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Information Systems Project Management
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Information Systems Project Management



August 2008 | 496 pages | SAGE Publications, Inc
View IS project management as an art as well as a science. . . .

There are a number of books out there on project management. What is different and specific about this book?

  • There is a balance between socio-cultural and technical aspects and there is a balance between qualitative and quantitative aspects – project management is seen as both an art and a science.
  • It provides an information systems orientation for project management: neither information technology oriented on the one side nor production and operations oriented on the other, but of application to both within an organizational-wide view.
  • It stresses information systems as a whole, not just software development – no project is successful if only software aspects are considered.
  • It gives a truly international view of the domain – examples and experiences from different parts of the world add richness as well as context to the material. Globalization has ensured that most projects take on an international dimension.
  • The book provides a coherent explanation of the concerns of the project manager as the project develops through the project life cycle – it does not follow a 'kitchen sink approach'.
  • Each chapter has the following consistent structure: introduction and outline, an exhibit, the main text with examples, chapter summary, exercises, discussion questions, interview with project manager and appendix – this structure provides coherence and consistency.
  • The exhibit, interview and appendix contain real-world examples, experiences, case studies, discussion material, software descriptions and professional codes – these provide material for class discussion and group work.
  • The material has been used on our courses in the United States, Europe and Australia, given to practitioners as well as students (both undergraduate and postgraduate) – it has been well tested as part of our own project managemenThe material in this text has been proven successful through repeated use in courses in the United States, Europe, and Australia, by practitioners as well as undergraduate and postgraduate students.


Intended Audience
This core text is designed for advanced undergraduate and graduate courses such as Management Information Systems, Computer Information Systems, Information Systems, and Decision and Information Systems in the departments of information systems, information technology, and business.


 
1. Introducing Information Systems Project Management
What is an information system?

 
What is project management?

 
Why ‘information systems’ project management?

 
Project management in modern organizations

 
Principles, techniques and tools

 
Information systems project life cycle

 
Stakeholders

 
Project management and ethics

 
Text content and objectives

 
Interview with a project manager

 
Chapter summary

 
Appendix to Chapter 1: Codes of Behavior

 
 
2. Aligning the Information Systems Project with Organizational Goals
Project management portfolio

 
Setting priorities for project management

 
What is a strategic plan?

 
A strategic plan and information systems project management

 
Organizational mission, goals and objectives

 
Planning

 
Achieving alignment

 
Project proposal and management support

 
Public relations

 
Change management

 
Interview with a project manager

 
Chapter summary

 
Appendix to Chapter 2: IT Failure in Australia

 
 
3. Using an Information Systems Development Methodology
What is an information systems development methodology?

 
Structured systems analysis and design method (SSADM)

 
Dynamic systems development method (DSDM)

 
Software development

 
Issues

 
Interview with a project manager

 
Chapter summary

 
Appendix to Chapter 3: Do IS and IT matter? Whose side are you on?

 
 
4. Defining Project Scope
Requirements definition

 
Project scope

 
Work breakdown structure

 
Work breakdown structure as a management tool

 
Work breakdown structure approach

 
Assigning responsibility

 
Structured walkthroughs

 
Programs and projects

 
Interview with a project manager

 
Chapter summary

 
Appendix to Chapter 4: Hendrich Electronics Incorporated

 
 
5. Estimating Project Costs and Benefits
Estimating costs and benefits

 
Project value

 
Resource estimates

 
Estimating software development costs

 
Multiple estimates

 
Phase estimating

 
Practical considerations

 
Group decision support systems

 
Interview with a project manager

 
Chapter summary

 
Appendix to Chapter 5: Customer Relationship Management at MedicalCo

 
 
6. Managing Information Systems Project Time and Resources
Time as a resource

 
Monitoring time

 
Project activity network

 
Critical path analysis

 
Estimating activity duration

 
Resource implications

 
Avoiding project delay

 
Interview with a project manager

 
Chapter summary

 
Appendix to Chapter 6: An Introduction to Microsoft Project

 
 
