The Handbook of Program Management: How to Facilitate Project Success with Optimal Program Management.

This book is an excellent read for anyone involved at any level of Program Management. The author, James T. Brown, provides a thorough high level view of program management in an easy to understand and follow format. He capitalized on his experiences at NASA and provides real world examples of how Program Management is done. If your work is somewhere in the trenches of program management, this book can provide valuable insight into the Program Manager’s thought process to better understand what is going on around you.

One my favorite chapters, which is often taken for granted, is stakeholder management. Mr. Brown describes why stakeholders are important, the different levels of power they may yield, and the different types of stakeholder personalities you may encounter. Another of my favorite sections is “Fix the Cause of the Problem.” Mr Brown’s advice: “Kill what is ugly while it’s young. Ugly is the enemy of clarity.”

If you are new to Program Management, Great Book! If you are a seasoned Program Manager and are looking for a refresher or something thought provoking, Great Book!!!

Reference

James T. Brown. McGraw-Hill; New York. 253 pages.