Peopleware is a must read for Managers who want to explore and learn about different managerial responsibilities and learn about what not to be done while executing those responsibilities. The content is presented with a touch of humour so you need not be surprised if you are found laughing while you are reading. The authors have penned in their experience and what the have seen and learnt about managing people over the years. The book deals identifying right metrics to enable efficient management of IT projects citing the major factor deciding the fate of IT Projects is the people involved in it and not much due to the technological factors.
If you are not a manager yet- you will find some of the chapters/sections of the book interesting and helps you to know how things work at a managerial level. But there are other chapters which make you feel bored like the section on arranging office furniture.
There are lot of one liners through out the book which are really catchy. Few of which I have noted in the first few chapters of the book are:
The main reason we tend to focus on the technical rather than the human side of the work is not because it’s more crucial, but because it’s easier to do.
People under time pressure don’t work better- they just work faster.
Quality is free, but only to those who are willing to pay heavily for it.
To conclude Peopleware is a MUST read for IT Project Managers and I will recommend this along with another great book: “The Mythical Man month“.
