Best Practices for Managing Successful Projects

Awhile back I got a book in the mail with a polite request to review it. This happens about once a month. While I was curious about the title, Rainbows & Ratholes, I kept shuttling the book from bedside table to briefcase to the corner of my desk and back to my briefcase. As luck would have it, a 3-hour flight-delay coincided with the book being in my briefcase. I finished the book. Dan M. Kothari wrote the book as he says, "…to bridge the gap between theory and practice." It seems to be a common theme.

There is much to like in the book, starting with the introduction.

"Successful organizations embrace a projectized culture that is founded on the principles of customer focus, committed sponsorship, trusting relationships, outstanding teamwork, and continuous improvement."

Kothari offers good advice and distinctive perspectives throughout his book

I was struck that Kothari didn't speak about WBS, ROI, CPM, and risk management. But I didn't have to read far before that stood out in his writing. Kothari bounces back and forth from writing an introductory book explaining WBS, etc. to offering real insights on the five issues raised in his Introduction.

I really like the structure of the book. Chapters are short. Chapter titles are accompanied by illuminating subtitles. Each chapter starts with a quote and finishes with a Chapter Summary. Each summary concludes with Learning Lessons to Avoid the Ratholes and Best Practices for Catching the Pot of Gold. Readers will get comfortable with this style.

Kothari offers good advice and distinctive perspectives throughout his book. For instance, in Chapter 7 he writes,

"Preparation of the roadmap is a team effort…(The project manager) gets the team involved during planning."

In Chapter 8 he adds,

"The schedule is not the plan. The schedule is simply one component of the Project Implementation Plan…The plan is revised and fine-tuned as we gain more understanding of the project and its details."

These are the insights that make this book worth reading.

"The sole purpose of a project is to satisfy the client's business and organizational goals and needs."

Chapter 10: "Uncertainty — the only uncertainty" is a great title. His summary point, "When it comes to risk, the project manager thinks like a pessimist and acts like an optimist" falls short of being actionable. If only Kothari had offered some way to encourage project managers to embrace the uncertainty of their situation. I was disappointed.

Still, Rainbows & Ratholes offers a useful perspective for the discerning reader. Take your time with the book. It will payoff for you.

In finishing, Kothari claims, "The sole purpose of a project is to satisfy the client's business and organizational goals and needs." As my UK friends would say, "Full stop."

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