Book SummaryThe Unicorn Project, by Gene Kim

1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of The Unicorn Project

A modern company lives or dies by the efforts of the people it employs, and even a successful, long-lasting business can be undone by a toxic workplace culture. In The Unicorn Project, published in 2019, Gene Kim argues that an organization is doomed if it fails to trust and empower its employees, focuses on assigning blame rather than solving problems, and stops anything from being accomplished by drowning every action in a mound of red tape. Once a business develops this kind of culture, it can either turn itself around or fade into irrelevance as rival companies outstrip it in the market.

The Unicorn Project presents a fictional case study of Parts Unlimited, a once-mighty auto parts manufacturer that’s fallen behind the times and its competitors, mainly because of the soul-crushing work conditions it’s allowed to develop in its IT department. When a technological initiative that’s crucial to the company’s success turns into a disaster, Parts Unlimited almost collapses until a band of rebellious programmers figure out a new, more productive way of working and put it into motion behind their executives’ backs.

Kim is the founder of the digital security company Tripwire, cofounder of the IT Process Institute, and a vocal proponent of the DevOps software development model. In 2013’s The Phoenix Project, written with coauthors Kevin Behr and George Spafford, Kim told the story of Parts Unlimited from the perspective of a company executive as he rescued its faltering IT department by better managing its production workflow. In The Unicorn Project, Kim tells the same story from a software developer’s point of view to highlight the characteristics of a healthy, creative workplace and what can be done to shift a company’s culture.

(Shortform note: In _[The...

The Unicorn Project Summary The Impossible Project

Kim’s narrative follows the story of Maxine Chambers, a lead developer in Parts Unlimited’s software development department within IT. Through Maxine’s eyes, Kim illustrates the characteristics of both unproductive and healthy workplace cultures, with an emphasis on how the former can be turned into the latter. In the story, Maxine goes from the frustration of being part of an ineffective department to joining a group of company rebels who secretly work to institute better practices, eventually setting an example for the rest of the company to follow.

Our story begins as Maxine finds out she’s been unjustly blamed for a payroll system failure. As punishment, she’s exiled to work on an online sales tool called the Phoenix Project that everyone in IT despises. Though management considers the Phoenix Project essential to dragging Parts Unlimited into the digital age, it’s been stuck in development hell for years. When Maxine arrives at her new workplace, the situation is even worse than she’d imagined.

(Shortform note: In The Unicorn Project, Kim doesn’t explain the Phoenix Project’s actual purpose. In the novel _[The Phoenix...

The Unicorn Project Summary Symptoms of a Toxic Workplace

Throughout his story, Kim paints a picture of an IT department that fails to function on every level, to the detriment of the company and its workers. All of the problems Kim describes are self-inflicted—none can be blamed on forces outside the business. The specific negative features he highlights are a culture of fear and blame, a production process stunted by a lack of trust and feedback, and systems that have grown so complicated that it’s nearly impossible to change anything for the better.

Kim says that the root of workplace toxicity is a culture of fear and blame. At Parts Unlimited, mistakes are punished, and so is calling attention to errors. This creates a climate in which people are encouraged to hide their mistakes and avoid taking risks that might lead to innovation. A climate of fear isn’t just bad for business—it’s bad for workers’ mental and physical health. For example, long hours and lack of sleep during the multi-day Phoenix Project rollout results in every IT worker having to call in sick at some point.

(Shortform note: Fear is at its root [an evolutionary response that’s helped our species...

The Unicorn Project Summary The Essentials of Productivity

The dysfunctional model of Parts Unlimited isn’t the only one that businesses can follow. Kim’s recipe for a productive software development department contains elements that are applicable in any organizational setting. These include a focus on simplicity and the needs of the customer, an environment in which candor is rewarded, a culture dedicated to nonstop improvement, and management that enables its employees to find a sense of flow and pleasure in their work. Because Kim demonstrates these values through fictional examples, we’ll dive into the literature of nonfiction business management to back up and expand upon Kim’s underlying message.

(Shortform note: Since The Unicorn Project is a work of fiction, Kim follows the fiction writer’s rule of “show, don’t tell” to get his message across. This rule says that instead of explaining an idea, an author should imply the idea through action, dialogue, and sensory details. For example, rather than stating that a character is frightened, an author might describe how their hands shake as they frantically try to dial for help. The “show, don’t tell” technique has power because [it...

Shortform Exercise: Evaluate Your Workplace

Kim lists a set of principles that can increase a business’s productivity while making it a healthier, more pleasant place to work. These include a focus on simplicity, a culture of openness, and a commitment to improvement. Think about your work environment, whether you’re the boss or an employee, and consider how well it stacks up against Kim’s ideals.

Are the projects your organization currently pursues relatively simple or overly complex? In what ways could your work be streamlined or made more efficient? Conversely, are there any types of projects or tasks that you feel would benefit from added complexity?