Information systems project management

198 Pages·2015·6.759 MB·English

by  Olson, David Louis

O Portfolio and
THE BUSINESS Information Systems Project LS
O Project Management Collection
EXPERT PRESS N
Management
DIGITAL LIBRARIES Timothy Kloppenborg, Editor
David Olson
EBOOKS FOR
Information Systems Project Management addresses project
BUSINESS STUDENTS
management in the context of information systems. It deals
Curriculum-oriented, born-
Information
with general project management principles, with focus
digital books for advanced
on the special characteristics of information systems. It is
business students, written
by academic thought based on an earlier text, but shortened to focus on essential
leaders who translate real- project management elements. Systems
world business experience This updated version presents various statistics indicat-
into course readings and ing endemic problems in completing information system
reference materials for projects on time, within budget, at designed functionality.
Project
students expecting to tackle While successful completion of an information systems
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management and leadership project is a challenge, there are some things that can be NF
challenges during their done to improve the probability of project success. This book OR
professional careers. reviews a number of project management tools, including, M Management
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POLICIES BUILT developing organizational ability to work on projects, better TI
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BY LIBRARIANS systems analysis and design, project estimation, and project N
control and termination. S
(cid:127) Unlimited simultaneous Y
usage David L. Olson is the James & H.K. Stuart professor ST
(cid:127) Unrestricted downloading in MIS and chancellor’s professor at the University of EM
and printing Nebraska. Olson has authored 20 books and has made over S
(cid:127) Perpetual access for a P
200 presentations at international and national conferences R
one-time fee O
on research topics. He is a member of the Decision Sciences JE
(cid:127) No platform or C
Institute, the Institute for Operations Research and T
maintenance fees Management Sciences, and the Multiple Criteria Decision M
(cid:127) Free MARC records A David Olson
(cid:127) No license to execute Making Society. He was a Lowry Mays endowed professor N
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at Texas A&M University from 1999 to 2001. Professor Olson G
The Digital Libraries are a was named the Raymond E. Miles Distinguished Scholar EM
comprehensive, cost-eff ective
award for 2002, and was a James C. and Rhonda Seacrest E
way to deliver practical N
Fellow from 2005 to 2006. He was named Best Enterprise T
treatments of important
Information Systems Educator by IFIP in 2006 and is a
business issues to every
Fellow of the Decision Sciences Institute.
student and faculty member.
For further information, a
free trial, or to order, contact:  Portfolio and
[email protected] Project Management Collection
www.businessexpertpress.com/librarians Timothy Kloppenborg, Editor
Information Systems
Project Management
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Information Systems
Project Management
David L. Olson
University of Nebraska—Lincoln
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Information Systems Project Management
Copyright © Business Expert Press, LLC, 2015.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any
means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other
except for brief quotations, not to exceed 400 words, without the prior
permission of the publisher.
First published in 2015 by
Business Expert Press, LLC
222 East 46th Street, New York, NY 10017
www.businessexpertpress.com
ISBN-13:  978-1-63157-122-0 (paperback)
ISBN-13: 978-1-63157-123-7 (e-book)
Business Expert Press Consumer Behavior Collection
Collection ISSN: 2156-8189 (print)
Collection ISSN: 2156-8200 (electronic)
Cover and interior design by S4Carlisle Publishing Services
Private Ltd., Chennai, India
First edition: 2015
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Printed in the United States of America.
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Table of Contents
Chapter 1 Introduction to Project Management ..........................1
PART I The Human Element ....................................................15
Chapter 2 Human Factors in Information
Systems Project Management ..........................................17
Chapter 3 Project Organization .......................................................31
PART II Project Adoption and Planning ....................................41
Chapter 4 Project Selection and Approval ........................................43
Chapter 5 System Development ......................................................65
PART III Tools ............................................................................91
Chapter 6 Estimation ......................................................................93
Chapter 7 Quantitative Project Scheduling Methods .....................117
PART IV Project Completion ..................................................149
Chapter 8 Project Control and Assessment ....................................151
Chapter 9 Project Implementation .................................................169
References ...........................................................................................179
Index .................................................................................................181
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Preface
This book addresses project management in the context of information
systems. It deals with general project management principles, with focus
on the special characteristics of information systems. It is based on an
earlier text,1 but shortened to focus on essential project management
elements.
An introductory chapter discusses project features in general. The s ystems
perspective provides a useful framework for project analysis. The systems view
is a concept useful for better understanding project purposes. Systems theory
is important in project management because of the unintended c onsequences
often encountered in projects due to complex interrelationships of system
components. By viewing projects as systems, some of these unintended con-
sequences may be anticipated, and prepared for.
Part I of the book focuses attention on the important human element
in information systems projects. Chapter 2 is new, concerning human
factors in information systems projects. Getting people to work toward
the same ends is key to the success of any group activity. Even though
information systems projects involve many technical matters, the human
element continues to be critical. Chapter 3 discusses project organiza-
tional structure. Alternative forms of organization are discussed, focusing
on those that have been successfully applied to project management. The
abilities of various alternative organizational forms to deal with project
uncertainty are discussed.
Part II discusses two processes involved in the initial project definition
stage. Chapter 4 discusses issues concerning the adoption of proposed
projects. A number of quantitative methods are demonstrated, includ-
ing multiple objective analysis. Chapter 5 discusses systems development
options.
Part III involves planning. The planning stage involves specific identi-
fication of how projects are going to be accomplished. Chapter 6 reviews
project estimation practice. Some of the quantitative methods used are
demonstrated. Chapter 7 presents and demonstrates deterministic critical
path methods, and discusses resource leveling and constraining.
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viii PREFACE
Part V deals with project implementation. Chapter 8 discusses proj-
ect control features, and means of assessing project success. Techniques
to deal with a variety of risks involved in software project development
are reviewed. Project implementation issues are examined in Chapter 9,
including detailed discussion of critical success factors.
A feature of the book is an effort to tie content to that of the Project
Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK).2 Each chapter includes ref-
erence to how each chapter relates to the PMBOK structure.
References
1 D.L. Olson. 2004. Introduction to Information Systems Project Management
(Englewood Cliffs, NJ: McGraw-Hill/Irwin).
2 Project Management Institute. 2013. Guide to the Project Management Body of
Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) (Newtown Square, PA: PMI).
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CHAPTER 1
Introduction to Project
Management
Almost every organization gets involved in many projects. A major
reason projects are so important is the fast pace of change, and the
more specialized nature of modern business. Many of these projects
involve information systems, a distinctive type of project. Firms have
to keep at least close to the cutting edge for harnessing the power of
computers in almost every aspect of business. Large accounting firms
have enlarged their information system consulting operations, and
almost all of this type of consulting involves an information systems
project. This means that there are more and more unique activities
drawing people together from diverse locations and diverse organiza-
tions with diverse, specialized skills.
Project management has long been associated with operations
management, and is an important topic in operations management’s
curriculum. There has been an explosion of projects in the field of in-
formation systems. Information systems project management involves
some characteristics different from those found in operations manage-
ment, but many of the same tools can be applied. This is due primar-
ily to the volume of new projects to implement computer technology
that organizations have adopted. There are many useful things that
information technology can do for organizations. The information
technology environment involves high turnover of personnel, turbulent
work environments, and rapidly changing technology. This results in
high levels of uncertainty with respect to time and cost. Despite this
more volatile environment, project management principles applicable
to operations management can often be transferred to the information
system environment.
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