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Top project management books to Excel as a project manager

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Updated on:
August 5, 2024
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If you’re thinking about a project management career, there are great books to consider. ‘The Fast Forward MBA in Project Management’ and ‘A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide)’ are two of them. The cool thing is they offer a lot of information on project management theory and practice. 

In addition, the book ‘Project Management: Case Studies’ helps us understand complex projects. Notably another helpful book is ‘Project Risk Management: Essential Methods for Project Teams and Decision Makers’. It’s great for learning risk assessment. These books aid in the following things: 

  1. Understand project performance domains
  2. Change management
  3. Scheduling of projects

Introduction to project management books

Undoubtedly project Management books are important resources. They offer a deep look into project management theory, practice, etc. Generally, they’re good for preparing for the PMP exam. These books also cover:

  • Important project management tools and techniques
  • Assessment of risk
  • Change management
  • Project scheduling
  • How to handle project complexity

What’s interesting is these materials are very useful for understanding risk management in project management. They offer practical solutions and strategies. It’s beyond dispute that these help manage risks and changes effectively in different project scenarios.

Understanding the importance of project management books

It’s well known that books on project management are crucial. These books give practical tips on using project management tools and techniques effectively. Generally, they also expand our knowledge of important concepts like risk management, change management, and agile principles.

For those who want to become project managers and are preparing for their PMP exam, these books are very useful. It’s a matter of fact that they serve as study materials for the PMP exam and provide tips on project scheduling and conducting risk assessments. It’s just fascinating how these books improve theoretical understanding and practical application knowledge! 

Enhancing project management skills

To improve project management skills, one needs to understand project management theory and practice thoroughly. This should be combined with the effective use of project management tools. Usually, a strong understanding of project management processes, including risk assessment can help simplify complex projects into manageable tasks.

It’s obvious that it’s important to know about effective project performance domains. What’s interesting is this knowledge can be gained through PMP study materials. The good news is that studying for the PMP exam not only helps one prepare for the certification but also improves overall project management skills.

Staying updated with latest project management trends

It’s important for project managers to keep up with the latest trends in their field. This helps them stay competitive in the job market. Obviously, they need to constantly change and improve their project management methods, especially as projects become more complex. It’s worth noting that a good way to do this is by regularly studying PMP materials and practicing risk and change management in real-life situations.

Taking the PMP exam can prove a person’s ability to manage projects and lead teams. The good news is if you understand agile principles and project performance domains, you can become a skilled project management expert.

Top 10 project management books

The amazing thing is the following ten books provide a thorough understanding of project management theory, practice, and techniques. It’s crucial to be aware that they cover a range of topics including risk project complexity, agile principles, etc. Undoubtedly, these books are great study materials for those preparing for the PMP exam. 

  1. Project Risk Management: A Practical Implementation Approach
  2. Change Management: The People Side of Change
  3. Modern Project Management: Successfully Integrating Project Management Knowledge Areas and Processes
  4. Project Estimating and Cost Management
  5. Agile Project Management: Creating Innovative Products
  6. Schedule Risk Analysis: Simplified and Improved
  7. The Execution Premium: Linking Strategy to Operations for Competitive Advantage
  8. The Six Sigma Way: How GE, Motorola, and Other Top Companies are Honing Their Performance
  9. Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done
  10. The Lean Enterprise Memory Jogger: Create Value and Eliminate Waste Throughout Your Company

"A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge" by PMI

One thing to note is that the book “A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge”is useful for learning about project management along with studying for the PMP exam. It’s well known that it talks a lot about:

  • How do you manage projects? 
  • How to measure their success? 
  • How to handle risks?

Source

Notably, this book talks a lot about how complex projects can be. It gives practical advice on how to assess risks and manage changes, which are vital in project management. 

"Project Management: a systems approach to planning, scheduling, and controlling" by Harold Kerzner

It’s interesting to find out that the book “Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling” by Harold Kerzner is a detailed guide. It’s astonishing how it shows how to apply project management theory to real situations! It’s obvious that it’s a great resource for studying for the PMP exam, as it explains project management processes and techniques in detail.

Plus, this book focuses on several important areas. These include managing changes, assessing risks, etc. It also looks at how to measure project success. So, this makes it a great resource for those studying for the PMP exam and wanting to learn about agile principles.

"The Fast Forward MBA in Project Management" by Eric Verzuh

Eric Verzuh’s book, “The Fast Forward MBA in Project Management”, is a key resource for understanding project management. It’s one of the best PMP study materials. The beauty of the book is it provides useful information on strong project management tools and techniques.

Source

This resource offers several benefits. The great thing is it provides insights into how to manage complex projects while giving a deep understanding of project scheduling and performance areas.

"Making Things Happen: Mastering Project Management" by Scott Berkun

“Making Things Happen: Mastering Project Management” by Scott Berkun is a detailed guide to project management. The cool thing about this book is it offers valuable insights into project management processes and tools. 

