The Deadline: A Novel About Project Management
Author: Tom Demarco
List Price: $24.95
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ISBN: 0932633390
Publisher: Dorset House (July, 1997)
Sales Rank: 14,034
Average Customer Rating: 4.57 out of 5
Customer Reviews
Rating: 3 out of 5
Neither fowl nor fish
The good: The book is an enjoyable read, it raised some interesting ideas, and it really motivated me to do "what I know is right" even when opposed by management or others in the organization.The bad: The book is both a novel and a project management text book - and as such it fails somewhat as either. As a novel the plot (especially the romantic plot) is too shallow and linear. As a project management text book it was difficult to know: Is this solution something DeMarco has researched and found useful, or is it merely speculation on his part? Since it is a novel, there's no way to tell - there are no references to real-world cases or research.
Still - it WAS an enjoyable read, the main character was quite inspirational, some of the ideas quite fresh, and it was a welcome relief from heavier literature on the subject of project management.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Essential Reading
The story line is contrived and the characters one dimensional, but The Deadline is a must read for anyone involved in the software development process. If you have ever been involved in a project that has gone terribly wrong and want to take a fresh look at the possible reasons why, this book could be your guide. Demarco provides excellent insight into the circumstances that derail projects and offers concrete suggestions for improving the development process. The Deadline conveys its message in an entertaining and easily digested form.
Rating: 4 out of 5
the Goal for IT project management
This is perhaps the only management novel for IT. In the vein of "the Goal" by Goldratt, Tom DeMarco preaches the gospel of good project management. The ideas on staffing, conflict resolution and managing to deadlines are very helpful. The challenge is that the novel format could and should provide insight into the conflicts dealing with situations that are not ideal. In reality, we are left with great ideas, but a lost opportunity to highlight how to deal with the difficulties of making them happen. Similar Products
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