Intriguing Theory Scant On Application. This is one of those books you might read in a Computer Science degree program – probably more on the Master’s degree level rather than the Bachelor’s, as this is more designed for Tech/ Business Leadership than necessarily a traditional Bachelor’s program that is more geared towards students entering the workplace or pursuing further academic careers. *In theory*, the theory here presented sounds pretty solid. While using a manufacturing plant as the touchpoint even though the author later admits that physical manufacturing and software development actually have little in common even in the theoretical world Kersten has crafted here, the actual software development theories *sound* like they could work. But that is precisely the ultimate problem here – though not enough of a problem to warrant a star deduction. Namely, that in failing to provide even a singular concrete example – even from within a classroom or study! – of how this could potentially work in the “real” world, Kersten does himself and his readers a significant disservice.
This book was actually recommended to me by my Group Manager when speaking of my own future career goals as an existing roughly mid career Senior Developer, and again, from a more Tech Leadership level, the book really was quite fascinating. I just *really* wish there had been even a single instance of real world application of the theory at any level at all.
Recommended.
This review of Project To Product by Mik Kersten was originally written on December 29, 2023.