To stay on top of their work, project managers need to constantly develop and learn about new trends and techniques in the industry.
There are many classes and in-person courses for you to do just that. However, finding useful project management books is also a simple and effective way for you to practice your thinking and career skills.
Books are a great way to help managers plan, design, and develop their work. Reading is also the ideal solution to help you quickly gain knowledge and implement the desired plans.
However, finding the best project management books isn’t easy. Well, this heavy work has been done by me to help you via this article. I will give you the top ten project management books written by famous project managers.
Every book I choose has positive feedback on forums, with engaging and factual content. So, scroll down to see detailed reviews right now!
1. Agile Project Management with Scrum
Specifications
- Publishing company: Microsoft Press
- Author: Ken Schwaber
- Number of pages: 288 pages
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Reasons to buy
- Actual content
- Reader-friendly
- Best overall quality
- Suitable for beginners
- Provide management principles
Review
I always have strict rules for choosing my books. With project management books, I prioritize accuracy, brevity, and reality.
Fortunately, Agile Project Management is one such book. Its content deals with Scrum rules and principles through practical and easy-to-understand examples.
I appreciate the wording in this book, which helps direct the reader to the center rather than rambling and lengthy, like many others I have read.
Yet, the content is not deep enough for experienced people for the overall review. It merely deals with straightforward content suitable for beginners.
It will also teach you how to scale and tackle complex projects using Scrum. Also, it helps you learn more about the CMM capability maturity model in software development. In short, it is the book worthy of your top investment.
2. Epiphanized
Specifications
- Publishing company: Productivity Press
- Author: Bruce Nelson and Bob Sproull
- Number of pages: 414 pages
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Reasons to buy
- For advanced level
- Easy to read
- Clear standard text
- Come with TLS synergy
- Concise and concise content
Review
This book, written by Bruce Nelson and Bob Sproull, provides a comprehensive look at how project managers bind the TOC to increase productivity.
It consists of separate sections that mainly cover the core concepts of the TOC methodology. Meanwhile, the second part is more specialized to explain the core concepts mentioned in the previous section.
I just started reading this book and am entirely convinced. Each content in the book is detailed into the problem to help readers understand and practice correctly to achieve the desired results.
3. The Lazy Project Manager
Specifications
- Publishing company: Infinite Ideas
- Author: Peter Taylor
- Number of pages: 152 pages
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Reasons to buy
- Easy to read
- Mixed with humor
- The best productivity workbook
- Concise project management strategy
- Superficial and deep content structure
Review
It is an excellent book on how to make our jobs easy and productive. It comes with a humorous tone that makes it easy to engage and learn.
To add value to the book, Peter has combined his advice with real-life experiences to understand how you can impact the projects you manage.
I appreciate the deep thinking in this book. Its content brings me explicit knowledge, which is not vague or vague like many other books.
The knowledge The Lazy Project Manager provides is quite gentle for those with intermediate or advanced levels to start learning. Beginners will need help translating words and understanding.
4. The Agile Mind-Set
Specifications
- Publishing company: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
- Author: Gil Broza
- Number of pages: 224 pages
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Reasons to buy
- The best use of Agile thinking
- Easy to read and understand
- For those with experience
- Interesting content
- Lots of in-depth knowledge
Review
As an Agile coach, I appreciate the content in this book after 2 months of reading. It gave me an in-depth understanding of Agile methodologies and tools and showed me how to make them work for your organization.
Accompanying you is content about the Agile platform. It helps you better visualize the ingredients and effects that work together for those values.
Throughout the book are practical examples shared by Gil Broza. It struck me with its originality and depth. I am interested in what is presented inside because it makes me think flexibly and boldly in personal project management.
5. Advanced Multi-Project Management
Specifications
- Publishing company: J. Ross Publishing
- Author: PMP, Gerald I. Kendall, and Kathleen M. Austin
- Number of pages: 448 pages
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Reasons to buy
- Detailed content
- Reader-friendly
- High authenticity
- Many practical examples
- Multi-project management manual
Review
Multi-project management is a big challenge for today’s young professionals. Most of them are passive in this situation because of the lack of flexibility.
This book will provide you with an advanced management approach. From there, it helps your work achieve high efficiency and many new future advancements.
I am satisfied with what this book shows. It identifies common problems in the project environment and offers the right solution.
You’ll study how to control running projects and implement strategic buffers from this book. So, it allows for fast execution and recovery of lost projects.
6. Making Things Happen
Specifications
- Publishing company: O’Reilly Media
- Author: Scott Berkun
- Number of pages: 408 pages
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Reasons to buy
- Funny, smart, and helpful
- Deep content, straight to the point
- Easy to understand and easy to follow
- For managers in the software industry
- Provide different project management concepts
Review
This book is handy for project managers in the software industry. Its chapters have logic and high practicality based on the author’s experience as a project manager for Windows or MSN.
