Maximizing Benefits from IT Project Management: From Requirements to Value Delivery

Summary

With the majority of IT projects being delivered late, over budget, or cancelled altogether, it is clear that traditional project management methodologies do not provide an effective framework for today’s IT projects. It is evident that a new Return-on-Investment (ROI) oriented approach is required that focuses on the ROI of a project from its inception.

Maximizing Benefits from IT Project Management: From Requirements to Value Delivery provides comprehensive guidelines for determining an accurate ROI before the project has progressed to the point where it’s over budget and over-run. It applies an iterative approach to the entire project management life cycle that re-visits the ROI, re-assesses the value delivered, defines the project scope, and allows the project to be planned as successive iterations based on the value delivered.

This book details a systematic and simplified approach for effectively and efficiently selecting and evaluating IT projects for your organization. Filled with equations, tables, and figures that facilitate understanding, it explains how to evaluate subsequent success of a project so that it is simpler to manage, more efficient, and yields the ROI estimated at the outset. Using the novel approach outlined in the book, you will be able to deliver value throughout the project life cycle and make sure your projects are delivered on time, on budget, and within the constraints of the resources available.

Table of Contents

Reflections on the Current State of IT Project Management
Investing in Information Technology
Examining IT Project Performance
Dealing with IT Project Performance Outcomes
Selecting IT Projects
Reviewing the Evolution of Project Management Practices
Understanding the Emerging Role of Information Technology
Finding New Solutions to Ongoing Issues and Problems

The Evolution and Influence of Knowledge Management
Getting to the Era of Knowledge Management
Three Components of Knowledge Management
Using Data
Using Information
Using Knowledge
Using Knowledge Management

Perspectives on the History of Computing
Background of Computers and Information Systems
First Generation of Computers (1945–1956)
Second Generation of Computers (1957–1963)
Third Generation of Computers (1964–1971)
Fourth Generation of Computers (1972–Present)
Fifth Generation of Computers (1981–Future)

The Systems Development Life Cycle—Introduction

The Systems Development Life Cycle—Planning
Identify Initial Situation and Objectives
Evaluate Strengths and Weaknesses
Identify Key Opportunities and Trends
Evaluate Situation and Propose Best Path
Define and Develop Selected Value Proposition
Define Business Architecture

The Systems Development Life Cycle—Analysis
Identification of General Requirements
Identification of Stakeholders
Confirm the Project Scope
Break Down the Problem into Smaller Units
Identification of Requirements by Unit
Propose a Conceptual Model
Develop a Prototype

The Systems Development Life Cycle—Design
Define System Architecture
Define Information Managed
Define Subsystems Identified
Define Interfaces between Subsystems
Define Testing Conditions and Criteria
Define Data Model
Define Integration Criteria
Define Data Conversion Processes
Refine the Prototype

The Systems Development Life Cycle—Build and Test
Prepare the Work Environment
Detailed Design of Work Units
Prepare Individual Test Conditions
Develop Work Units
Conduct Unit Test
Conduct Integration Test
Conduct Load and Stress Test
Conduct Functional Test
Prepare System Documentation
Conduct User Training
Conduct System Deployment

The Systems Development Life Cycle—System Implementation
Define Implementation Plan
Spread User Awareness
Prepare the Work Environment
Perform System Installation
Conduct Acceptance Testing
Transition the System to Operations
Managing Problems Related to Information Systems
Discovery of Difficulties Associated with Defining the Scope
Discovery of Difficulties Affected by Timing
Discovery of Difficulties Identified by Users
Discovery of Difficulties Involving Collaboration with Suppliers and Contractors
Discovery of Difficulties Associated with System Testing
Discovery of Difficulties Associated with System Transition to Operations
Discovery of Difficulties from Other Sources
A Personal Perspective on Difficulties in the IT Environment