It’s well known that this book discusses a wide range of topics. These include project scheduling, managing complex projects, etc. It’s crucial to realize that it’s a great PMP study material, especially for those studying for the PMP exam. 

"The Lazy Project Manager" by Peter Taylor

Peter Taylor’s book, “The Lazy Project Manager”, is a full guide to good project management. The good news is it combines theory and practice of project management. This shows how important it is to balance both to reach goals. It’s astounding how this book has many project management tools and methods! 

It’s no secret that the book also has useful PMP study materials. The author talks about the importance of agile principles in managing complex projects today. One thing is for sure: This book will surely help improve how projects perform.

"Project Management for Non-Project Managers" by Jack Ferraro

“Project Management for Non-Project Managers” by Jack Ferraro makes project management easy to understand for non-experts. This helpful book talks a lot about:

  • Project management processes: The great thing is it simplifies the complex steps in managing a project from start to finish.
  • Project performance domains: Notably, the book talks about the important areas for a project’s success. These include the scope, schedule, and cost.

"Brilliant Project Management" by Stephen Barker and Rob Cole

The book “Brilliant Project Management” is written by two people named- Stephen Barker and Rob Cole. Note that it focuses on how to use project management tools and techniques. There is no denying that these tools and techniques help manage complex projects and improve project performance.

This book includes important topics like risk management and agile principles. What’s obvious is these principles guide the dynamic processes of a project. The great thing is this book gives a clear understanding of change management and project scheduling. 

"Project Management Absolute Beginner’s Guide" by Greg Horine

Undoubtedly, The “Project Management Absolute Beginner’s Guide” by Greg Horine is a great resource. It’s perfect for anyone who wants to learn about project management. It’s crucial to be aware that the book provides detailed information on project management processes as well as techniques. It’s a valuable part of PMP study materials. 

One thing is for certain: The guide also explores agile principles aiding in dealing with project complexity. The guide explores different project performance domains that provide readers with the tools they need for effective risk assessment. 

"The Project Manager: Mastering the Art of Delivery" by Richard Newton

Richard Newton’s book, “The Project Manager: Mastering the Art of Delivery,” is a detailed guide. One should know that the book provides concise but deep PMP study materials for PMP exam preparation. It also introduces:

  • Risk management processes
  • Project scheduling techniques
  • Change management principles 

The book explains the following things-

  • Project performance domains
  • Project complexity
  • Risk assessment
  • Agile principles

The book explains this in a way that both beginners and experienced professionals can relate to! 

"Project Management Metrics, KPIs, and Dashboards" by Harold Kerzner

Harold Kerzner’s “Project Management Metrics, KPIs, and Dashboards” combines project management theory and practice. It gives readers useful project management tools and techniques. The book is very useful for understanding project complexity and can be excellent PMP study material. It covers topics like risk management, project scheduling, and agile principles in detail, improving understanding of risk assessment and change management.

How to choose the right project management book

One thing is for sure: Choosing the right project management book depends on several important factors. First, consider your specific needs and goals. If you’re preparing for the PMP exam, look for books that offer comprehensive PMP study materials. For more detailed insights, there is no doubt that books on project management practice are important.

The best books cover a range of topics including project scheduling along with project performance domains. In the end, the right book should improve your understanding and use of project management.

Identifying your project management needs

It’s critical to figure out what your project needs for it to be successful. This means understanding your project’s complexity, using project management tools. Usually, it also involves identifying the needed project performance areas.

The good news is that preparing for the PMP exam can help you understand different project management processes. 

Considering the author's expertise

It’s significant to point out that the author should have a lot of experience in project management. They should have known a lot about PMP study materials and project management processes. Plus, they use different project management tools to make sure risk management strategies are used throughout the project.

At the same time, the author should also understand agile principles well which will help them manage complex projects along with assessing risks while keeping change management in mind. It’s just astonishing how they balance project management theory and practice to help readers understand the basics! 

Checking the book's relevance to current trends

It’s worth noting that this book is in line with current project management trends. What’s staggering is it’s a great resource for those studying for the PMP exam. Furthermore, the book emphasizes the use of project management processes and tools, showing their importance in modern project management.

It’s crucial to know that the book recognizes the growing importance of agile principles and risk management. It also covers important topics like:

  • Change management
  • Project complexity

Inarguably these are all important parts of project performance today.

The book provides comprehensive PMP study materials too. It’s surprising how it lays a strong foundation in project management theory and techniques!

Conclusion: The role of project management books in career growth

It’s an undeniable truth that project management books are significant for career growth. One thing is for certain: they enhance understanding of project management processes along with providing insights into project management practices. 

The amazing thing about these books is they provide detailed information about project performance areas, and managing project complexity too. Notably, they also provide knowledge on risk assessment making them crucial for PMP exam preparation and professional advancement.

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