Rating: 
Summary: Go on!! I dare you!!
Review: ....The visualisation is inherent in the models, which I find extremely easy to see and remember, especially if you understand why each part of the model is relevant. Most project management approaches cannot even be memorised; they occupy many volumes and only exist as shelf ware. I can vouch personally for frequently visualising the models to help consider all of the factors necessary to start, run or rescue projects. The number of entries of the word �visualisation� is an irrelevant statistic to use when judging the quality of the content. How many times, for instance, does the word �concise� appear in The Concise Oxford Dictionary? Just once I think. I find the book is well organised and describes a practical approach to managing projects. I continually find it useful to visualise myself as a conductor of my orchestra while running a project, It helps me to consider all of my stakeholders in the daily running of a project and in the decisions that I may make. The analogy of a musical score and a plan is an excellent one. I have successfully cracked a number of dysfunctional teams using this explanation, and I can tell you, we have gone on to make some great music. Everyone knew what to do and when, and the effect of not doing it at the right time on their team members. Under the analogy, no one should be confused about his or her role. I find confusion over roles and responsibilities one of the key factors in a number of projects that I have been asked to rescue. It is invaluable to bring into the consciousness of teams that while each member is capable of a solo performance, it is our commitment to teamwork that will bring us all success. Every project manager and would-be project manager needs to read this book. I have found it invaluable, as have the many teams that I have run and have bought and used the book themselves.
Rating:
Summary: Go on!! I dare you!!
Review: ....The visualisation is inherent in the models, which I find extremely easy to see and remember, especially if you understand why each part of the model is relevant. Most project management approaches cannot even be memorised; they occupy many volumes and only exist as shelf ware. I can vouch personally for frequently visualising the models to help consider all of the factors necessary to start, run or rescue projects. The number of entries of the word 'visualisation' is an irrelevant statistic to use when judging the quality of the content. How many times, for instance, does the word 'concise' appear in The Concise Oxford Dictionary? Just once I think. I find the book is well organised and describes a practical approach to managing projects. I continually find it useful to visualise myself as a conductor of my orchestra while running a project, It helps me to consider all of my stakeholders in the daily running of a project and in the decisions that I may make. The analogy of a musical score and a plan is an excellent one. I have successfully cracked a number of dysfunctional teams using this explanation, and I can tell you, we have gone on to make some great music. Everyone knew what to do and when, and the effect of not doing it at the right time on their team members. Under the analogy, no one should be confused about his or her role. I find confusion over roles and responsibilities one of the key factors in a number of projects that I have been asked to rescue. It is invaluable to bring into the consciousness of teams that while each member is capable of a solo performance, it is our commitment to teamwork that will bring us all success. Every project manager and would-be project manager needs to read this book. I have found it invaluable, as have the many teams that I have run and have bought and used the book themselves.
Rating: 
Summary: The Best I've Ever Taken
Review: As a federal government employee, I had the luxury of experiencing a dedicated two-week project management course provided by the Center for Systems Management, presented directly by the authors Kevin Forsberg and Hal Mooz. Having attended untold training courses over my past 14 years in government (some worthwhile, others less so), I unreservedly submit to you that the two weeks spent at the hands of Forsberg and Mooz were easily the most beneficial two weeks of instruction I've ever experienced in my life, period. The two weeks were intense, involving many 10-12 hour days. During those two weeks, different systems of effective project management were examined in detail, and the merits & shortcomings of each system outlined; interesting case studies drove home in no small way the validity and necessity of proper project management to the success or failure of a project/mission. A large part of the second week focused on the concepts provided in this book. The principles outlined in Visualizing Project Management are presented in clear, easily-understood terms so that the readers can truly "visualize" project management. These principles and processes allow the manager to easily identify issues and concerns that inevitably arise within any project, large or small, and provide the knowledge and tools to not only identify problems, but effectively deal with them, sometimes even before they get a chance to derail your project. The entire project cycle that is outlined is excellent in keeping activity focused and on track, with periodic review/control gates allowing for the much needed management review and insight. Having perused many other books on the subject, some of which run into the thousands of pages (I assume necessarily), I've concluded that no clearer and succinct presentation exists of these concepts. As a manager of a somewhat large, distributed government IT infrastructure, I've found that I use the principles outlined in this book for even the smallest of day to day tasks. Since the concepts/principles are "scalable," they are easily applied to the myriad of projects that are always underway, and have helped identify and locate my division's place and role in all of them. I can't imagine having to work in my environment without the skills I've learned from the course and this book. You may even find yourself using this knowledge at home, like I did while hosting a particularly "cumbersome" Thanksgiving dinner, where "workflow" and organization was everything. If you find yourself experiencing difficulties in project management and need a clear path to the light at the end of the tunnel, read this book and prosper. And if you can arrange a course with the authors through Center for Systems Management, by all means avail yourself of the opportunity. You'll be glad you did.
