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