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stag1e's review
5.0
I have recognized quite a lot of sicknesses of the current place where I work at in this book. I'm not sure what the other reviewers are talking about but the sections about open offices really don't take a lot of space in the book.
beeeeg's review
2.0
A well thought of book, but it didn't really resonate with me, unsure if it's because it's a bit dated, a bit American, or if I just haven't worked at big enough companies.
makragic's review
3.0
This book definitely contains useful information if you are a manager or hold a higher position in the company's hierarchy. It explains the things that could go wrong within organizations and some times how to fix them. You won't read here any magical solution, but it may open your eyes to some problems that are often overlooked.
While some of the chapters were exceptionally written and easy to read, some of them were not that interesting, could be much shorter, and still send the message authors wanted to send. Because of this, it was a tough read for me, I'm not saying in any way that the book is bad, I think every advice they give is valuable - it's just a book that you have to read for quite some time, little by little because otherwise, you will lose concentration soon.
While some of the chapters were exceptionally written and easy to read, some of them were not that interesting, could be much shorter, and still send the message authors wanted to send. Because of this, it was a tough read for me, I'm not saying in any way that the book is bad, I think every advice they give is valuable - it's just a book that you have to read for quite some time, little by little because otherwise, you will lose concentration soon.
erikars's review
4.0
Peopleware was interesting although perhaps not as mine blowing as its reputation. This was largely because it has had so much influence that I had heard many of the points before in other books that cited this one. That said, I am glad I read it; I may have to come back to it on that future day when I am a team lead or otherwise in a leadership position.
At times, the book seemed dated, but it still contained much that still rings true. (Also, my used copy was an older version, which may have contributed.)
The book is organized into five sections of related essays. Instead of discussing each essay in detail, I will discuss the high level themes pertaining to each section.
The first section is titled "Managing the human resource". The main point of this section is that employees are not modular resources. Section two is "The office environment". This section describes why offices can be the hardest place to get things done and how that can be changed. Part three, "The right people", discusses the importance of hiring the right people and gives some tips on how to get them. DeMarco and Lister believe that managers should get the right people, make sure they are happy enough to not leave, and then turn them loose.
In part four, "Growing productive teams", we learn that having the right people is not enough and sometimes some effort is necessary to make a group of good people into a functioning team. A good team, a jelled team, is more productive than the sum of the individual contributors. The final section of the book, "It's supposed to be fun to work here", provides a much needed reminder that work should be satisfying and fun and this is good for both the employees and the company. It is within the power of managers to encourage an environment that will be both fun and productive.
As I said in the beginning, this is overall an interesting book that does not, I think, have as much relevance to me now as it will in the future. That said, I am glad I read it, and I am looking forward to rereading it in the future.
At times, the book seemed dated, but it still contained much that still rings true. (Also, my used copy was an older version, which may have contributed.)
The book is organized into five sections of related essays. Instead of discussing each essay in detail, I will discuss the high level themes pertaining to each section.
The first section is titled "Managing the human resource". The main point of this section is that employees are not modular resources. Section two is "The office environment". This section describes why offices can be the hardest place to get things done and how that can be changed. Part three, "The right people", discusses the importance of hiring the right people and gives some tips on how to get them. DeMarco and Lister believe that managers should get the right people, make sure they are happy enough to not leave, and then turn them loose.
In part four, "Growing productive teams", we learn that having the right people is not enough and sometimes some effort is necessary to make a group of good people into a functioning team. A good team, a jelled team, is more productive than the sum of the individual contributors. The final section of the book, "It's supposed to be fun to work here", provides a much needed reminder that work should be satisfying and fun and this is good for both the employees and the company. It is within the power of managers to encourage an environment that will be both fun and productive.
As I said in the beginning, this is overall an interesting book that does not, I think, have as much relevance to me now as it will in the future. That said, I am glad I read it, and I am looking forward to rereading it in the future.
vladcalin's review
5.0
A very thorough and useful book, that really makes you look at things from a perspective you didn't really know existed. A lot of actionable advice for people that work in management in the software industry.