Rating:
Summary: If you are a project manager . . .
Review: As I said about the first edition, if you are a project manager - you must read this book. As I have now told the authors, the day I read this book, my career took off. I have since used CSM in my role as Senior Director, Major IT Programmes at Cable and Wireless, and it has been both successful and a pleasure.
Rating:
Summary: You can really visualise
Review: Even I can not say that I have read a lot of project management books, I can claim that this book was the best one I have ever read to understand a topic which I have familarity with but not deep understanding. The power of this book resides on its ability to show everything in a structural manner and to leave its concept on your mind as a whole body, like its name.
Rating:
Summary: Visualization is the key...
Review: Highly recommended for anyone who wants to understand successful project management practices! I have worked on a variety of projects during my 20-year military career, but only recently have I studied project management from a holistic view. Although I admit this is only the third dedicated project management book I've read, I'm confident that I won't read another that will top it in terms of increasing my understanding of the subject. Leveraging the power of visualization, the authors have developed a highly intuitive model that succinctly depicts this complex, multi-faceted discipline. In the book, the authors "build" the model for the reader, explaining the relationships between the project management essentials (common vocabulary, teamwork, project cycle, and management elements) and then graphically tying the elements together. The book doesn't stress the deep-layer technical details of project management elements, but it doesn't need to. Its hallmark is its rich graphic depiction of project management relationships and interactions. The authors draw on their experience gained through years of industry and government project management work and use real cases of successful and some not-so-successful projects to illustrate their project management approach. Throughout the book, they offer tips, tools, and techniques to adapt project management practices to yield "better, faster, cheaper" results. The accompanying CD has several demos and visual exhibits that underscore key concepts presented in the book. I was particularly impressed with the video presentation of the spiral model "unrolled" onto Mooz' and Forsberg's "Vee" model. Experienced project managers might not learn anything new by comparing this book's project management model to more familiar models, but I wouldn't bet on it!
Rating:
Summary: A practical guide, full of insights
Review: I found this to be an excellent book, particularly for those of us trying to make sense out of the wide range of project management approaches. It is a valuable compliment to the Project Management Institute's PMBOK, which is functionally based and organized as categories of required knowledge. Visualizing Project Management is behavior based and provides a project manager and the project team a roadmap for success and a resource for solving problems. Since project management often encounters the intersection of one or more processes, three-dimensional models are used to clarify these often confusing relationships. Many of these relationships include the technical development or systems engineering aspects and they are plainly conveyed so that the non-technical person can benefit. The section on project control is refreshing. Most books represent project control as only a reactive process to bad news. These authors emphasize proactive project control, establishing the proper control systems, yet are appropriately reactive with corrective action when things go wrong. Overall, an enlightening approach to complexity and technical project management.
