Making Technology Investments Profitable

JACK M. KEEN is founder and president of The Deciding Factor, Inc., www.decidingfactor.com, an international provider of ROI business case tools, ROI content, workshops, and consulting. He is a noted speaker, trainer, and consultant on effective ROI methods for clients on four continents. Over 7,000 people worldwide have been trained on his acclaimed VALUE-on-Demand(TM) methods. He can be reached at jkeen@decidingfactor.com. BONNIE DIGRIUS is Vice President of The Deciding Factor, Inc. She consults to senior executives on issues of vital importance to the enterprise, such as IT evaluation methods. She has advised over 5,000 senior managers to include CEOs, CIOs, CFOs, and VPs of Fortune 1,000 firms. She has been frequently quoted in such publications as The Wall Street Journal, Fortune, BusinessWeek and the New York Times, and has been interviewed on CNBC-TV. She can be reached at bdigrius@decidingfactor.com.

Introduction.About the Authors.1. Why IT Projects Falter and How Astute BusinessCases Help Save the Day.When IT Project Problems Are Really ROI Problems.IT Projects: Too Many Failures, Too Many Times.How Hidden ROI Problems Torpedo IT Success.The Business Case: Flawed Afterthought orIT Value Star? Spotting Business Case Defects.Six Ways Good Business Cases Shape Project Success.2. How to Recognize a Trustworthy Business Case.The Business Case as a Trusted Scout.Using the Seven C's to Assess Content Quality.The Seven C's of Content Quality.The Seven C's Content Audit Tool for Business Cases.3. The Importance of Good Processes.Why Process Really Matters.Business Case-Grounded Processes DriveBusiness Results.Substandard Business Case Processes Abound.Costs of Tolerating Process Problems Are High.Symptoms of Process Problems.Types of Process Problems.Detecting Process Problems.The Process Audit Tool for Business Cases.4. Defining: Steps 1, 2, and 3 to Building BetterBusiness Cases.Seven Hats for Seven Steps.Step 1: SCOPE (Who Expects What?).SCOPE in a Nutshell.SCOPE Explained.Description of Tasks.Step 2: CRITERIA (Who Cares About What?).CRITERIA in a Nutshell.CRITERIA Explained.Description of Tasks.Hitting the Dartboard-of-Value .Using the ValueBoard.Using a Balanced Scorecard-Oriented ValueBoard.Establishing Key Themes.Finding Crucial but Elusive Criteria.Step 3: ALIGN (Connect the Dots.).ALIGN in a Nutshell.ALIGN Explained.Using the Value Ladder to Display Alignment.Using the Seven Tests of Alignment.5. Assessing: Steps 4, 5, and 6 to Building BetterBusiness Cases.Introduction.Step 4: CALCULATE (Show the Money.).CALCULATE in a Nutshell.CALCULATE Explained.Using the PayoffCard.Description of Tasks.Step 5: PROVE (Who Says So?).PROVE in a Nutshell.PROVE Explained.Description of Tasks.Step 6: ANALYZE (Find the Winner.).ANALYZE in a Nutshell.ANALYZE Explained.Description of Tasks.6. Delivering: Step 7 to Building Better Business Cases.Introduction.Step 7: STORYTELL (Explain It.).STORYTELL in a Nutshell.STORYTELL Explained.Description of Tasks.7. Finding Hidden Value Others Miss.Who Has the Value? Finding Commonly Overlooked Value Areas.Knowing Where to Look.Knowing What to Look For.8. Handling Intangibles: An Emotional Enigmaof the IT Evaluation.The Intangibles Factor : Controversial Yet Crucial.What Is Intangibility, and Why Is It Controversial? Managing Intangibles with Skill and Style.Five Ways to Handle Intangibles.Converting Intangibles to Tangibles.Using the Scoresheet to Manage Intangibles.An Intangibility Policy Memo.Tips on Management of Intangibles.9. Using ROI Storytelling to DriveHome the Message.Why ROI Storytelling Drives Home the Message.Principles of Good ROI Storytelling.Pick the Right Story for the Right Audience.Build Stories That Touch Human Hearts.Use Vivid Language.Be Succinct.Stay Alert for Story Ideas.10. Selecting: Prioritizing Projects withConfidence and Ease.IT Project Selection: Replacing Anxietywith Confidence.A Simple Project Prioritization Process.How Are We Doing? A Quick IT Selection ProcessAudit.A Simple Project Prioritzation Scoresheet.Uses.PPS in Action: Three Worthwhile Projects,One Bag of Funds.Understanding the Project PrioritizationScoresheet (PPS).A Vendor Comparison Prioritization Scoresheet.Business Case Submittal Standards.Using Standardized Decision Criteria.P3 Implementation Guidelines for theEvaluation Team.11. Tracking: Making Sure Benefits Get Realized.Benefits Realization: Fantasy or Fact? The IT Benefits Realization Process Audit.Principles of a Good IT BenefitsRealization Process.How Good Business Cases Contribute to ITBenefits Realization Succes.The Value Ladder: A Tool for ClarifyingBenefits Realization Targets.12. How Vendors Use Business Case ROI toHelp Buyers Buy Better.The Culprits and Costs of Value Neglect .Buyers Want More, Better ROI Help from Vendors.Recognizing Vendors with Throwaway ROI .Recognizing Vendors with Business Case ROI .What Buyers Are Demanding from Vendor ROI Help.A Vendor's Road Map for ImprovingROI-Focused Selling.What Is ROI-Focused Selling and Its Benefits? 18 Places in the Sales Cycle Where ROI Tools Help.All ROI Tools Are Not Created Equal.Top 10 Mistakes Vendors Make with ROI Tools.A Six-Point Strategy for Upgrading Vendor ROI Efforts.Vendor ROI Strategy Audits Identify Improvement Needs.How Vendors Create a Compelling ROI ValueProposition Template.Appendix A: Sample Business Case.Appendix B: Generic ROI Template forProcess-Oriented Justifications.Appendix C: Recap of ROI Discovery Tools inThis Book.Appendix D: Web Site Resources.Appendix E: Bibliography.Appendix F: Glossary.Index.