Revolutionizing IT: The Art of Using InformationTechnology Effectively
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More About This Title Revolutionizing IT: The Art of Using InformationTechnology Effectively
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A guide for making information technology work for any company
Often corporate IT projects fail because the underlying assumptions about a program are unrealistic. Revolutionizing IT helps organizations find success for their IT projects by showing them how to create and reach realistic goals. A combination of real case histories and examples helps show how this strategy controls both expectations and costs.
English
DAVID H. ANDREWS is a widely known author of more than fifty computer industry white papers with more than a million copies in circulation. He is regularly quoted in trade journals and business publications and has made IT presentations to audiences in twenty countries. Before founding Andrews Consulting Group in 1984, Mr. Andrews spent seventeen years overseeing information system development efforts at SmithKline, Timex, Citibank, and AT&T.
KENNETH R. JOHNSON has spent more than thirty years overseeing the development of advanced software systems. He was a leading software engineer and development executive at IBM, where he played key roles in the creation of the Network Station, CICS, and OS/400. Mr. Johnson is a recognized expert in the software development process.
KENNETH R. JOHNSON has spent more than thirty years overseeing the development of advanced software systems. He was a leading software engineer and development executive at IBM, where he played key roles in the creation of the Network Station, CICS, and OS/400. Mr. Johnson is a recognized expert in the software development process.
English
About the Authors.
Preface.
Acknowledgments.
Introduction.
THE NATURE OF PROJECTS.
The Race.
Terminology.
Principles and Methodologies.
The Improvement of Business Processes.
The Classic View of Project Management Theory.
Classic Theory Limitations.
The Methodology Evolution.
Summary.
IN THE BEGINNING.
How Projects Are Typically Initiated.
The Virus That Causes Scope Growth.
Resource Limitations.
Management Misunderstanding.
Did Lewis and Clark Succeed or Fail?
Summary: Early Stage Problems.
THE ANATOMY OF A PROJECT.
Mega-Multi Manufacturing.
Drowning under the Waterfall.
A Second Look at Mega-Multi.
The Evils of Scope Creep.
Why Has the Waterfall Lasted This Long?
Summary: Why So Many Projects Fail.
THE ELEMENTS OF SUCCESS.
Common Characteristics.
Why the Largest IT Project Ever Undertaken Succeeded.
A Seemingly Simple Success Story: Bass Pro.
Emergency Behavior.
Case History: Fort Knox Fails, but Silverlake Shines.
Summary.
HOW TO VIEW PROJECTS.
What Is Success?
Why Good Plans Are So Hard to Create.
The Patton/Lombardi Effect.
Building a Mental Picture.
More Realistic Assumptions.
Following Mother Nature.
A Different View of Projects.
Better Measures of Success.
What Project Teams Need to Do.
Summary.
DECIDING WHAT TO DO.
Defining Specific Project Goals.
Organizing Task Forces.
Practical Advice.
Mega-Multi Manufacturing Revisited.
Summary.
CONTROLLING PROJECT SCOPE.
Let Time Determine Scope.
Control the Use of Resources.
Limit the Size of the Design Team.
Gauge Your Ability to Absorb Change.
Imitate, Don't Invent.
Create a Single Point of Accountability.
Management's Role in Scope Control.
Bite-Sized Pieces.
Case History: The Birth of the PC.
Summary.
WHO IS ACCOUNTABLE?
Who Should Be Accountable?
IT Accountability.
Rewarding Project Teams.
Summary.
USING PACKAGED SOFTWARE.
The Role of Packaged Software.
Package Selection the Traditional Way.
Another Adventure for Mega-Multi.
What Is Wrong with the Traditional Approach?
The RITE Approach.
Getting Help Selecting and Installing Packages.
Package Selection Using the RITE Approach.
Case History: Mississippi Chemical.
Summary.
THE BALANCING ACT.
The Need for Balance.
Questions to Ask.
More Speed, Scotty.
Planning versus Doing.
Delivering Benefits.
Disruption: How Much Is Too Much?
Controlling Risk.
Summary.
USING OUTSIDERS WISELY.
The Business of Providing IT Assistance.
The Rate Issue.
Who Assumes the Risk?
A Better Model for Obtaining IT Project Assistance.
Making the Right Choice.
Summary.
MANAGING IT PROFESSIONALS.
What Makes IT Professionals Different.
Motivation and Job Satisfaction.
Career Management.
Managers and Leaders.
Marginal Performers.
High-Potential Employees.
Creating Ideal Assignments.
The Causes of Turnover.
Summary.
MANAGEMENT OF PROJECTS.
The Project Scheduling Dilemma.
Why Most Schedules Are Not Met.
A Different Approach to Scheduling.
Using Two-Tier Schedules to Defeat Parkinson's Law.
Case History: Sealectro Replaces Its Applications.
Summary.
BUILDING SOFTWARE YOURSELF.
The Role of Management.
The Development Challenge.
Another Visit to the Waterfall.
The Planning Stage of Development.
The Design Stage of Development.
The Coding Stage of Development.
The Test Stage of Development.
The Delivery Stage of Development.
The Service Stage of Development.
Building Quality into Software.
The Use of In-Process Metrics.
The Underlying Tool Base.
Some Parting Thoughts.
Summary.
