Did you read Making Things Happen? Anniversary soon
Nearly 10 years ago, on May 2 2005, I published my first book, originally titled The Art of Project Management. Due to an issue with the title it went out of print, and was republished again in 2007, in an updated and heavily revised edition, with the title Making Things Happen. Its been a very popular book and it sent me around the world to talk about the ideas it offered. I’ve written more than 200 blog posts about related topics like management and design, often responding to reader questions and challenges.
With the ten year anniversary coming up, I’m talking with O’Reilly Media about doing something special to celebrate.
One idea is to do a weekly reading group, starting on the anniversary date, where I’d do a weekly Q&A about each chapter with whoever wants to read along. How have my thoughts changed? There’s only one way to find out.
If you read the book, what would you like to see? Leave a comment if you have ideas. Thanks.
Hi Scott,
I think read along with weekly QA sounds great. I can line up a handful questions already. Are you thinking of online only or maybe we can do Seattle area meet ups once in a while, too.
Nazan
Thanks Nazan. The book is popular at Microsoft and other local companies so something in person is totally possible. I’m trying to plan this early, unlike most of the planning I do :)
Read it, loved it, and then I found it on my bookshelf when I started my current job (left by a former team member). The book-club idea is solid.
Thanks Jason. Book club is easy to do – trying to plan ahead to see if there are bigger ideas.
10 years? Congratulations! I still have my original review copy of TAOPM on the shelf and dip into it – as a young 20-year old it made a big impression on me and helped me understand how to manage people and politics (something 10 years on I still am rubbish at!). And it was highly readable – a greatly underrated feature in technical books :)
I don’t have any suggestions for how to celebrate (except to pop a bottle of champagne), but I still miss the PMClinic mailing list and the high-quality Q&A on there.
Hi Peter. I miss pmclinic too. The archive still exists and every now and then I think about compiling it into some kind of ebook or PDF.
https://scottberkun.com/pmclinic/
A book club would be awesome! If you’re looking for other ideas, maybe a tour to do some public lectures?
I doubt I can generate enough interest about a book from so long ago to do a tour for it, but who knows, we’ll see.
Scott, please do organize the weekly reading group. It strikes me as an excellent idea. Google Hangouts is one option to do this by video.
I haven’t read the book, but it’s on my reading list. A weekly chapter Q&A would be just what I need to pop that to the top of my list and pick it up.
Thanks Kevin.
I’m pleased to say I have the original version, with the grey cover. Jeez, it’s been ten year, huh? It’s truly worth reading again, clear and informative. I have no questions, but I’d enjoy following along what others say.
Absolutely +1 on reading group. I would love to refresh on this book!
I really like the idea of a book club – and I second the Google Hangout suggestion!
Loved it then, Scott. Ten years in, it’s time to start a new conversation about project management. Four ideas:
– Invite people to leave 3-5 minute YouTube stories about their experiences with the ideas you shared in the book or that you blogged/mailed. Real world anecdotes for the validation. Share the best; stitch together for MTH the PBS documentary.
– Start a “Making Things Happen for America” NGO that brings project managers to cities and schools to effect change. Project Management for Good.
– Invite your publics to weigh in on what a MTH Volume 2 might cover. An MTH wiki? The last ten years brought to baseline project management: agile projects, mobility, working across corporate boundaries, working with decentralized teams, wrangling volunteers, leading across national and cultural lines, and a long list of ways project management scales up to megaprojects (program management) and down to personal time/task management.
– Start a series heralding your heroes of project management. Those who innovated the process. Those who tackled impossible challenges. Those who made a difference locally. Pre-college PMs.
Thanks again, Scott. Have fun!
Great ideas Phil. Thank you.
I’d love to be part of the reading group if I can make it!
Sign me up – I’ve read it and recommended it to someone just last week. It’s a shame PM Book Club isn’t still going – that would have been a good vehicle to tap into, similar concept to this with the readalong.
First of all Congratulations! By looking into article and comments am buying this book.