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 - An excellent primerI don't usually work as a project manager, but I've been in enough projects to recognize most of the pitfalls described in this book. The book provides a good, common sense approach to project management. Some of it may be overkill for smaller projects, and some of it may not quite cut it for really huge projects, but for anything inbetween it's a worthwhile resource. I enjoyed Meri's relaxed style of writing (although she uses more exclamation point than one usually expects from a fully sane person :)). The way she shares her personal experience makes her advice all the more credible. After reading the book, I felt like taking over a project I'm involved with at work, just to put it back on track again. Rating:  - Slim volume of helpfulnessdisclaimer: I was given a copy of this book to review by the author, Meri Williams, who I met at SXSW 2006. I really appreciated the checklists, examples, and warning notes; I've littered the book with post-it notes reminding me of things to do, or try, or at least ask questions about. For those managing actual teams, the advice on work styles and issue tracking seems quite useful. I will quibble with the stand-up meeting suggestion, though. Stand-up meetings are harder than they sound, and require the same kind of focused facilitation as any other meeting. One minor annoyance: at least two or three of the project phases are described as "most important" in the opening paragraphs of the related chapters. The writing also has a feel to it which I assume is either British or South African -- there isn't anything incomprehensible, but it does give an American a bit of a pause in places. The section in Closing on handling a "total disconnect" was brief but encouraging, and as someone who's experienced a few, gave me some thoughts about how to handle future situations. The appendices have plenty of useful resources, including recaps of some of the tools mentioned in the main text. Overall, I think it's a great introductory text, particularly for people who are moving from doing to managing, or who are working on larger projects by themselves. The tone is friendly, professional, and constantly encouraging, making for a slim volume of helpfulness.
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