This podcast episode interviews Rich Maltzman about his collaboratively written project management book, "The Fiddler on the Project." The book uses the musical "Fiddler on the Roof" as a thematic backdrop to explore project management principles, and invites readers to contribute to the writing process.
The interviewee explains that the precarious balancing act of the fiddler on the roof, maintaining his position amidst change, mirrors the project manager's role. The fiddler represents the project manager who must keep the project moving forward ("conducting the orchestra") despite constant change. The roof symbolizes the project manager balancing tradition (established practices, company knowledge) with the need for change (project implementation). Specific songs and dialogue from the musical are directly related to project management concepts such as responsibility assignment matrices (RAM), scope verification, and gold plating. The overarching theme emphasizes the importance of both tradition and change, and the need to maintain a sense of humor despite difficult situations.
While familiarity with "Fiddler on the Roof" is helpful, it's not strictly required to participate. The collaborative writing process provides a chapter ("The Balancing Act") that is already written and available for editing. Participants can also contribute new ideas, comments, or chapters without needing prior knowledge of the musical. A survey is used to gauge participants' familiarity with the musical and tailor their contributions accordingly.