Table of Contents
Here are the best project management books for beginners. There are both problems and chances in the global business environment of today. For a business to get ahead in this very competitive market, it needs to be able to align projects with its business goals and finish them on time and on budget. Even though planning and communicating will always be important parts of project management, the field is always changing.
From a lean startup to a market-making enterprise, project managers should always have the right project management books on hand to do their jobs well and improve. Getting one or two books about project management and its many subfields is a good way to learn about the tools and methods used in the field.
We looked at hundreds of book reviews and talked to people on several discussion sites to find project management books that were helpful, well-known, and highly recommended.
Best Project Management Books
Making Things Happen
Specification
| Dimensions | 7 x 0.99 x 9.19 inches |
| Item Weight | 1.45 pounds |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | O’Reilly Media; Revised edition (April 29, 2008) |
| Paperback | 408 pages |
This book is especially helpful for software project managers. It is based on the author’s many years of experience as a project manager for Internet Explorer, Windows, and MSN. It doesn’t talk about specific ways to manage projects. Instead, it talks about the philosophy and strategy of good project management.
Some of the topics in this book are “How not to annoy people,” “How to make things happen,” “Making good decisions,” and “What to do when things go wrong.” It’s an interesting book that will help you with projects you’re working on now and in the future.
Epiphanized
Specification
| Dimensions | 6.13 x 0.94 x 9.25 inches |
| Item Weight | 1.3 pounds |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Productivity Press; 2nd edition (May 21, 2015) |
| Paperback | 414 pages |
This book gives a full picture of how project managers can use the Theory of Constraints (TOC) to improve the overall productivity of an organisation. It also gives you important information about how to use TOC, Lean, and Six Sigma methods to get even better results.
The book is split into two parts. Part One talks about the main ideas behind TOC, Lean, and Six Sigma methodologies. Part Two goes into more detail about each of these main ideas for people who want to learn more about them.
The ONE Thing
Specification
| Dimensions | 6.03 x 0.8 x 8.54 inches |
| Item Weight | 1.15 pounds |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Bard Press; 1st edition (April 1, 2013) |
| Hardcover | 240 pages |
The first book on our list about project management is at the top because it is a Teamwork favourite. The ONE Thing is a book about making your work life less cluttered. It shows you how to get more done, build momentum within a team to reach goals, and make your workplace less stressful.
The main idea of the book is simple: project managers and businesses should focus on one thing at a time instead of trying to do several things at once. With this way of thinking, project managers can focus on one task at a time, like scheduling, budgets, or missed deadlines, and get more done as a result.
What the Heck is EOS?
Specification
| Dimensions | 5.69 x 0.72 x 8.56 inches |
| Item Weight | 11.2 ounces |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | BenBella Books (September 5, 2017) |
| Hardcover | 280 pages |
What the heck is EOS? is another popular Teamwork question. is a practical guide for teams that are having trouble putting the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) into their businesses. This book is on the list because it uses everyday language to explain what EOS is and how it works.
The people on your design team, marketing team, and content team can all read this guide to learn about EOS tools and processes. There are quick summaries at the end of each chapter, which is helpful for people who like to skim. There are also progressive chapters that project managers will find useful for getting their teams motivated and interested.
Doing Agile Right
Specification
| Dimensions | 6 x 1 x 9.25 inches |
| Item Weight | 1.05 pounds |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Harvard Business Review Press; Illustrated edition (May 26, 2020) |
| Hardcover | 256 pages |
Doing Agile Right: Transformation Without Chaos is a book for companies and teams that want to switch to agile project management or keep what they’ve already started going. The authors talk about how Agile, when fully understood and used correctly, can give teams more power, make jobs more rewarding, and speed up innovation.
The book also busts the myths that Agile can instantly change an organisation or can be used for any kind of work. Thought leaders Darrell Rigby, Sarah Elk, and Steve Berez say that finding the right balance is the key to putting Agile into practise the right way. It has 256 pages that are split into eight chapters that talk about things like how Agile really works, planning, budgeting, and reviewing in Agile, and Agile processes and technology.
Project Management Lite
Specification
| Dimensions | 6 x 0.3 x 9 inches |
| Item Weight | 6.9 ounces |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; 10/22/12 edition (November 21, 2012) |
| Paperback | 138 pages |
Project Management Lite: Just Enough to Get the Job Done, Nothing More is a great book for non-project managers who are working on a project or interacting with a project team. It is a step-by-step guide to project management written in plain English that shows readers how to easily adapt to the project environment.
Now, professionals who are put in charge of a project out of the blue will have an easy-to-use guide with simple worksheets and checklists. Juana Clark Craig, who has a PMP, has been in charge of projects for more than 25 years. Her book came out in 2012 and has 138 pages that are split into six parts. It starts with an explanation of what Project Management Lite is, how to get started, and the different steps you need to take to finish the work.
FAQs
What are the 4 types of project management?
A 2017 report from the Harvard Business Review describes four different types of project managers: the executor, the prophet, the expert, and the gambler. Knowing how you or other project managers work can help you figure out what style of project management will work best in a given situation.
What are the 5 pillars of project management?
This is what good leaders do with big projects. They use and keep track of the 5 pillars of project management: the plan, the people, the process, the polish-off, and the post-completion.
Is project manager difficult?
Project management is one of the most difficult jobs because no day is the same and you’ll need all your project management skills to solve every problem. Also, your team will come to you first when something goes wrong. They might think you know the answers to any question they ask.
Who is a great project manager?
Good project managers know their market and the industry in which their projects are based. They look at the competition and think about other options. A good project manager stays up to date on the latest trends in the industry of their project and shows that they know and understand their industry well.