Top 8 Books: Guide to Become a perfect Project Manager

“Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers.” - Harry Truman

 

Learning is a lifelong process. No matter how much knowledgeable and experienced you are, there is always a scope of improvement and learn more. There are multiple sources available to gain knowledge, but books are still one of the significant sources. The books will only be helpful when they are written by authentic organizations or writers who have good credibility in the industry. I am going to share 8 books which I read to enhance my project management skills and still refer to whenever required. Few books are not directly related to the Project Management subject, but knowledge of these areas will help you to perform better. These books are mostly related to methodologies, process and best practices:

           

1. A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide)

 

The Project Management Body of Knowledge has a set of standard terminologies and guidelines for project management. Knowledge of PMBOK is not only necessary in the practical scenario but is also required to pass the PMP exam. The entire book is divided into five project management process groups and ten knowledge areas. There are 49 processes in this book. Every process has some inputs, outputs, tools and techniques. The 6th version of this book was released in 2017. This book is published by the Project Management Institute.  

 

2. A Project Manager′s Book of Forms: A Companion to the PMBOK Guide

 

A compendium of ready-made forms for managing every project in line with the latest PMBOK® Guide. You don’t need to design your Project Document from scratch. Just use these templates and edit them according to your requirements. This is a good repository if you want proper documentation of your project. This book is beneficial for new and experienced project managers as a significant resource for complete documentation. Instead of wasting time in interpreting and translating the PMBOK® Guide to the real-world application, allow PMI to do the work for you. A Project Manager's Book of Forms provides the quick and easy implementation of PMBOK concepts and practices. This book is published by Wiley in association with the Project Management Institute.  

 

3. The Scrum Guide‎

 

Scrum is a framework for developing and sustaining complex products. This guide contains the definition of Scrum. This definition consists of Scrum’s roles, events, artefacts, and the rules that bind them together. Scrum Guide is written by Ken Schwaber and Jeff Sutherland, the originators of Scrum. The Scrum Guide is translated and freely available on the internet in over 30 languages. This guide is also essential for the CSM exam. 

 

4. SAFe® 4.5 Distilled: Applying the Scaled Agile Framework® for Lean Software and Systems

 

This book is written by Richard Knaster and Dean Leffingwell. SAFe is widely recognized as one of the world's foremost authorities on Lean-Agile best practices. It is a must-have reference guide for SAFe Professionals. This book is ideal for anyone serious about learning and implementing the world's leading framework for enterprise agility. This book provides comprehensive guidance for Enterprise Portfolio, Large Solution, Program, and Team levels. This also includes the various roles, activities, and artefacts that constitute the SAFe Framework.

 

5. Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 2017

 

Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 (Projects in a Controlled Environment) provides clear step-by-step guidance for the effective practice of project management and measurable business benefits. The entire PRINCE2 is divided into 6 aspects, 7 Processes, 7 Themes and 7 Principals. This book is important for PRINCE2 Foundation and Practitioner exams as well as for Project Managers to sharpen their skills. This book is produced by the Office of Government Commerce, UK 

 

 

6. A Guide to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge® (BABOK® Guide)

 

BABOK Guide is published by the International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA). BABOK Guide has been recognized around the world as a key tool for the practice of business analysis. It has become a widely accepted standard for the profession, with over 200,000 copies downloaded from the IIBA website and will become an indispensable reference for business analysis professionals. BABOK Guide organizes business analysis tasks within 6 knowledge areas. This book is not directly related to Project Management but focused on Business Analysis. Scope management is an integral part of Project Management and this book teaches you proper Requirement Management and Scope management which ultimately helps in Project management.

 

7. The Standard for Program Management 

 

According to PMI, the definition of Program Management is “A group of related projects managed in a coordinated way to obtain benefits and control not available from managing them individually”. Project manager gradually becomes Program Manager after gaining the expertise. The Standard for Program Management provides clear, complete and relevant information often recognized as good practices for most programs. It’s an invaluable tool for anyone who works in programs and portfolios. This book is published by the Project Management Institute.

 

8. ITIL Foundation (ITIL 4 Edition)

 

ITIL stands for IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL). ITIL is the most widely recognized framework for IT service management in the world, used by thousands of organizations. ITIL provides best-practice guidance across the entire IT service management lifecycle. There are five stages in the ITIL Service Lifecycle. These are ITIL Service Strategy, ITIL Service Design, ITIL Service Transition, ITIL Service Operation and ITIL Continual Service Improvement. ITIL 4 is the latest version. ITIL has been owned by AXELOS, a joint venture between Capita and the UK Cabinet Office. This book is more aligned to IT Service management. 

 

To sum up, the above-mentioned book are gems of knowledge. It will help you to clear your doubts and make your Project Management fundamentals strong. These books are written by veterans of the community. Always keep these books by your side as reference material. You will also find lots of supplement materials and interpretations of these books but it’s always better to gain knowledge from the origin.