What is Failure

“an IS system is some combination of hardware, communication technology and software designed to handle information related to one or more business processes” “the failure of an IS occurs when the system as a whole does not operate as expected and its overall performance is sub-optimal” (Flowers, 1996)

What makes these disasters different? Degrees of failure: ‘flawed but usable’ ‘totally unusable’ ‘unused’ ‘absolute disaster’ Many ‘flawed’ systems are in use – only hear of ‘absolute’ disasters

“an IS can be termed if, on implementation it does not perform as originally intended or if it is so ‘user-hostile’ – is rejected by users & is underutilised! (Flowers, 1996) If cost of IS development exceeds any benefits system may bring throughout its use Failure – if project abandoned before completion

What constitutes IS failure? Not solely from technical perspective Social, economic, political & ethical environment in which development takes place Sauer, (1993) Complex combinations of organisational, financial, technical, human, political factors

What contributes to IS failure? Failure throughout development: Project initiation Systems analysis/design Programming/testing implementation

Poor definition of Project Scope –Commencing the project before the project scope has been decided Fundamental design and architectural decisions are made, hardware acquired, programming commences Solution –Create a detailed project specification, sign off it before starting the work What contributes to IS failure?

Lack of Input from End Users –Users unwilling to use the a new system if they do not understand it, or fail to meet their needs Creating the system with inadequate or no input from the end users Solution –Involve a good mix of the intended end users in every phaset of the project What contributes to IS failure?

Lack of Upper management Commitment –IT projects are expensive and time consuming –Upper management needs to understands the expected benefits of the project and is committed to it Solution ? What contributes to IS failure?

Technical decisions made by the wrong people –Management needs to ask IT to investigate the new technology Solution –Take time to educate upper management –Evaluate technology and report findings What contributes to IS failure?

Delays in completion Changes to feature set Changes to underlying architecture of the system Poor estimation at the start of the project Key employees assigned to new projects, new employees fill the gap and extra time getting up to the speed on the project Solution –Good Project management –Carefully monitor the progress –Missing an interim deadline – immediately find out the what is going wrong and take appropriate steps to correct the problem What contributes to IS failure?

Cost overruns –Delays in completion –IT personnel demanding large salary and more extensive perks –Talented employees changing jobs more often –Increased cost for training, recruitment Solution –Good design and strong project management –Reusing standard components –Reducing the staff turnover Excellent leadership and management practices Competitive compensation packages Career advancement opportunities What contributes to IS failure?

Insufficient testing –Expensive to create a proper test plan –Expensive and time consuming to conduct the testing –Pressure to deliver the project Pressure from deadline and budget Solution –Thorough testing built into project budget –Never make up for delays by reducing the amount of testing What contributes to IS failure?

Why IS projects fail Over commitment to projects Managers unable to take impartial view of project Social pressures that often exist within organisation

Where do the problems lie? Organisations are communities of people People compete for power and resources Differences of opinions & values Conflicts of priorities and goals Bonds of alliance Political dimensions Developments in government sector can provide examples of externally set deadlines

Political, commercial implications Inadequate testing Decision-making Almost every worker in industrialised countries use IS’s for daily work Development & implementation of systems is responsibility of IS professionals Conduct influenced by ethical attitudes

Throughout duration of IS development project: Numerous activities and decisions to be made Most will have an ethical dimension

To understand overall scale of failure – need to look at system as a whole! Information Systems are central to the economies of the developed world There are many failures related to these systems Increasing concern about these failures and discussion as to the cause – association with neglect of professional ethics