The recommendations here are written in frank, down-to-earth language that makes a sometimes-intimidating topic easy to grasp. Williams acknowledges ERPs can be complicated, and he assures readers that a little uncertainty is normal, writing that his “goal isn’t to scare you out of taking action, but to open your eyes to the complexity and provide assurance that ClustERPucks are avoidable.” The material may sound unglamorous, but it’s crucial: he covers pragmatics such as the cost of licenses, how to determine a company’s need for ongoing support services, and the nuts and bolts of different ERP products (dividing them into two categories, closed ecosystem and open), while delving into general business principles as well, including the value of clear communication and understanding investments versus costs.
Williams includes basic visuals to illustrate his principles in addition to resources for continued study, but what’s most valuable about ClustERPuck is the straight-shooting instruction on how to avoid disastrous, time-consuming, and money-wasting ERP projects. And that advice, he argues, is worth its weight in gold, because the alternative will be a system that “probably is worse than what you’ve already got despite the fact that its whole purpose was to make things better.” Professionals ready for a deeper understanding of ERP systems and implementation will find it here.
Takeaway: Clear, concise advice on Enterprise Resource Planning projects.
Comparable Titles: Alexis Leon’s ERP Demystified, Marianne Bradford’s Modern ERP.
Production grades
Cover: B+
Design and typography: B+
Illustrations: B+
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A
