentor-in-a-pocket and I for one find this an effective way to deliver messages / learning's / information which do indeed challenge the PMO professional. Coming back to the subtitle of the book "Pragmatic Management of Strategic Objectives", it certainly delivers on the pragmatic front.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
1 review
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Treasure chest of information
24 Feb 2010
Format:Paperback
(Not) PMO-in-a-Can:: Pragmatic Management of Strategic Objectives (As told from the trenches) (Paperback)
~ PMP, D. Andrew Buck (Author)
This is a book I wish I had years ago. Trial by fire is very obviously a burning experience. I have been burned many times not always for a hole in my storehouse of knowledge, but also not knowing how to negotiate and manage expectations of the client in tough explosive situtions. It is obvious the author has authentically experienced these situations but lived to tell about them. I have revisited some of these situations many times coming up empty as to what went wrong or changes I needed to make. I wish I had this book at my side many years ago. Many sleepless nights and teeth gnashing could have been avoided.
~ PMP, D. Andrew Buck (Author)
This is a book I wish I had years ago. Trial by fire is very obviously a burning experience. I have been burned many times not always for a hole in my storehouse of knowledge, but also not knowing how to negotiate and manage expectations of the client in tough explosive situtions. It is obvious the author has authentically experienced these situations but lived to tell about them. I have revisited some of these situations many times coming up empty as to what went wrong or changes I needed to make. I wish I had this book at my side many years ago. Many sleepless nights and teeth gnashing could have been avoided.
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