10 Books that have influenced me

Following 10 books I would recommend to keep at your book shelf - for life. You read these books as many times as you can. These have given me new lenses or viewpoints to explore the world.

1. I AM THAT

These talks are a constant guide to reality. An absolutely amazing set of talks. The words have an "healing" property. If you have to take one book with you to the remotest part of the world ever, choose this one. This is undoubtedly top of my list.

The next 9 books are in no particular order and one can pick and choose them based on interests, context and mood.




2. THINKING FAST AND SLOW

 Last year I read this - and must say, the book is absolutely remarkable. And yes, Noble Prize winners can be fantastic writers as well - book proves. A must have - to understand the psychology of our decisions - behavior economist, you don't need to be, to go through this amazing book.







3. SCIENCES OF THE ARTIFICIAL

This is a classic from another Noble prize winning author. Herbert Simon defines "artificial" - intelligence, design, complexity and economics but above all computing. An absolute gem to have with you.








4. METAMAGICAL THEMAS

Hofstadter's "Godel, Eicher Bach" is much better known and more famous. However, I am intrigued by these collection of essays on diverse topics - that emerge to give you the ways human mind has looked at reality. A book to be read from any chapter to any chapter at any time. You will get something new or different at every reading.





5. GENERAL SYSTEMS THINKING
  Weinberg gives you the WHOLE. The laws of systems thinking. The way these should or may be used. If you have some background in computer science, computing or problem solving techniques, this is an absolutely necessary to have it with you. A Must have, in my view.







6. THE SINGULARITY IS NEAR

When Humans transcends biology - a book that gives you the FUTURE. Whether Singularity - when artificial exceeds biological intelligence will happen by 2045-2050 AD it doesn't matter. This books paints a picture of the future that is not easy to dismiss.








7. SELFISH GENE

  Dawkins Masterpiece in mid 1970s describes the architecture of natural selection from the Gene view point. An absolutely delightful explanation of complex - the architecture of life. You do not need to be a biologist to read this. More importantly, the book will allow you to understand reality - an achievement - as many books may describe but do not allow the reader to reach reality.






8. THE LIVING COMPANY
Ex-CEO of Shell company gives you a blueprint for running a company as a learning system - hence a living system. A remarkable blueprint compared to the company as a machine blue print of Industrial world. Should be read as a text book. And after that retained as a reference book to understand "Learning organizations".







9. ONLY THE PARANOID SURVIVE

Ex-CEO of Intel company gives you value of maximizing value in crisis. Leverage crisis by being ahead of it. A brilliant book if you may, and a real story by the CEO of a company that created the new world that we have today. He gives a blueprint to creating the NEW as well - the new revolution in technology.




10. THE RISE AND FALL OF GREAT POWERS
Paul Kennedy's history may not be a guide for future and may not be exact history, but I think this is a great book to have with you - if you want to view history from today's lenses. This should be read during summer holidays or winter break. It indeed is a thick volume.







The above 10 books may not be the comprehensive set of books. Also, I havent recommended books on specific techniques - say TRIZ, AHP, Lean, Networks etc. This list indeed is about books that I enjoyed reading. Also gave me new perspectives. So Enjoy!

PMI Bangalore Chapter - TRIZ session - PM Essence Article

 CRAFITTI TEAM RECEIVING THE MEMENTO FROM THE PMI - PMPC BANGALORE CHAPTER CONFERENCE 2012, FOR SUCCESSFUL CONDUCT OF TRIZ PROGRAMME ON 13th September 2012.

 The Announcement Published in the Conference Information Booklet


 BELOW: PM ESSENCE Published my article on 7P7D framework for starting something new

Purple Cow, Blue Ocean and Black Swan

TRIZ TUTORIAL AT PMI CONFERENCE AT Bangalore 13 September 2012

Project Management Institute (PMI)'s Bangalore Chapter, annual conference PMPC 2012 will be held on 14-15 September 2012. 
Join us for a half day tutorial on TRIZ on 13th September 2012
INVENTING NEW PROJECTS - Applying TRIZ for project creation before managing

The new world is thriving on innovation – which we define as successful creation of change using ideas. To innovate – we need to create the new. We believe the project managers need to become project creators. 

Ideas – how to get the Non-obvious ones

“IDEAS are those thoughts that bring in the genesis of change – many times fundamental. These are thoughts that one doesn’t get in regular run-of-the-mill thinking. IDEAS can happen serendipitously in human mind. They can happen at any time. They can be fleeting glimpses of problem solutions, can be dreams of possible new opportunities, and can be new design structures or simply new experiences. IDEAS don’t happen just like that. They come to prepared minds. Only prepared minds can transform these thoughts into change. It requires an ability to generate and execute at the same time. IDEAS need to be crafted through orchestrated immersion. Contrary to popular belief of organization having lots of ideas and it is all about execution, our experiences show ideas need to be crafted through orchestrated immersion of minds that work inside and with the enterprises.”

 

TRIZ - History

After the Second World War, Altshuller, a patent officer in the Soviet Navy, started a systematic study of patents and inventions. His aim was to find out what makes a successful invention! Can there be an algorithm for inventing? His expedition culminated in TRIZ – The Theory of Inventive Problem Solving, dispelling some innovation myths along the way

·   My Field is Unique (In fact, problems and solutions in multiple fields are same or similar)

·   Experts know Best (In fact, deeper knowledge leads to psychological inertia)

·   Systems Evolve Randomly (in fact, system evolution is predictable at the abstract level)

·   Invention is the search for the Optimal Solution (in fact, Inventions eliminate system conflicts not compromise)

The Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (TRIZ) is most potent methodology for inventing the new – this tutorial will expose the PMs to develop into project creators as well – which is the basic need in the changing world!

 

Delegates will be exposed to

• Understanding the level of an invention and a patent
• Finding out the key contradictions the invention is solving
• Defining problems by understanding systems and Functions
• Laws and lines of system evolution/Imagining future systems using Laws of system Evolution