Tell me more ×
Answers OnStartups is a question and answer site for entrepreneurs looking to start or run a new business. It's 100% free, no registration required.
up vote 7 down vote favorite
4

I was wondering which books are the best to learn good project management techniques to successfully run a startup.

share|improve this question

closed as not constructive by Zuly Gonzalez♦ Dec 17 '12 at 19:19

As it currently stands, this question is not a good fit for our Q&A format. We expect answers to be supported by facts, references, or specific expertise, but this question will likely solicit debate, arguments, polling, or extended discussion. If you feel that this question can be improved and possibly reopened, see the FAQ for guidance.

5 Answers

up vote 2 down vote

For software development there is a couple:

  • Managing Humans by Michael Lopp
  • Getting Real by 37 Signals
  • The Mythical Man Month by Fred P. Brooks

For hardware or other development, I have not really found a good one. The techniques in those three books can be applied to hardware but the interesting thing about hardware is that:

  1. It's hard to revise in the field
  2. There are certain features you cannot live without (e.g. like a power supply)
  3. Most hardware problems are usually fixed in software because hardware is expensive to spin.
share|improve this answer
up vote 2 down vote

I like Making Ideas Happen by Scott Belsky (not to be confused with Making Things Happen by Scott Berkum, mentioned here as well).

share|improve this answer
up vote 1 down vote

I think you need to learn from the Management guru also, Peter Drucker. Some of his recommended books are:

*The Effective Executive is a great one to start with

share|improve this answer
Peter Drucker = badass – Bertrood Jul 29 '11 at 2:20
up vote 0 down vote

I'm really enjoying "Making Things Happen" by Scott Berkun - he's a PM from Microsoft, though much of what he talks about applies to any type of project. He runs through the stages of projects, things to watch out for, how to handle different types of scenarios. He uses real examples, including some where he didn't come out shining.

(That's an affiliate link, by the way.)

share|improve this answer
A good book, but not quite the context of a startup. That book (I think) is more about getting things done in a larger organization. – TimJ♦ Nov 28 '10 at 4:13
Perhaps, but if you read through it, it actually has quite a few chapters that apply to any size project. – Elie Nov 28 '10 at 21:27
up vote 0 down vote

If you are talking about startup in the software field, there is a book called Growing Software. Its an easy read, gives you specifics of different pm methods, and dives into handling inter project politics and timelines.

Every project is different. Company cultures vary too.
Your best bet is to try a few different PM methods, and find what works for you. My companies still rely on daily, weekly, and monthly meetings and lots of excel task lists for each project.

share|improve this answer