Review By: Scott Brookhart
11/09/2007While the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) is ultimately the book a project manager should read, it is not as engaging and enjoyable to read as the Fundamentals of Project Management by Dr. James Lewis--nor is it as quick and easy to follow. Anyone who would like a good introduction to the fundamentals and is interested in getting acquainted with some of the terms would do well to read this book.

I am a Project Management Professional (PMP certified by the PMI) and enjoy reading what others think about project management as I typically come away with additional perspective and knowledge. Dr. Lewis’ book was no exception. Yet this should not be the only book that a project manager reads; it is simply too brief and does not provide a beginner project manager, who is not comfortable with project management material, enough information. I would have liked to see a glossary of terms for quick reference. Some parts of the book, like earned value, would likely require more reading from other sources to fully understand the topic.

The book starts out with an overview of project management and then works its way through the critical tools of projects, such as the schedule, work breakdown structure, and later into earned value analysis. I also liked the personal experience and tales from his seminars that were included in the book. This made for a more engaging reading experience. This book also clarifies the common conventions in project management.

This book is probably best suited for the novice project manager or someone interested in getting a quick understanding of the material without a lot of expense, both in time and money. I could easily see coworkers or others interested in project management purchasing this book to get a quick understanding. Finally, I liked that Dr. Lewis makes the point at the end that project management is for everyone and can be practiced at home by those who are creative and analytical.