This one also addresses different issues but still ensures reciprocity. From there, it is easier for readers to learn and understand the problem.
I didn’t learn any more management knowledge until I read this book. It’s easier to understand and memorize than many books I’ve ever read.
Unlike other books, this book does not cite specific methods for project management. It focuses on sound project management philosophy and strategy.
7. Getting Things Done
Specifications
- Publishing company: Penguin Books
- Author: David Allen and James Fallows
- Number of pages: 352 pages
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Reasons to buy
- Many useful tips
- Explain each issue clearly
- High practicality and applicability
- Suitable for many different users
- Good book for the GTD method
Review
My favorite GTD method book is Getting Things Done, detailing a systematic approach to peak productivity. The author divides the book into sections with different themes.
Part 1 is a complete guide to workflow and planning, while part 2 deals with obstacles that hinder work productivity. Finally, focus on science-based approaches to mastering GTD.
I compared the books and content orientation. Getting Things Done results gave better results for sticking to the content well and authentic in each section.
I have directly applied the solutions mentioned by the author, which give impressive results and are ideal for work development.
8. A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge
Specifications
- Publishing company: Project Management Institute
- Author: Project Management Institute
- Number of pages: 250 pages
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Reasons to buy
- For beginners
- Highly up-to-date
- The correct content
- Great tool for project management
- Easy to read and helpful concept
Review
For beginners, finding the right project management book can be challenging.
I have always tried my best, and the result makes me happy. After more than 2 months, I’ve chosen A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge, a great book on the project management basics.
Throughout the book are concepts that explain the processes and how they are to manage any project effectively.
When I first read the book, I was surprised about how the content was arranged, and it was unique compared to the book models I had bought.
Specifically, it can combine essential knowledge transmission and career orientation to help readers gain more interest in their reading comprehension.
9. Project Management
Specifications
- Publishing company: Wiley
- Author: Harold Kerzner
- Number of pages: 1296 pages
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Reasons to buy
- Value of money
- Good for beginners
- Lots of useful information
- Easy to read and understand
- Great book for PM professionals
Review
Only some have the budget to pursue hundreds of dollars in project management courses. I strongly recommend the Project Management version to help you save money on project management-related knowledge. This book will teach you about systems approaches to planning, scheduling, and control.
Better than the previous versions, this book is updated and expanded with engaging content. It includes complete theory and practice so the reader can understand the problem more efficiently.
10. Project Management Lite
Specifications
- Publishing company: CreateSpace Independent publishing platform
- Author: Juana Clark Craig
- Number of pages: 138 pages
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Reasons to buy
- Easy-to-understand language
- Do not use specialized jargon
- Provide an overview of project management
- Practical application for project managers
Review
Project Management Lite comes with simple language without jargon. It allows the reader to understand more easily. In each topic, the author focuses on the core with a professional voice that anyone can understand when reading.
I quickly absorb and successfully deploy the knowledge I learned. The book also includes worksheets and checklists. It helps you make project management convenient and achieve desired results.
Buying Guides
Publication Date
You should select the books with the publication date closest to the current time. It catches up with modern management trends to help you handle your projects easily with higher results.
Up-to-date Books
Up-to-date is an essential factor when buying a project management book.
Pay attention to its content’s quality, and ensure it’s the most up-to-date version. That way, the content is fresh and relevant to your work.
Advanced Skills
Stay caught up in books with the necessary content for your work. Most importantly, you need to focus on your skills. If you need more experience, find books that provide basic project management principles.
In case you are skilled, keep an eye out for books with compelling and highly specialized content.
FAQs
What is the most crucial project management?
Knowledge acquisition and communication skills are the most important in project management. It is the premise for developing other professional skills.
What are the 4 leading roles of a project manager?
The primary roles of a project manager are:
- Planning
- Enforce
- Control
- Finish.
What is the primary purpose of project management?
The primary project management purpose is to plan and manage a project to accomplish its goals. It has much to do with identification, risk management, resource management, and other aspects.
Which project phase is the most important?
The planning phase is the most important in project management. It determines the success of the management process you are following.
How can a project manager improve?
To manage projects well, we need the following:
- Participate and complete short or long-term training courses.
- Research project management methods for your organization.
- Subscribe to content from a variety of experts in the field.
Conclusion
These in-depth reviews of these ten books will help you to have more information to make your suitable buying decision.
For me, Agile Project Management with Scrum and the Epiphanized are the best books to learn. Thank you for taking the time to read the post!