Confessions of an IT Manager

by Phil Factor

Phil Factor is a legend in his own runtime. Scurrilous, absurd, confessional and scathing by turns, Confessions of an IT Manager targets the idiocy, incompetence and overreach of the IT management industry from vantage point all the way up and down the greasy pole. Phil Factor (real name witheld to protest the guilty) has over 20 years experience in the IT industry, specializing in database-intensive applications. For withering insight into the human weaknesses and farcical levels of ineptitude that bring IT projects to their knees, plus occasional escapes into burnished pastiche and cock-a-leg doggerel there is no funnier, more illuminating commentary on the IT crowd.

Genres: Management

316 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2009

Reviews

[Jenny Clarke · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are working in IT it is best not to read it in the office since you are likely to laugh out loud when everyone thinks you are working on developing stuff. Phil is a cynical guy, but who wouldn't be after his experiences.

[Kate Schwid · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book, entertaining and a lesson in what not to do.

[Nick Klauer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this to a humorous set of stories about life in IT, namely BigCo kinds of IT. This is a collection of stories, and I was able to read this off and on when I had a few moments to spare, so it's worthwhile if you find you'd like to read something in short bursts.

Most of the stories wouldn't be so funny if I didn't have such a real-life tie-in to my and my friends horror stories in IT, but don't think you have to be in IT to understand it. It's just sadly too realistic while being funny, which is why I rated it so highly.

[Justin Thomas · Rating 1 out of 5]

I thought it was mostly humourless cynical stories. The stories were originally published as website articles. To me the author seems selfish and demeaning. I felt it conveyed hubris I found obnoxious. I persisted through 89 pages before I had enough and I rarely give up on books. I have worked in ICT for decades so understood the content and context but I still did not enjoy the book. If you grow that cynical get another job, you have only got one life to live.

[BLACK CAT · Rating 1 out of 5]

A professional biography with some common sense tips.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

so funny and fun...my coworkers and I had great times referencing it...