Peopleware: Productive Projects and Teams
Peopleware: Productive Projects and Teams book cover

Peopleware: Productive Projects and Teams

3rd Edition

Price
$21.77
Format
Paperback
Pages
272
Publisher
Addison-Wesley Professional
Publication Date
ISBN-13
978-0321934116
Dimensions
6.05 x 0.85 x 9.1 inches
Weight
12 ounces

Description

About the Author Tom DeMarco and Timothy Lister are principals of the Atlantic Systems Guild (www.systemsguild.com), a consulting firm specializing in the complex processes of system building, with particular emphasis on the human dimension. Together, they have lectured, written, and consulted internationally since 1979 on management, estimating, productivity, and corporate culture. Tom DeMarco is the author or coauthor of nine books on subjects ranging from development methods to organizational function and dysfunction, as well as two novels and a book of short stories. His consulting practice focuses primarily on expert witness work, balanced against the occasional project and team consulting assignment. Currently enjoying his third year teaching ethics at the University of Maine, he lives in nearby Camden. Timothy Lister divides his time among consulting, teaching, and writing. Based in Manhattan, Tim is coauthor, with Tom, of Waltzing With Bears: Managing Risk on Software Projects (Dorset House Publishing Co., Inc., 2003) , and of Adrenaline Junkies and Template Zombies: Understanding Patterns of Project Behavior (Dorset House Publishing Co., Inc., 2008) , written with four other principals of the Atlantic Systems Guild. He is a member of the IEEE, the ACM, and the Cutter IT Trends Council, and is a Cutter Fellow.

Features & Highlights

  • Few books in computing have had as profound an influence on software management as
  • Peopleware
  • . The unique insight of this longtime best seller is that the major issues of software development are human, not technical. They’re not easy issues; but solve them, and you’ll maximize your chances of success.
  • Peopleware
  • has long been one of my two favorite books on software engineering. Its underlying strength is its base of immense real experience, much of it quantified. Many, many varied projects have been reflected on and distilled; but what we are given is not just lifeless distillate, but vivid examples from which we share the authors’ inductions. Their premise is right: most software project problems are sociological, not technological. The insights on team jelling and work environment have changed my thinking and teaching. The third edition adds strength to strength.”
  • ― Frederick P. Brooks, Jr., Kenan Professor of Computer Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Author of The Mythical Man-Month and The Design of Design
  • Peopleware
  • is the one book that everyone who runs a software team needs to read and reread once a year. In the quarter century since the first edition appeared, it has become more important, not less, to think about the social and human issues in software develop¿ment. This is the only way we’re going to make more humane, productive workplaces. Buy it, read it, and keep a stock on hand in the office supply closet.”
  • ―Joel Spolsky, Co-founder, Stack Overflow
  • “When a book about a field as volatile as software design and use extends to a third edition, you can be sure that the authors write of deep principle, of the fundamental causes for what we readers experience, and not of the surface that everyone recognizes. And to bring people, actual human beings, into the mix! How excellent. How rare. The authors have made this third edition, with its additions, entirely terrific.”
  • ―Lee Devin and Rob Austin, Co-authors of The Soul of Design and Artful Making
  • For this third edition, the authors have added six new chapters and updated the text throughout, bringing it in line with today’s development environments and challenges. For example, the book now discusses pathologies of leadership that hadn’t previously been judged to be pathological; an evolving culture of meetings; hybrid teams made up of people from seemingly incompatible generations; and a growing awareness that some of our most common tools are more like anchors than propellers. Anyone who needs to manage a software project or software organization will find invaluable advice throughout the book.

Customer Reviews

Rating Breakdown

★★★★★
60%
(641)
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25%
(267)
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15%
(160)
★★
7%
(75)
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(-74)

Most Helpful Reviews

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Must-Read for All Software Developers, Managers and Directors

This is a must-read for every professional software engineer, even if you don't have aspirations to become an engineering manager. This book will help you understand the mindset of typical business bureaucrats and teach you how to present your ideas to these types of people so that you can get the tools (and time) you need to do your job right. If you do want to become an engineering manager, the book will also show you how to protect your developers from unnecessary distractions and how to retain developers who could get a high-paying job anywhere they like.

The world of software development is becoming increasingly more important as computer technology improves and we desperately need better software engineers. Don't let yourself become a 'hack,' sitting in meetings all day and never writing a single line of code; free yourself from distractions, achieve your programming 'flow' and make the software engineering world a better place by reading this book!
5 people found this helpful
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A Little Too Repetitive

This is one of the classic books recommended by many people. But if you've already been exposed to the idea that programmers are more productive having quiet working conditions, creative freedom, a comfortable work environment, interesting work, and a manager who gets out of the way and doesn't micro-manage then there's not much to get from this book. It just seemed like the same old message was being hammered on for the whole book. It got boring after awhile.
5 people found this helpful
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Amazing!!!

If every manager read this the world would be a better place. Sad that this book and type of advice has been around for a while but people continue on as usual. It could be the fact that organizations continue to promote the wrong type of people into management.

I can't help but hope that when the next generation comes of age and moves into management roles, they will follow some of this advice and change the workplace for the better. The old ways of the dictator manager are flawed! I promise if I am every in the position to manage I will try to apply these principles and manage people over technology!

WARNING this book will make you expect more out of your workplace. You will more than likely be more dissatisfied with your job after you read this!
2 people found this helpful
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I Readt the Book Yearly to Keep My Head Straight

Fantastic book for any project manager, personnel manager or someone who works on a project. Fun to read and not too long. Not dry.
1 people found this helpful
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Generally applicable to all knowledge worker managers

Though this book is considered a classic within software engineering management, over 95% of the content is applicable to anybody who manages knowledge workers. I learned a few new things from it. Nothing in it struck me as invalid. The content is consistent with my personal experiences over the past 10+ years as a software engineer. The authors did a great job of identifying, putting to words, and analyzing the nuances that make or break a workplace.
1 people found this helpful
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Concisely written with compelling insights useful to anyone managing technology teams

This book is a thought-provoking and well written guide for building a great software development culture. The authors deftly use both compelling anecdotes and robust data as the basis for their recommendations. Highly recommend.
1 people found this helpful
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Must read.

If you work in software, read this book. I buy a fresh copy to force on people at every new workplace.
1 people found this helpful
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This is my second purchase

I loved this book so much I gave one away as a gift and bought another one. It is full of great eye-opening information.
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Waste my time

As a non-English speaker, I find it pretty hard to read and understand. A lot of things mentioned used in this book could be explained in a much more easier way or at least on vocabulary-wise. But the author failed to do this.
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Timeless advice on how to run software projects and build healthy office environments

A classic book from the 80s (since slightly updated) with timeless advice on how to run software projects. Its main insight is that management is not about solving technical issues, but sociological problems. It's an illusion to think software development is high-tech; we're mostly applying existing knowledge and are otherwise spending most of our time communicating (via code, emails, or meetings). As a manager, don't make people work, but make it *possible* for people to work. Peopleware also describes many good practices related to hiring and ramp-up, preventing burn-out, healthy and distraction-minimised offices, team building ('spaghetti dinners'), and org-level changes.

Although the book is biased towards large corporates, most chapters were rather relatable as a previous startup founder.