Introduction to Information Systems Project Management with CD-Rom Mandatory Package

Rating:
Summary: A good start...
Review: Olson's text lays down the fundamental bricks of a solid IT project manager. This book covers a wide variety of topics -- everything from financial analysis (cost/benefit, NPV, etc.) to the approaches of the systems development life cycle.

Although I'm sure Olson has received many deserved acclaims for his writings in this field, I think this text leaves a little to be desired. It is a very impersonal read, oftentimes forgetting that superb personnel skills are essential to the up-and-coming project manager. It is a very thick, dense text, and although it is not even 300 pages, you sometimes feel that you're sifting through a phonebook to find the scarce relevant information. At times, it can even be quite repetitive, which is a true feat for such a thin book.

I got the impression that Olson had very little experience in the area of IT project management, often referring to outside (3rd party) studies and hypothetical examples to back up his main ideas. The text could have used a good deal more real-world examples and insight from professionals in this line of work -- not just other professors who study it.

Overall, it isn't a great book, but you can do worse I suppose. If I weren't required to read this for a class, I would have definitely picked up a different IT project management book by an author in the actual industry. This is a good starting point for a book in this field, but I will definitely want to supplement it with a more encompassing book by an accredited author from the IT workplace.

Rating:
Summary: A good start...
Review: Olson's text lays down the fundamental bricks of a solid IT project manager. This book covers a wide variety of topics -- everything from financial analysis (cost/benefit, NPV, etc.) to the approaches of the systems development life cycle.

Although I'm sure Olson has received many deserved acclaims for his writings in this field, I think this text leaves a little to be desired. It is a very impersonal read, oftentimes forgetting that superb personnel skills are essential to the up-and-coming project manager. It is a very thick, dense text, and although it is not even 300 pages, you sometimes feel that you're sifting through a phonebook to find the scarce relevant information. At times, it can even be quite repetitive, which is a true feat for such a thin book.

I got the impression that Olson had very little experience in the area of IT project management, often referring to outside (3rd party) studies and hypothetical examples to back up his main ideas. The text could have used a good deal more real-world examples and insight from professionals in this line of work -- not just other professors who study it.

Overall, it isn't a great book, but you can do worse I suppose. If I weren't required to read this for a class, I would have definitely picked up a different IT project management book by an author in the actual industry. This is a good starting point for a book in this field, but I will definitely want to supplement it with a more encompassing book by an accredited author from the IT workplace.