In the updated edition of this critically acclaimed and bestselling book, Microsoft project veteran Scott Berkun offers a collection of essays on field-tested philosophies and strategies for defining, leading, and managing projects. Each essay distills complex concepts and challenges into practical nuggets of useful advice, and the new edition now adds more value for leaders and managers of projects everywhere. Based on his nine years of experience as a program manager for Internet Explorer, and lead program manager for Windows and MSN, Berkun explains to technical and non-technical readers alike what it takes to get through a large software or web development project. Making Things Happen doesn't cite specific methods, but focuses on philosophy and strategy. Unlike other project management books, Berkun offers personal essays in a comfortable style and easy tone that emulate the relationship of a wise project manager who gives good, entertaining and passionate advice to those who ask. Topics in this new edition include:

• How to make things happen

• Making good decisions

• Specifications and requirements

• Ideas and what to do with them

• How not to annoy people

• Leadership and trust

• The truth about making dates

• What to do when things go wrong

Complete with a new forward from the author and a discussion guide for forming reading groups/teams, Making Things Happen offers in-depth exercises to help you apply lessons from the book to your job. It is inspiring, funny, honest, and compelling, and definitely the one book that you and your team need to have within arm's reach throughout the life of your project. Coming from the rare perspective of someone who fought difficult battles on Microsoft's biggest projects and taught project design and management for MSTE, Microsoft's internal best practices group, this is valuable advice indeed. It will serve you well with your current work, and on future projects to come.

Amazon.com® Reader Reviews (Ranked by Helpfulness)

Average Amazon.com® Rating:  Based on 23 Ratings

Great primer for software project management - 2009-11-02
Reviewer Rating:
This is one of the most valuable book about project management, I think, especially for primers and mediocre managers who don't have enough train or experience.
As this author have pointed implicitly and explicitly, the most important thing to do in the project management is not amusing with templates, procedures, or other bureaucratic toys, but focusing on the dynamics of its requirements, its designs, and its teams.

Therefore, this book is not much like other primer-books about project management.
This is more like ones about requirements, designs or psychologies.
So, I think this book suited not only for PM, but also programmers, designers, testers, and any other personel participating in a project.
And I think the new title ("Making things happen") meets much better than the old one ("The Art of project management").

Of course, Most of the staffs describing in this book are just about basic knowledges.
And to learn about these staffs more deeply, you must learn from books, Weignberg, Demarco, Humphrey, Beck, Joel, McCarthy... and so on, and I also recomend Goldratt, Wiegers, McConnell, Poppendieck, they doesn't referenced in this book, and also you must learn from LIVE projects of your own.

Schedule-management is not the only responsibility what PM is expected for, PM must get along with its Requirements and designs, Human-factor is the next headache, and Risk-management is coming second, ... and on, and on.
Welcome to the world of the REAL project management, the most complicated version of MINE-SWEEPER. :-)
Anyway, this book is a very good starting point.

This is THE book. - 2009-10-22
Reviewer Rating:
If you're gainfully employed in a corporation and have any responsibility for technology or projects, you need to read this. Berkun has literally written the book on how to get things done by focusing on what all the other talking heads have forgotten about: mastering execution fundamentals. Only when we've mastered the fundamentals can we truly pursue excellence and realize our own individual, team, and organizational potential.

I've probably read this book five times, and I've completely raided the bibliography. Berkun's concepts are universally applicable and easy to absorb. As a bonus, he's an entertaining writer.

If everyone in corporate America read this book and abdided by its guidelines, the cubefarms would be a better place. This guy is the real deal.

This is my #1 business bible. There isn't a close second.

Indispensable advice for managing projects and people - 2009-10-22
Reviewer Rating:
I've been meaning to contribute a review for a while, and was re-inspired when I recently referred to Scott's book. I don't have much to add to the numerous detailed reviews here, aside to say that this is the book we give each project manager at my firm on their first day.

I like the Making Things Happen (previously The Art of Project Management) because it goes beyond pure project management and reaches the heart of what's required to make things happen in a modern organization: the ability to understand and manage people. Scott understands that successful project management is not about managing projects at all - it's not about creating schedules and Gaant charts and budgets (though those things are important) - it's about understanding the people working on your project, their needs and motivations, clearly identifying where they need to go, and getting out of their way. Easier said than done, and Scott provides a good outline for how to do exactly that.

Strongly recommended.

Great book for any project manager, especially software - 2009-10-21
Reviewer Rating:
This is an outstanding book for anyone who works on a project in the business world. If you work on software products, you'll probably be able to relate better to the anecdotes, but I think just about any discipline can take away the lessons. If you're looking for a book on specific methodology (Agile, whatever) this is NOT it--this is a generalist take. Even though many of the examples come from Microsoft and traditional desktop product life cycle, if you read it with the right attitude, you should be able to apply the strategies to the process of your choice.

Insightful - 2009-10-16
Reviewer Rating:
Great work. Scott Berkun is a gifted communicator who coherently distills his experience and reflection on managing information system projects. A pleasure to read.

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