Whenever a new book comes out, I personally find it fascinating to think about the following questions. Who is going to find this book interesting? Who will gain something significant from reading this book? Who should read it that might not make the connection just from the title or the summary? A book entitled Picasso on a Schedule: The Art and Science of Managing IT was recently released, and the immediate answer to each of those questions would be the majority of five million people working in the Information Technology profession in this country. While that is true, I would also add anyone who is currently in school thinking about this profession, which is a growing number and rightfully so. There will be over 100,000 new jobs created in the IT profession each year over the next ten years.
The possible group of readers that might miss the connection and relevance of this book is the business community that represents nearly every industry vertical in this country. This community will find value in seeing today’s importance between the power of information, managing it well and the ability to thrive – or maybe just survive – in today’s competitive business environment.
My insights are based on the fact that while I am not one of the authors of this book, I have lived the process side-by-side with both authors, my boss, Stephen K. Wiggins, and my counterpart and colleague, Dr. Ken Abernethy. The book captures the amazing story of what has evolved in one particular company, and aligns and relates all of the valuable pieces together in a way that becomes relevant for any and all IT professionals. The framework described in the book is about a business model that identifies why IT is such an important enabler to business success. Picasso on Schedule was chosen as the title because taking abstract thought in the minds of people about what is possible with technology and software must be taken through a process that eventually produces a result that is tangible, visible and reliable. Since most everyone is affected by IT in their lives today, especially those with business responsibilities, this book helps take some of the mystery out of the magic, to make for better understanding among the team members who solve the most important issues of the day.
Pick up a copy today from Amazon. Net proceeds of the sale of this book go to support IT-oLogy, a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing IT talent in this country. In fact, an entire chapter in the book describes the importance of skills and talent and how we can work together to ensure the future of this valuable aspect of our workforce.