Managing Problems Related to Project Management
Stakeholder Perspectives on Project Management Problems
Project Management Planning Problems
Project Work Plan and WBS Construction Challenges
Project Management Methodology Challenges
A Personal Perspective on the Consequences of Poor Project Management
Project Management and Quality Issues
A Personal Perspective on Project Communication Problems
Managing Problems Related to the Project Budget
The IT Share of the Corporate Budget
Elements of Information Technology Costs
Project Management Budget Issues

Managing Problems Related to Value Delivery
Understanding Value-Related Interests of Client-Side Stakeholders
Understanding Value-Related Interests of Supplier-Side Stakeholders
Supplier-Side Perspective of a Client Relationship Model
Supplier-Side Presales Interests and Potential Difficulties

Managing Problems Related to Internal Supplier Issues
Issues Arising from the Supplier’s Human Resources Policy
Human Resources Management: An Examination of Hiring Practices
Issues Arising from the Supplier’s Internal Organization
Issues Arising from the Poor Implementation of Methodologies
Problems Arising from Improper or Ineffective Planning
Issues Arising from Project Management
Issues Arising from Poor Communication
Issues Arising from the Use of Preferred Resources
Issues Arising from the Supplier’s Orientation to the Client

Creating a Methods Approach to Work
Project Team Dynamics
Management Communication
Project Team Expertise and Evaluation
Principles for Team Cohesion
Guidelines for Work Plan Preparation
Methodologies for Software Production
Methodologies Oriented to Business Process Management
Methodologies for the Management of Client and Supplier Relationships
Methodologies Oriented to Project Management
Methodologies Oriented to Systems Integration
Current Conditions in Project Management
The Role of Information Systems in Generating Business Value
Information Systems Maturity Development
Process Management
Today’s Information Systems Maturity
Value Chain and Process Management
Process Mapping
Key Processes
Strategic Processes
Support Processes
Information Systems as a Corporate Process

Opportunities to Create Value through Information Systems
A New Paradigm for Business Value
Defining Information Technology Value
Information Systems Can Help Reduce Costs
Information Systems Can Facilitate Process Improvements
Information Systems Can Assist in Meeting Customer Demands
Information Systems Can Optimize Data Management
Information Systems Can Increase Revenues
Information Systems Can Help Design New Products and Services
Information Systems Can Create Demand

Managing the Return on Investment
Investment Decision Factors
Introduction to Return on Investment
ROI Concepts
Calculating the ROI

Project Analysis and the Business Case
Concepts Applied to Project Planning
The Cost–Benefit Analysis
The Business Case
Evaluate and Select the Appropriate Solution
Define Stakeholder Communication
Tracking Business Interests

Project Classifications in the Business Environment
An Approach to Classifying Different Types of Projects
The Four Types of Consequential Projects
A Case Study for Project Classification

Preparing the Project Definition
Elements of the Project Definition
Project Deliverables
Customer Needs and Interests

Structural Benefits
Scalability
Extensibility
Flexibility
Reliability
Availability
Capacity Required for System Operations
Capacity to Increase Activities
Compatibility
Security and Privacy

Operational Benefits
Standardization of the Platform
Standardization of the Supplier
Standardization of the Application
Consolidation of the System
Cost Reduction
Increasing the Speed of Business
Productivity Improvement
Integration and Standardization

Business Enhancement Benefits
Cost Reduction in Business Processes
Increased Speed of Business Processes
Personal Productivity Improvement in Business Processes
Functional Improvement
Introducing Changes to Business Processes
Facilitating Adherence to Business or Legal Standards

Improved Management Benefits
Superior Access to Information
Superior Reliability of Information
Increased Speed to Access Information
Improved Capacity of Synthesis and Navigation
Enhanced Capacity for Collaboration and Information Sharing
Improved Ability to Refine and Customize Information
Improved Ability to Automatically Recommend and Solve
Information Needs

Index

Author(s) Bio

Jose Lopez Soriano is a Manager at Inndra Sistemas (Public Sector). He has also served as a Consultant for various projects and companies.