The first edition of Peopleware,published in 1987 [1], quickly became one of the classics of thesoftware development management literature. In it, the authors discussedthe sociological aspects of software development, concentrating on teambuilding and the impact of the work environment. The book is acollection of essays and anecdotes, based heavily on the authors’experience. It was a joy to read, and should have been required readingof anyone in software development management.

In the current edition, the authors have left the original contentintact. They write that after ten years, they “found only oneinstance of a new work practice that forced [them] to revisit theconclusions of the original edition,” that being voice mail. Inaddition to the original content, a new group of chapters, collectivelycalled “Son of Peopleware,” has been added.

The original material is organized in four parts. Part 1 is ageneral introduction to the sociology of the work environment, includingdifferences between development and production environments, the effectsof workaholism, the relationship of quality to cost, and theapplicability of Parkinson’s Law. Part 2 discusses the relationship to productivity of such factorsas noise, frequency of interruptions, structure of office phone systems(with new observations on voice mail and email), and floor space andwork surface per employee. Part 3 treats hiring practices and the costof employee turnover. Part 4 considers sociological factors that affectthe performance of project teams.

In the new “Son of Peopleware” section, the authorsattack a variety of sacred cows that they hold to be inimical to teambuilding and productivity, including motivational posters, annual salaryreviews, management by objectives, competitions, awards, and prizes.They offer a very cautious appraisal of the Software EngineeringInstitute’s Capability Maturity Model, warning that advancing to levelN+1 can become an end in itself, without benefit to the organization orthe customer, and that it discourages creativity and risk-taking. Theyalso discuss the difficulty of implementing change, the importance ofinvesting in people, the consequence of high turnover, and the futilityof artificial and impossible deadlines.

The light and humorous style of the original is preserved in thenew section. Twelve years after the publication of the first edition,the lessons presented remain as valid as at the time of originalpublication, attesting to the fact that, in general, managers do notread books about management (or at least do not learn from them).