Managing IT Projects: How to Pragmatically Deliver Projects for External Customers

Urgent deadlines, constant lack of time, permanent delays - these are the most faithful companions and, at the same time, the greatest enemies of the project manager. Even certified project managers, people with enormous knowledge and a lot of experience, find themselves in a situation where they need great mental resilience in order not to give up. The book is a complete manual for all critical situations a project manager might need to handle along the project’s lifecycle.

Written by a project manager with many years of experience, each chapter contains real-life examples with analysis and guidelines. You’ll benefit from the down-to-earth knowledge that usually project managers learn over the course of years in critical and stressful situations with no preparation beforehand. It’s not about academic methodologies – it’s about pragmatic solutions that work in real-life.

Far too often, the wise theory of IT project management has nothing to do with reality. Managing IT Projects is your special compendium of knowledge, featuring "project management black magic,” chock full of proven recipes for project managers and IT organization managers, as well as advice on how to act in critical situations.

What You'll Learn

• Examine the main reasons for delays in projects and see where they come from
• Review the key success factors in managing projects beyond project management methodologies and techniques
• Understand the critical moments of projects and see how to prepare for them
• Apply a pragmatic strategy and philosophy for successful project delivery and cooperation with customers

Who This Book Is For

Software developers, project managers, engineering managers and software development directors, sales reps, executive and founders

Endorsements: "An extremely powerful book which describes well the highlights of critical project management well supported by real-life experience. [&] A ready-made guide to succeed."

Antonietta Mastroianni

Chief Digital & IT Officer at Proximus, Telco Woman of the year 2022

"Straight to the point, well written and bold! [&] One of the best books on project management!"

Dr. Joerg Storm

Global Head IT Infrastructure Mercedes-Benz Mobility

"Absolutely recommended book for all professionals in the IT industry!"

Francis Cepero

IoT Business Unit Leader A1 Group, former VP Innovation & Technology at SAP

"Managing IT Projects" by Marcin Dąbrowski is a reference work [&] The best book I read this year."

Holger Weichhaus

Senior Director for Development Quality, AUDI AG

"This is a very practical and insightful book that I wish I could have read when I started working in project management. [&] I will definitely make it mandatory reading for all my project managers."

Ricardo Campos

CEO ITSCredit, former CEO at ActivoBank and Chief Digital Officer at Millennium Bank

"The book really draws you in to how to successfully manage an IT-project both on a very practical note and also how to influence both internal and external stakeholders."

Brian Stout

Former CEO of BT One Phone, board member of T-Mobile The Netherlands and CEO of KPN Belgium

"There are many books trying to explain to us how to design, sell and deliver transformative IT programs for demanding clients. “Managing IT projects” is more. [&] Outstanding value for practitioners."

Michael Brandenburg,

GM 2Quadrate GmbH, Lead Coach at IESE Business School, former VP at Capgemini

"It’s incredibly practical. It wins my trust."

Ewa Maciaś,

Director of Engineering at Nomagic, ex Director of Engineering at Google

"Are you looking for a book that explains the journey behind an IT project and how one deals with the challenges that come along the way? Look no further - Marcin captures this brilliantly in his book Managing IT Projects."

Gudny Helga Herbertsdottir

CCO of VIS Insurances

"Describing this book as the ultimate practical manual for effective IT project management, or as a fuss-free guide to dealing with the grievances of every project is falling short."

Fabio de Souza

Head of Solution Architecture at Amdocs

"As a starting project manager in the year 2000, I wish I would have had this insight in my hands. I would have avoided a lot of bizarre and difficult meetings from the beginning."

Jarno Kekäläinen

CEO at Telia Inmics-Nebula

"The book is full of hints and tips for how to succeed and avoid the many pitfalls that await the unwary."

Mike Corrigall

Former Vice President of T-Mobile International

"Take the time to read this book, it will save you from many pitfalls along the way!"

Patric Thate

CFO UBM Development AG

"The step-by-step approach to the lifecycle makes this an ideal support both to new project managers and for the more experienced."

Oliver Matthews

Vice-President & CMO, Frankfurt School of Finance & Management

"I wish I wrote this book myself!"

Rafał Gruszczyński

Site Manager / Project Manager at Spyrosoft

"I encourage you to read this book. It’s one of the best business books that I’ve had the pleasure to read."

Rafał Markiewicz,

Former CTO E-Plus Gruppe & KPN International, CTO BASE, CEO Nexus Telecom

About the Author

Marcin Dąbrowski managed and supervised large IT projects for banks and the biggest telecommunications groups in the world (including T-Mobile, Orange, Telefonica, O2, Vodafone, Hutchinson) in various parts of the world (Europe, South America, Middle East, Asia and the Far East). He cooperated with clients representing extreme national and organizational cultures. Marcin was responsible for all parts of the IT organizations (up to 1,400 people), from sales, consulting and marketing, through software development and production departments, to implementation and maintenance. He started his career as a software developer and later worked in practically all roles of the IT organizations, ending as a VP and board member of two publicly listed software providers.

In the years 2007-2010 he conducted research at the Department of Telecommunications at AGH University of Science and Technology. At that time, he published scientific articles, among others for ACM CCS DIM 2008, IEEE ICCS 2008, SECURWARE 2008, China Communications. He was also the author of contributions to ITU-T.

Marcin Dąbrowski is a graduate of IESE Business School and AGH University of Science and Technology. He holds MSc in Electronics & Telecommunication and MSc in Computer Science.