Engineering presents unique challenges to managers. Not only are engineering managers usually picked from those who work primarily with objects, but they also receive little training in the discipline. Having little training reinforces a dynamic where little training material is also available to the next generation. To fill this void, Will Larson provides a succinct introduction to the field. His perspective aims to inform from a systems perspective – that is, by observing how managerial actions impact systems of technology.
I’m personally trying to teach myself engineering management techniques to better relate to the software domain at my work. I don’t have much to say in terms of critique because I feel I lack enough experience to judge this book. Generally, I found the reasoning solid though a bit too concise. I hadn’t encountered all of the problems mentioned, so I didn’t grasp the relevance of all the material. In the audiobook, the numbers in the section headers were read aloud, and I found this a bit distracting. Still, my overall experience was positive.
The topic of engineering management is only moderately understood. No standard primer exists for this discipline, and engineering fields change continually. Based on experiences at software startups, Larson provides several books to explain how to do the job better. Executives, managers, and even engineers themselves can benefit from understanding this field’s problems better.
An Elegant Puzzle: Systems of Engineering Management
By Will Larson
Narrated by Tiffany Morgan
Copyright (c) 2019
Stripe Press
ASIN B07SH1DXXM
Length: 6:36
Genre: Engineering, Management
www.amazon.com