THE CHANGING WORLD OF SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT.
The Trend toward Objects.
The Unified Process.
The Agile Movement.
Summary.
A REVIEW OF THE RITE APPROACH.
What Often Goes Wrong.
The Reasons for Failure.
What Sometimes Goes Right.
More Realistic Assumptions.
The RITE Way to View Projects.
A New Way to Define Success.
Scope Control.
Accountability.
Imitate, Don't Invent.
Favor Packaged Software.
Using Outside Resources.
Managing IT Professionals.
Project Scheduling.
Developing Custom Software.
Final Thoughts.
References.
Bibliography.
Index.
Preface.
Acknowledgments.
Introduction.
THE NATURE OF PROJECTS.
The Race.
Terminology.
Principles and Methodologies.
The Improvement of Business Processes.
The Classic View of Project Management Theory.
Classic Theory Limitations.
The Methodology Evolution.
Summary.
IN THE BEGINNING.
How Projects Are Typically Initiated.
The Virus That Causes Scope Growth.
Resource Limitations.
Management Misunderstanding.
Did Lewis and Clark Succeed or Fail?
Summary: Early Stage Problems.
THE ANATOMY OF A PROJECT.
Mega-Multi Manufacturing.
Drowning under the Waterfall.
A Second Look at Mega-Multi.
The Evils of Scope Creep.
Why Has the Waterfall Lasted This Long?
Summary: Why So Many Projects Fail.
THE ELEMENTS OF SUCCESS.
Common Characteristics.
Why the Largest IT Project Ever Undertaken Succeeded.
A Seemingly Simple Success Story: Bass Pro.
Emergency Behavior.
Case History: Fort Knox Fails, but Silverlake Shines.
Summary.
HOW TO VIEW PROJECTS.
What Is Success?
Why Good Plans Are So Hard to Create.
The Patton/Lombardi Effect.
Building a Mental Picture.
More Realistic Assumptions.
Following Mother Nature.
A Different View of Projects.
Better Measures of Success.
What Project Teams Need to Do.
Summary.
DECIDING WHAT TO DO.
Defining Specific Project Goals.
Organizing Task Forces.
Practical Advice.
Mega-Multi Manufacturing Revisited.
Summary.
CONTROLLING PROJECT SCOPE.
Let Time Determine Scope.
Control the Use of Resources.
Limit the Size of the Design Team.
Gauge Your Ability to Absorb Change.
Imitate, Don't Invent.
Create a Single Point of Accountability.
Management's Role in Scope Control.
Bite-Sized Pieces.
Case History: The Birth of the PC.
Summary.
WHO IS ACCOUNTABLE?
Who Should Be Accountable?
IT Accountability.
Rewarding Project Teams.
Summary.
USING PACKAGED SOFTWARE.
The Role of Packaged Software.
Package Selection the Traditional Way.
Another Adventure for Mega-Multi.
What Is Wrong with the Traditional Approach?
The RITE Approach.
Getting Help Selecting and Installing Packages.
Package Selection Using the RITE Approach.
Case History: Mississippi Chemical.
Summary.
THE BALANCING ACT.
The Need for Balance.
Questions to Ask.
More Speed, Scotty.
Planning versus Doing.
Delivering Benefits.
Disruption: How Much Is Too Much?
Controlling Risk.
Summary.
USING OUTSIDERS WISELY.
The Business of Providing IT Assistance.
The Rate Issue.
Who Assumes the Risk?
A Better Model for Obtaining IT Project Assistance.
Making the Right Choice.
Summary.
MANAGING IT PROFESSIONALS.
What Makes IT Professionals Different.
Motivation and Job Satisfaction.
Career Management.
Managers and Leaders.
Marginal Performers.
High-Potential Employees.
Creating Ideal Assignments.
The Causes of Turnover.
Summary.
MANAGEMENT OF PROJECTS.
The Project Scheduling Dilemma.
Why Most Schedules Are Not Met.
A Different Approach to Scheduling.
Using Two-Tier Schedules to Defeat Parkinson's Law.
Case History: Sealectro Replaces Its Applications.
Summary.
BUILDING SOFTWARE YOURSELF.
The Role of Management.
The Development Challenge.
Another Visit to the Waterfall.
The Planning Stage of Development.
The Design Stage of Development.
The Coding Stage of Development.
The Test Stage of Development.
The Delivery Stage of Development.
The Service Stage of Development.
Building Quality into Software.
The Use of In-Process Metrics.
The Underlying Tool Base.
Some Parting Thoughts.
Summary.
THE CHANGING WORLD OF SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT.
The Trend toward Objects.
The Unified Process.
The Agile Movement.
Summary.
A REVIEW OF THE RITE APPROACH.
What Often Goes Wrong.
The Reasons for Failure.
What Sometimes Goes Right.
More Realistic Assumptions.
The RITE Way to View Projects.
A New Way to Define Success.
Scope Control.
Accountability.
Imitate, Don't Invent.
Favor Packaged Software.
Using Outside Resources.
Managing IT Professionals.
Project Scheduling.
Developing Custom Software.
Final Thoughts.
References.
Bibliography.
Index.
English
"?if only chief executives and top civil servants would pause to read this book, a lot of money and grief might be saved?"(The Financial Times, 28 October 2002)