7. Leading Information Systems Projects
Trust

 
Communication skills

 
Planning

 
Stress management

 
Conflict management

 
Essential skills and qualities of effective project managers

 
Being a good team member

 
Careers in project management

 
Interview with a project manager

 
Chapter summary

 
Appendix to Chapter 7: NGC Natural Gas Company

 
 
8. Developing the Project Plan
Purpose of a project plan

 
Project planning process

 
Planning and project success

 
Practical considerations

 
Projects in controlled environments (PRINCE)

 
Interview with a project manager

 
Chapter summary

 
Appendix to Chapter 8: London Ambulance – From Failure to Success

 
 
9. Forming the Project Team
Team as a core of activity

 
Team work attitudes

 
Team and project success

 
Team development

 
Team and project execution

 
Interview with a project manager

 
Chapter summary

 
Appendix to Chapter 9: The Sarbanes-Oxley Act

 
 
10. Assessing Project Risk
Sources of information systems project risk

 
Identifying information systems project risks

 
Evaluating information systems project risks

 
Responding to project risks

 
Implementing responses to risks

 
Focusing on the benefits

 
Interview with a project manager

 
Chapter summary

 
Appendix to Chapter 10: How to Transform a Failing Project

 
 
11. Outsourcing and Offshoring Information Systems Projects
Outsourcing IS activities

 
Offshoring IS activities

 
Risks in offshore outsourcing activities

 
Opportunities and challenges

 
The management of offshore information systems projects

 
Interview with a project manager

 
Chapter summary

 
Appendix to Chapter 11: Beltech Incorporated

 
 
12. Ensuring Project Quality
Quality matters

 
Quality management

 
International quality standards

 
Capability maturity model (CMM)

 
Quality planning

 
Quality control techniques

 
Statistical quality control

 
Interview with a project manager

 
Chapter summary

 
Appendix to Chapter 12: IT project management at A-Bank (Part 1) - Implementation

 
 
13. Measuring Project Success
Project failure

 
Evaluating information systems: A broader view

 
Causes of failure

 
Project success

 
User satisfaction

 
Perceived usefulness

 
Interview with a project manager

 
Chapter summary

 
Appendix to Chapter 13: IT project management at A-Bank (Part 2) - Evaluation

 
 
14. Closing the Project
Administrative closure

 
Performance appraisal

 
Information systems project audit

 
Interview with a project manager

 
Chapter summary

 
Appendix to Chapter 14: Reflections on IT project management

 

This book provides a good support for project management courses. It focuses on IS projects which makes it more specific. I would recommend to use it in PM courses with focus on IS, but not in specialized Information Systems Development courses. Information related to IS development methodologies and exercises using MS Project are rather limited. Nonetheless, the book is a good source for further reading.

Ms Olga Stawnicza
Faculty of Business Admin and Economic, Viadrina European University
December 17, 2015

I found this to book to be a highly essential guide that aligns with the course that i am delivering. I will be putting title forward to be a core text

Mr Andrew Faulkner
Business, South Devon College
September 16, 2015

not enough backgroud on project management tools (MS Project or Oracle's Primavera)

Professor Ruediger Breitschwerdt
Informationsmanagement & Wirtschaftsinformatik, University of Osnabruck
June 18, 2013

Methodology in this book is treated as systems development methodology, instead of project management methodology, which makes the focus too narrow for an IS/IT course. Agile is only given a cursory couple of pages, and some of the other sections are patchy.

Mr Grenville Lannon
School of Computing and Informatics, Nottingham Trent University
December 20, 2011

I think it is a good and thorough book, especially since it covers and exemplifies the use of a modern project management tool and talks about risks in an IS project. However, it is also a bit too much for our new beginners.

We might take it under new consideration in the future, since we have a special course on project management. I will give the book to the teacher in question.

Professor Odd Steen
Department of Informatics, Lund University
September 23, 2010
Key features
  • Provides a balanced approach between socio-culutural and technical issues as well as between qualitative and quantitative issues to depict project management as both a science and an art.
  • Has a international viewpoint with well-known and experienced authors based in Europe and the US
  • Includes appications of both information technology and production-operations management with a focus on information systems to demonstrate the real environment that exists for IS projects.
  • Contains the training and professional elements necessary for those preparing for professional certification examinations (although not designed for any one specific examination).

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