Rating:
Summary: Used in a trial by fire and it got me through
Review: I received this book as a gift from a colleague/mentor who insisted that I read it. Since I had never been a project manager I glanced through it and stuck it on a shelf where it collected dust. One fateful day I was tasked with producing a project plan and, in a panic, called my mentor who reminded me that the answers to my frantic questions were in the book. Although I was under pressure and in no mood to read a book I gave it a shot. This is where the value of Visualizing Project Management became apparent. I was able to follow the step-by-step procedures outlined in the book to produce a work breakdown structure (something I didn't know existed), determine dependencies and perform supportable estimations for time and resources. By the time I was ready to plug the tasks into Microsoft Project I had a clear idea of what needed to be done, and a realistic estimate of time and people required. In essence I was using this book as a guide for planning my first project. Each step of the way I was gaining self-confidence while methodically laying out a project that accounted for all necessary tasks and their deliverables, and could be supported from a traceability and cost-estimating relationship viewpoint. Along the way I learned how to control the project once it was initiated, which was something I had not considered when I was first tasked with planning it. Bear in mind I was simultaneously reading this book and planning my first project, so I am probably not a typical reader. Taking this into account what I liked most about this book is the step-by-step approach to project management. The approach is logical and highly visual (hence the title). Each step, from initial planning to scheduling to controlling the project was put into context and clearly explained. There are no long-winded explanations or theory, making this book a great tool for learning project management (in my case learning while doing). In addition to using a lot of illustrations to show how project management should be done this book also shows how to use visual tools to manage projects. One visual technique that I really thought was clever is the "cards on the wall" approach. This method allowed me to put the tasks from the work breakdown structure on cards, tacked to the wall, then examine dependencies by connecting them with yarn. In essence, I could play "what if" and optimize dependencies using some very low tech tools. However, this is a highly visual and highly effective way to sequence tasks. I also learned a powerful technique for controlling projects: earned value. This technique compares your project's planned cost and schedule baseline to actuals. It is a proactive way to manage projects because it is an early warning indicator of slippages and overruns. Before reading this book I was in awe of project managers. After reading this book I discovered that many project managers really depend on luck instead of methods to get through projects. I am appalled by the number of PMs who do not start with a work breakdown structure, or analyze and develop task dependencies before scheduling a project. I have also noticed that far too many do not use earned value to control their projects. It is no small wonder that IT projects historically overrun or fail. In that respect a book that I almost did not read not only got me through my first project plan, but showed me that there is a way to do projects right. It has certainly made an impression on me and has improved my professional skills. This is the book and I hope that practicing and aspiring project managers read. It certainly will improve the chances of your next project if you follow its straightforward steps and apply them.
Rating: 
Summary: Horrible - A Waste of Time and Paper!
Review: I recently started with new company and needed some reference materials on project management. This book was intriguing because I thought it would allow me to use a right-brained approach to understand the topic (ie visualization). Instead, I got dissertation from the school of MBA managerial double-speak. Nothing in this book is clearly written. You will spend hours trying to figure out what these clowns are trying to say. An example from page 119: "At each level, the DA&R process is driven by higher level requirements, constaints of approved baselines such as the utilities provided to the structure and the influences of users and stakeholders at the system level and at every level of decomposition to the level under construction." No, I am not making this up, this is what these authors pass off as writing. In my opinion, these two authors, and some of the reviewers that gave this book high marks, are in a profession that needs to build its reputation by making what they do seem complex and scientific. Absolute bunk!
Rating:
Summary: Horrible - A Waste of Time and Paper!
Review: I recently started with new company and needed some reference materials on project management. This book was intriguing because I thought it would allow me to use a right-brained approach to understand the topic (ie visualization). Instead, I got dissertation from the school of MBA managerial double-speak. Nothing in this book is clearly written. You will spend hours trying to figure out what these clowns are trying to say. An example from page 119: "At each level, the DA&R process is driven by higher level requirements, constaints of approved baselines such as the utilities provided to the structure and the influences of users and stakeholders at the system level and at every level of decomposition to the level under construction." No, I am not making this up, this is what these authors pass off as writing. In my opinion, these two authors, and some of the reviewers that gave this book high marks, are in a profession that needs to build its reputation by making what they do seem complex and scientific. Absolute bunk!
| 
