Information Systems Project Management

David Avison is Distinguished Professor of Information Systems at ESSEC Business School, near Paris, France after being Professor at the School of Management at Southampton University for nine years. He has also held posts at Brunel and Aston Universities in England, and the University of Technology Sydney and University of New South Wales in Australia, and elsewhere. He is President-elect of the Association of Information Systems (AIS). He is joint editor of Blackwell Science′s Information Systems Journal now in its eighteenth volume, rated as a ′core′ international journal. So far, twenty-five books are to his credit including the fourth edition of the well-used text Information Systems Development: Methodologies, Techniques and Tools (jointly authored with Guy Fitzgerald).  He has published a large number of research papers in learned journals, edited texts and conference papers. He was Chair of the International Federation of Information Processing (IFIP) 8.2 group on the impact of IS/IT on organisations and society and is now vice chair of IFIP technical committee 8. He was past President of the UK Academy for Information Systems and also chair of the UK Heads and Professors of IS and is presently member of the IS Senior Scholars Forum. He was joint programme chair of the International Conference in Information Systems (ICIS) in Las Vegas (previously also research programme stream chair at ICIS Atlanta), joint programme chair of IFIP TC8 conference at Santiago Chile, programme chair of the IFIPWG8.2 conference in Amsterdam, panels chair for the European Conference in Information Systems at Copenhagen and publicity chair for the entity-relationship conference in Paris and chair of several other UK and European conferences. He will be joint program chair of the IFIP TC8 conference in Milan, Italy in 2008. He also acts as consultant and has most recently worked with a leading manufacturer developing their IT/IS strategy. He researches in the area of information systems development and more generally on information systems in their natural organizational setting, in particular using action research, though he has also used a number of other qualitative research approaches.

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