Just in time for 08, this next edition in the popular title appears at first glance to be one of the must have in the corner office bookshelf (i.e. it's an ideal GIS manager companion hence the title, GIS planning for managers). Anyone who's had trouble in the past fumbling for information to help design a system from the ground up will appreciate this book. At just over 200 pages, it's lightweight but heavy on useful material. The 12 chapters will systematically lead you through strategies for planning, describing and identifying your system needs, defining the system scope, creating a data design, outlining a logical data model, system requirements, cost vs benefit and finally, planning your system implementation... who couldn't use help with this?

Appendixes touch on popular topics that frequently give the manager reason to scratch her head like how to conduct benchmark testing, creating and planning your RFP and writing a design document. If you think you'll be charged with planning and implementing a plan for a GIS this is a great place to start.

Some items I enjoyed were Tomlinson's who, what, where, when, and why of GIS advice, his 10 stages of GIS planning, and all of chapter 8 on creating the data design. A bargain at less than $15 from Amazon of $30 from ESRI! See Amazon.com or ESRI Press

From ESRI Press:

Developed from decades of consulting experience globally and his popular GIS seminars worldwide, Tomlinson’s book helps bridge the communication gap between those with and those without technological expertise. By addressing the concerns of both types of managers (specialists and senior executives),Tomlinson’s methodology provides a common platform from which to assess exactly what an organization needs from a GIS and to conduct the kind of specific planning that management can support.

This GIS classic has been thoroughly revised, updated, and redesigned for its third edition.