(This post contains affiliate hyperlinks. Please read my full disclosure.
Sometimes I pick up a book on project management and I feel like I have to read it. Book reviews are part my job, but at least I’m going home to take a good nap at the end.
Project Management for Humans doesn’t work like that.
Love the sticky note-inspired cover of Project Management for Humans. He can take complex messages and package them in a way that takes the reader on a journey. He is the driving force behind much of the digital project-management community online and in person.
He has compiled his knowledge, ideas, and best practices into Project Management for Humans. It is a fun and practical book.
The writing style is wonderful. It flows well, it’s not stilted, and the book is full of information. It was easy to read and I still learned a lot.
I learned about story points. It was clear and helpful. I enjoyed the section on conflict resolution and having difficult conversations. It included a transcript of a conversation Brett had with me and how it ended.
Although there aren’t many exercises in the book, there are some. One is so compelling that it made me wonder whether the Gantt Museum exists.
You will also find templates and sample layouts, which will help you save time. You will also find case studies and stories of other project managers (including one I wrote, which I didn’t realize I had until I read the book). The Chapter 1 case study by Dave Prior is very funny, and sets the tone for all the rest of the book.
Each chapter ends with a summary of the key points.
It reminded me of Project Management for You, by Cesar Abeid. It’s not for people who want to read project management books or don’t think that they are the right audience for them. Instead, they want something quick and easy that covers the key points needed to run successful projects.
This book is like having a mentor conversation with your fun uncle. It’s easy-to-read, has lots of examples that help bring the concepts to life and is grounded in business practice that actually works.
Brett has done the hard work of analyzing how to make your projects succeed and distilled it into what is really needed to help you achieve your goals time after time. This book is highly recommended.
Random fact: I was impressed by the slides from the DPM conference last year and knew that I needed to improve my skills in front of a room full digital, web, and graphic designers. The DPM conference was the catalyst that allowed me to review my presentation slides and do better. Brett is to be commended for this!
Brett graciously sent me a proof copy his book to review before publication.
Book Review: Project Management for Humans
Brett Harned’s Project Management for Humans is a collection of his ideas, experience, and best practices that he has distilled into a fun and practical book.
URL: https://amzn.to/3qBdMwa
SPOTO Author
Editor’s Rating:5
