Ask HN: What books should I read as a software manager?

#1

Post by mmelih » Sun, Jun 28, 2015, 9:15 PM UTC

I am currently working as the head of an IT team consisting of developers, testers, product managers in a startup. I was one of the 2 developers in the same company a year ago and now our team has more than 10 people. So I have little experience as a manager and I want to improve myself.

Which books do you suggest?

Re: Ask HN: What books should I read as a software manager?

#2

Post by MichaelCrawford » Sun, Jun 28, 2015, 9:46 PM UTC

John Lakos, Large Scale C++ Software Design. Read it even if you dont do C++ as the most valuable parts apply to any language.

Anything by Watts Humphrey.

Elliot Aronson, The Social Animal

Eric Berne MD, Games People Play

Re: Ask HN: What books should I read as a software manager?

#3

Post by loumf » Sun, Jun 28, 2015, 9:49 PM UTC

Peopleware by DeMarco and Lister

Re: Ask HN: What books should I read as a software manager?

#4

Post by kylebennett » Sun, Jun 28, 2015, 9:52 PM UTC

Management 3.0 by Jurgen Appelo.

Re: Ask HN: What books should I read as a software manager?

#5

Post by frostmatthew » Sun, Jun 28, 2015, 10:03 PM UTC

The Mythical Man-Month by Frederick Brooks

Re: Ask HN: What books should I read as a software manager?

#6

Post by streblo » Sun, Jun 28, 2015, 10:28 PM UTC

High Output Management by Andy Grove

Re: Ask HN: What books should I read as a software manager?

#7

Post by jseliger » Sun, Jun 28, 2015, 10:38 PM UTC

This list is still excellent: http://www.joelonsoftware.com/articles/FogCreekMBACurriculum...

Re: Ask HN: What books should I read as a software manager?

#8

Post by robindoran » Sun, Jun 28, 2015, 10:39 PM UTC

Getting Things Done - David Allen.

I read it when I had a team your size.

Re: Ask HN: What books should I read as a software manager?

#9

Post by ahp » Sun, Jun 28, 2015, 10:50 PM UTC

Eric Raymond, "The Cathedral and the Bazaar." On face, it's largely about FOSS development; but, more so, it's about how one ought to go about thinking of solutions to technical problems. A phenomenal read.

Re: Ask HN: What books should I read as a software manager?

#10

Post by GeoffreyP » Sun, Jun 28, 2015, 11:09 PM UTC

Also check out manager-tools.com. The basics podcasts are invaluable to keeping sanity as a manager.