why information systems? solve a problem high costs of operation lack of data integrity inability to handle volumes slow response/turnaround etc. realize an opportunity new product or service new tools available

strategic planning process

parallel activities: corporate strategic planning and information systems Hoffer, George, Valacich. Modern Systems Analysis and Design. 2nd ed. Addison Welsey 1999.

factors affecting IT projects

factors affecting computer systems strategic short and long-term strategy and plans values and mission formal terminology policies standards and procedures standards of practice formal organization structure job descriptions external government regulations competitors: domestic and international products services and markets role of technology in the business informal influence and inclinations of key personnel who the experts are in different subject areas critical incidents in the organization’s history information organization structure coalition membership and power structures

selecting the next project how do we identify and select projects? 1. identify potential projects 2. classify and rank the projects 3. select projects for development considerations? size of project strategic impact cost/benefit ratio organizational impact urgency value chain impact resource availability technological challenge competitive edge who is involved and why? top management steering committee user departments development group

system planning understand the problem or opportunity define the project scope and constraints perform fact finding estimate the project’s benefits estimate project development time and cost present results and recommendations to management

project selection decisions Hoffer, George, Valacich. Modern Systems Analysis and Design. 2nd ed. Addison Welsey 1999.

approving a project users and management IT department problems and opportunities service request IT architecture long-range plans system priority board approved project budget

baseline project plan report introduction: project overview recommendations system description: alternatives system description feasibility assessment: economic technical operational legal/contractual political schedule management issues: the team communication standards and procedures other project-specific topics baseline project plan report AKA proposal statement of work deliverables project plan

feasibility “What could possibly go wrong? We have a great team in IT! We love a challenge.” feasibility large team lengthy project several departments involved new application system corporate reorganization is involved users don’t think it’s a good idea users can't agree on what's needed management worried about funding it user contribution will be large leading-edge hardware new methodology will be used upgrade to latest development platform economic technical operational schedule legal/contractual political

example of resource planning include a legend for any abbreviations

project planning http://www.visitask.com/img/sample-gantt-chart.jpg

ces.asu.edu/.../management/gantt_chart.gif

intangible system costs one-time project costs: - labour - materials recurring costs: intangible system costs disruption of production or service - inconvenience to customers - etc.

costs per phase for a small system (<5K lines of code)

software costs for a large system (>10K lines of code)

cumulative costs VS cumulative benefits

return on investment

typical IT department organization

the art of project management leadership management customer relations technical problem solving conflict team risk and change Hoffer, George, Valacich. Modern Systems Analysis and Design. 2nd ed. Addison Welsey 1999.

project management methodology establish project initiation team establish relationship with customers establish project initiation plan establish management procedures establish project management environment and project workbook 1 describe project scope, alternatives, feasibility divide project into manageable tasks estimate resources and create a resource plan develop an preliminary schedule develop a communication plan determine project standards and procedures identify and assess risk create a preliminary budget develop a statement of work set a baseline project plan 2 project management methodology execute the baseline project plan monitor project against baseline plan manage changes to the baseline plan maintain project workbook communicate project status 3 close customer contract close down the project conduct post-project reviews 4

Summary of Classic Mistakes People-Related Mistakes 1. Undermined motivation 2. Weak personnel 3. Uncontrolled problem employees 4. Heroics 5. Adding people to a late project 6. Noisy, crowded offices 7. Friction between developers and customers 8. Unrealistic expectations 9. Lack of effective project sponsorship 10. Lack of stakeholder buy-in 11. Lack of user input 12. Politics placed over substance 13. Wishful thinking Summary of Classic Mistakes This material is Copyright © 1996 by Steven C. McConnell. All Rights Reserved.

Summary of Classic Mistakes Process-Related Mistakes 14. Overly optimistic schedules 16. Insufficient risk management 17. Contractor failure Insufficient planning 18. Abandonment of planning under pressure 19. Wasted time during the fuzzy front end 20. Shortchanged upstream activities 21. Inadequate design 22. Shortchanged quality assurance 23. Insufficient management controls 24. Premature or too frequent convergence 25. Omitting necessary tasks from estimates 26. Planning to catch up later 27. Code-like-hell programming Summary of Classic Mistakes This material is Copyright © 1996 by Steven C. McConnell. All Rights Reserved.

Summary of Classic Mistakes Product-Related Mistakes 28. Requirements gold-plating 29. Feature creep 30. Developer gold-plating 31. Push me, pull me negotiation 32. Research-oriented development Technology-Related Mistakes 33. Silver-bullet syndrome 34. Overestimated savings from new tools or methods 35. Switching tools in the middle of a project 36. Lack of automated source-code control Summary of Classic Mistakes This material is Copyright © 1996 by Steven C. McConnell. All Rights Reserved.