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mykolas_p's review
4.0
An amazing book that translates Lean Startup methodologies for enterprise world. Another great book in O’Reilly's Lean series.
One by one authors debunk myths why large enterprises cannot operate as lean startups (from HR policies, to Opex/Capex decisions, to architectural integrity requirements, to compliance laws and so on) while providing the alternative approaches to drive performance and speed. The books covers both strategic and quite detailed operational topics for running Lean Enterprise.
The premise rest on building mission-inspired organisation focused on incremental improvement, with small empowered teams at the center of gravity (i.s.o departments or management teams). The books comes out strongly against 'big bang' transformation programs, offering a very enticing alternative of continuous improvement.
It is an extremely enticing, if somewhat idealistic, approach to speeding up large enterprises. But absolutely a must-read and one of the top management books I have ever read.
I took many great notes from this book, that I am sure will be highly applicable in future work settings.
One by one authors debunk myths why large enterprises cannot operate as lean startups (from HR policies, to Opex/Capex decisions, to architectural integrity requirements, to compliance laws and so on) while providing the alternative approaches to drive performance and speed. The books covers both strategic and quite detailed operational topics for running Lean Enterprise.
The premise rest on building mission-inspired organisation focused on incremental improvement, with small empowered teams at the center of gravity (i.s.o departments or management teams). The books comes out strongly against 'big bang' transformation programs, offering a very enticing alternative of continuous improvement.
It is an extremely enticing, if somewhat idealistic, approach to speeding up large enterprises. But absolutely a must-read and one of the top management books I have ever read.
I took many great notes from this book, that I am sure will be highly applicable in future work settings.
notthatcosta's review against another edition
informative
slow-paced
3.5
I read this book for work after swearing that I would never be the kind of person to read books on project management, but low and behold, I happened to really enjoy this.
Whereas many books about agile tend to opt for metaphors and generally very ~whimsical~ language, which I find unhelpful when trying to reflect on my own experiences on my current service, Lean Enterprise opts for grounded case studies for how lean principles can work in practice.
Working in the public sector, there are some areas that fall to interpretation, but overall I found the book extremely helpful in framing the challenges in my current project and the means through which I can move closer to my vision for my team's culture.
Whereas many books about agile tend to opt for metaphors and generally very ~whimsical~ language, which I find unhelpful when trying to reflect on my own experiences on my current service, Lean Enterprise opts for grounded case studies for how lean principles can work in practice.
Working in the public sector, there are some areas that fall to interpretation, but overall I found the book extremely helpful in framing the challenges in my current project and the means through which I can move closer to my vision for my team's culture.
microglyphics's review against another edition
5.0
Read this cover to cover for the second time. This is a very excellent book that provide insights and confirmation in to how to agile-y run at enterprise scale. Devil is in the details to be sure, but this is more meaningful to most of us able to benefit as much from Lean Startup-level strategies.
I should make this recommended reading for all of my clients, but then why'd they need to pay me? Oh yeah: because they'd need help putting these ideas into action in order to transform and not just operate at the margins.
I should make this recommended reading for all of my clients, but then why'd they need to pay me? Oh yeah: because they'd need help putting these ideas into action in order to transform and not just operate at the margins.
rigorjunky's review against another edition
5.0
DISCLAIMER: I'm friends with the authors and listed in the acknowledgments.
charleshb's review
5.0
This is an excellent book. It should be required reading for everyone working in a large enterprise at any level. Some of it is very specific to the executive level and finance people but it is well worth understanding those concerns even if you are a front line worker. Lean and Kaizen work! I might write more about it later.
wolvereader's review
5.0
DISCLAIMER: I'm friends with some of the authors.
This book was an absolutely exceptional summation of the latest in business organization and operations for the digital age. Incorporating much of the latest thinking on business agility, the authors use sources such as [a:Daniel H Pink|6891197|Daniel H Pink|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png], [a:Eric Ries|278960|Eric Ries|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1329162523p2/278960.jpg], [a:John Kotter|6442782|John Kotter|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png], and [a:Mike Rother|86312|Mike Rother|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] (amongst many others) to describe the attitudes, values, and culture necessary for your organization to adapt quickly in the modern business environment. The first two thirds of the book provides a number of tools that are mainly applicable to IT, while the last third talks about moving beyond IT to the broader business.
That, in fact, is probably the book's biggest weakness. It's written by IT professionals, for IT professionals, and while it should do a great job convincing the CTO, CDO, CMO, or other digital-focused executives what's necessary, it will have a harder time convincing the CFO, CAO, and COO what's in it for them, especially in a more traditional business whose core assets and products exist in the real world. The book is screaming out for a companion volume (maybe one already exists?) aimed at non-digital executives to convince them that such agility is necessary.
The bibliography for this book is extensive, and I feel like my reading list has grown substantially. That makes this sort of a survey-course rather than a detailed step-by-step guide, however the bibliography will help you find the detail you require, and the book's broad-picture strategy is well-chosen to show how these practices reinforce each other, and how simply adopting one will not prove the panacea that businesses often hope for.
I'd recommend this book to anyone in middle management or above at any organization that's starting to realize that the business practices that got them through the 90s and 00s are going to lead to continually diminishing returns. And for those of us in the consulting business, this is now required reading.
This book was an absolutely exceptional summation of the latest in business organization and operations for the digital age. Incorporating much of the latest thinking on business agility, the authors use sources such as [a:Daniel H Pink|6891197|Daniel H Pink|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png], [a:Eric Ries|278960|Eric Ries|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1329162523p2/278960.jpg], [a:John Kotter|6442782|John Kotter|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png], and [a:Mike Rother|86312|Mike Rother|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] (amongst many others) to describe the attitudes, values, and culture necessary for your organization to adapt quickly in the modern business environment. The first two thirds of the book provides a number of tools that are mainly applicable to IT, while the last third talks about moving beyond IT to the broader business.
That, in fact, is probably the book's biggest weakness. It's written by IT professionals, for IT professionals, and while it should do a great job convincing the CTO, CDO, CMO, or other digital-focused executives what's necessary, it will have a harder time convincing the CFO, CAO, and COO what's in it for them, especially in a more traditional business whose core assets and products exist in the real world. The book is screaming out for a companion volume (maybe one already exists?) aimed at non-digital executives to convince them that such agility is necessary.
The bibliography for this book is extensive, and I feel like my reading list has grown substantially. That makes this sort of a survey-course rather than a detailed step-by-step guide, however the bibliography will help you find the detail you require, and the book's broad-picture strategy is well-chosen to show how these practices reinforce each other, and how simply adopting one will not prove the panacea that businesses often hope for.
I'd recommend this book to anyone in middle management or above at any organization that's starting to realize that the business practices that got them through the 90s and 00s are going to lead to continually diminishing returns. And for those of us in the consulting business, this is now required reading.
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