The Phoenix Project

A Novel about IT, DevOps, and Helping Your Business Win 5th Anniversary Edition

By: Gene Kim, Kevin Behr, George Spafford

Narrated by: Chris Ruen

Length: 14 hrs and 46 mins

Publisher's summary

Five years after this sleeper hit took on the world of IT and flipped it on its head, the fifth anniversary edition of The Phoenix Project continues to guide IT in the DevOps revolution. In this newly updated and expanded edition of the best-selling The Phoenix Project, co-author Gene Kim includes a new afterword and a deeper delve into the Three Ways as described in The DevOps Handbook.

Bill, an IT manager at Parts Unlimited, has been tasked with taking on a project critical to the future of the business, code named Phoenix Project. But the project is massively over budget and behind schedule. The CEO demands Bill must fix the mess in 90 days, or else Bill’s entire department will be outsourced.

With the help of a prospective board member and his mysterious philosophy of the Three Ways, Bill starts to see that IT work has more in common with manufacturing plant work than he ever imagined. With the clock ticking, Bill must organize work flow, streamline interdepartmental communications, and effectively serve the other business functions at Parts Unlimited.

In a fast-paced and entertaining style, three luminaries of the DevOps movement deliver a story that anyone who works in IT will recognize. Listeners will not only learn how to improve their own IT organizations, they’ll never view IT the same.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2014 Gene Kim, Kevin Behr, and George Spafford (P)2015 Gene Kim, Kevin Behr, and George Spafford

Demystifying Devops

Quite accurately describes contemporary IT culture in a way that I'm sure a lot of IT organizations can relate too and a surprisingly entertaining listen.

The Book Version of "Penthouse Letters" but for IT

"Dear Penthouse, I never thought it would happen to me. The business leaders love me and have named their firstborns after me. etc"

The ending is just adorable in its "fairy tale"/"never gonna happen" scenario that they play out. I do not want to be a spoiler, so I will leave it at that with the tease that in my experience the typical CEO did not get to the place they are in a company through their impressive self-introspection skill-set. NTTAWWT

All kidding aside, this book is fantastic! It is a great way to introduce somebody to the concept of DevOps. What is DevOps, you ask? DevOps is a way that IT people can turn code and deliverables around faster.

This fictional account of a company trying to get ahead of its competition speaks directly to anyone in IT who has struggled to meet timelines and business needs. If you are an unappreciated IT manager - give this book a try.

Fantastic read for any IT leadership!

If you still use terms like "Software Development Life-Cycle" or "Waterfall Model", you'll be shocked to learn that you're decades behind the cutting edge practices being used by some of the most successful technology companies today. Read this now and have your own "Aha!" moment.

Every technologist should read this.

This book was gripping and held me all the way through the end. Anyone who is or who is considering becoming a software engineer or working for a company in their technology organization should listen to this book.

A merging of two fields Manufacturing and IT.

Would you listen to The Phoenix Project again? Why?

Yes, I would. It's an enthralling story filled nuggets of wisdom.

Any additional comments?

This is a great book that takes tested principles from manufacturing and applies them to IT. Any organization that can apply just one of the principles will be a leg up on the competition. I've been in the business for 20 years. Each development shop, I've worked in has been chaos. This book lays the foundation of how it can change. It's my hope that this book will be required reading for all business people.

Excellent very relatable to anyone in IT

The ideas presented should be useful to anyone who manages work even if it's not IT work.

love it

Amazing book I'm really well not narrated. Which to fine few more books like it.

interesting combination of novel and textbook

I’m not working in an IT department but I have been involved in a number of different IT projects. Particularly in the first third of the book I found myself laughing out loud repeatedly, simply because I’ve experienced the described situations first hand and when you are not involved, you see how absurd some people and decisions are! Later the book turns a bit into a textbook for management, however, the tone stays light and the plot continues to be gripping.
It is an interesting combination of novel and textbook. Naturally, as with all trends in management DevOps must prove whether its just a fade or a true culture changer. For the time being the book is a good recommendation to everyone working in a corporation with separate departments. You can either read it as management guide or simply enjoy the story and connect some of the book’s characters to your real-life colleagues.
Narration was well done.

Enjoy

I liked the story and specially the narration by Chris Ruen. The story can remind amy small or big company it department, which makes it very interesting. Loved it!

inspirational book

Where does The Phoenix Project rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Somewhere in the middle, but fairly high for a business book.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Erik, because he's the kind of guy you want to meet in real life. He has all the answers but wants you to find your own version of them.

Have you listened to any of Chris Ruen’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No

If you could rename The Phoenix Project, what would you call it?

"Lean to the Rescue", but that would be lame