asplake: semi-accidentally stayed subscribed to Mike Cohn’s comment feed - I’m keeping it for good now http://bit.ly/JWPP8 #agile
Mike’s thought-provoking post Why there should not be a release backlog from early February is still attracting comments four months later, and it prompted me to go back to his Agile Estimating and Planning book and re-read chapter 17, Buffering Plans for Uncertainty.
Sometimes I hear people talk about projects deadlines and commitments as though they’re somehow alien to Agile. Back in the real world though, it’s reassuring to have on the bookshelf a book by an Agile luminary that rings true to experience and teaches (very readably) a practical approach to robust project planning. It’s really not all that hard to do, and you have my Release Calculator and Wiggle Room Calculator to help!
The word “control” doesn’t appear in the index of Mike’s book. That’s a statement of fact rather than a big criticism and an excuse to mention another great book, Making Things Happen (Mastering Project Management) by Scott Berkun. These two books together would be a good foundation for any project manager, with the small caveat that won’t go far enough for people who have to operate in very prescriptive environments (not my scene at all, let’s be honest!).
Any more book or blog recommendations out there for the agile project manager (books on project management specifically)? Do they ring true for you?
Tags: agile, Project Management
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