Risk Management for IT Projects

The rate of failure of IT projects has remained little changed in survey after survey over the past 15-20 years—over 40-50%. This has happened in spite of new technology, innovative methods and tools, and different management methods. Why does this happen? Why can’t the situation be better? One reason is that many think of each IT effort as unique. In reality many IT projects are very similar at a high, strategic level. Where they differ is in the people and exact events—the detail. If you read the literature or have been in information systems or IT for some time, you have seen the same reasons for failure and the same problems and issues recur again and again.

In this book IT Management experts Ben Lientz and Lee Larssen show you how to identify and track the recurring issues leading to failure in IT projects and provide a proven, modern method for addressing them. By following the recommendations in this books readers can significantly reduce the risk of IT failures and increase the rate of success. Benefits of using this approach:

• Issues are identified earlier—giving more time for solution and action.

• Issues are resolved more consistently since the approach tracks on their repetition.

• You get an early warning of problems in IT work—before the budget or schedule fall apart.

• Management tends to have more realistic expectations with an awareness of issues.

• Users and managers have greater confidence in IT due to the improved handling of issues.

• Since the number of issues tends to stabilize in an organization, the IT organization and management get better at detecting, preventing, and dealing with issues over time—cumulative improvement.

• Giving attention to issues make users more realistic in their requests and acts to deter requirement changes and scope creep.