Title: Rework
Authors: Jason Fried & David Heinemeier Hannson
Random House, 2010
Website: http://37signals.com/rework/

The title says it all. Rework is a book about rethinking how we do work. How we put together our companies, relate with employees – how we get the job done! It’s also about making sure our work, whether we work in a business owned by someone else or have our own companies, is a good fit for us. It gives new life to the old saying, “Work smarter, not harder.” And it does all this in well-written graphically interesting package.
I once took a college course called The Psychology of Creativity. The main thrust of the course was – and most of our homework assignments throughout the class by way of a “creativity journal” – was exploring the ways in which we are creative every day. Rework reminds me of the class and the actual text we used. Put simply, the mission it sends you on is one of looking at what you may call your “work life” and melding that with your wants, desires and your curiosity to make a life in which you do what you like and happen to make money at it. Even Rework’s black and white illustrations are reminiscent of that text. The short sections covey the subtext that is to simplify – say what you mean, do what you intend, make tiny corrections as needed, then move on.
The book also suggests you apply this mindset to dealings with co-workers also. An example given is when some breaks the rules, don’t overreact and make a policy decision that will effect everyone before speaking with the one person first and seeing if a repeat of the one offense ever happens again.
Rework is not just another book filled with large chapters that themselves are filled with psychology, questions and quizzes. Any questions are short, to the point, and part of the book and don’t make you take time away from the reading to explore though jotting them down while reading for later perusal might serve a purpose. The short, snappy chapters, which tend to be 1-1 ½ pages, which make up the book, are designed to tickle your itch even more so that you find a way to reach and scratch it. The points the book make are quick, concise and interesting such as the example given of James Dyson and his vacuum cleaner and even the authors, coming up against a real problem and solving it for themselves.
With the use of cartoonish – in a good way, you’ll see what I mean- black and white illustrations that, well, illustrate, the point of each chapter, which are 1-1 ½ pages long, the authors lighten the mood and quicken the pace and lighten your load.
In the chapter entitled, “Your Estimates Suck”, the authors advocate smaller to do lists and “underdoing” and give as an example the success of fixed gear bikes. Personally, I can see their point. I find lists on paper easier to deal with than ones tucked away on the computer and during what we now call “The World Series Quake”, the only store owners making money I could find had adding machines and knew how to use them.
The authors give good examples of popular inventions based on ones own need or a perceived need of others like the Dyson vacuum but others could have benefited from more examples. For example, the chapter entitled, “At Home Good” talks about making products that are still satisfying after the consumer gets it home and has it around a while but I would have liked to have read about more products and illustrations of this point.
All in all when you read this book, I’m sure you will be as refreshed and excited as I am and want to explore the other work of these two writers. This book is a keeper and one you will go back to more than once.