Driving Technical Change

Ever go to a technology conference, read a coding book, or just get inspired by a blog post to try something new? You try it, you love it, you want everyone else at work to do it.

Everyone else says "No- not just no, hell no!"

It's easy to blame your coworkers. But the responsibility lies with you. If something is great, and your coworkers aren't buying, then you need to up your game.

I had this problem. I worked through it. I started changing what I did. If it worked, I did it more.

I started recording what I was doing and started shaping it into a presentation and a book.

In a moment of hubris, I pitched the book to Pragmatic Bookshelf . In a moment of luck they picked it up. In many moments of staring at a blank screen, I wrote it.

Now it's in print.

I sincerely hope that what's in the book helps people change their workplaces for the better.

Get Your Copy

The publisher, Pragmatic Bookshelf, sells both the paper copy of the book and the electronic copy. It is the only place to puchase the electronic copy. However doing so entitles you to any electronic version of the book that is availaibe. They have formats for Kindle, the Nook, the iPad and whereever else you like to read your books.

In addition to being able to purchase the book on this site, you can access the forum for the book, connect with other readers, and get tips on other great books.

For many people, books, means Amazon. If that's you, have no fear, you can get the book from them. But please note the book is not available in the Kindle store. If you wish to get a Kindle version, you have to go through the publisher as noted above.

Reader Comments

At its core, Driving Technical Change is a fantastic book about design patterns. In it, Terrence Ryan clearly outlines common, problematic personalities—"skeptics" —and provides proven solutions for bringing about progressive change. It is certainly an unfortunate fact of human behavior that people are oftentimes resistant to implementing best practices; however, using Terry's book as a guide, you will now be able to identify why people push back against change and what you can do to remain successful in the face of adversity.

—Ben Nadel Chief Software Engineer Epicenter Consulting

Politics is one of the most challenging and underestimated subjects in the field of technology. Terrence Ryan has tackled this problem courageously and with a methodical approach. His book can help you understand many types of resistance (both rational and irrational) and make a strategy for getting people on board with your technology vision.

—Bill Karwin Author of "SQL Antipatterns: Avoiding the Pitfalls of Database Programming"

Ryan combines the eye of an engineer, the insight of a psychotherapist, and the experience of a soldier in the trenches to provide a flowchart approach to your most immediate problem, as well as a fascinating overview of how to be more productive and less frustrated with your technical work. Driving Technical Change speaks in the language of the people who have the most to learn from Ryan's success with organizational management.

—Jeff Porten Internet consultant and author, "Twentysomething Guide to Creative Self-Employment"

This book covers a very important topic I have never seen covered in book form and answers questions every one of us in application or web development has asked. Terrence Ryan manages to create a fun and easy-to-read narrative with examples so accurate and familiar they that will often leave you wondering whether he was sitting next to you in a recent office meeting.

—Brian Rinaldi Web community manager Adobe Systems, Inc.