Information Systems Project Management—David Olson
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Session 2: Human Aspects of
Information System Project
Management
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Information Systems Project Management—David Olson
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Learning Outcomes
• Students be able to identify the role of human
resources in managing project
• Students be able to explain the role of project
manager
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Information Systems Project Management—David Olson
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Discussion Topics
• Communication
• Differences: Functional & Project
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References
•
•
Information Systems Project Management,
David Olson, Olson, David L., 2003,
Introduction to Information Systems
Project Management, 2nd Ed.,
McGrawHill, ISBN: 0-07-282402-6.
Schwalbe, Kathy, 2003, Information
Technology Project Management, 3rd Ed.,
Course Technology, Inc., ISBN: 0619159847.
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Organizational Forces Impeding IS
Success Ward [1995]
1. Project scope & objectives rarely communicated
to project team
2. Business rationale for project rarely
disseminated
3. Project budgets inaccurate (or skipped)
4. Lack of project support
5. Project control contested or not firmly
established
6. Rules changed during project execution
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Project Communication
• Communications barriers natural
– Within or across organizations
• In traditional organizations, people cope
– In Projects, don’t know ropes
• (projects are new)
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Information Systems Project Management—David Olson
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Customer Relationship Management
Marks & Frolick [2001]
• Popular advanced information technology
• Data mine large sets of data
– Find details of what each customer wants
– Customer segmentation
– Cross-selling
• Very expensive
– Return can be very high
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CRM Project
• Implementation of data warehouse
– Needed to store large amount of data
– Monitor value of each customer
– Cross-selling opportunities
• Hired consultant to help implement
– Needed to merge many brand files
• Problems
–
–
–
–
Defining database fields
Lack of cooperation across brands
No influential project champion
Consultant didn’t understand organization
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CRM Project cont.
• Initial project failed
• Second attempt
–
–
–
–
More focused goals established
New project leadership
Consultants let go
Less functionality, more controllable
• 2nd effort successful, project profitable
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Project Managers
• Get work done through outsiders
– Diverse people on project team
• Different skill sets
• From different organizations
• Projects are temporary
– Matrix common
• Dual lines of authority
• Requires ability to convince
• Generalist rather than specialist
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Comparison
Functional manager
Project manager
Clear authority; quasipermanent; can direct
Low authority; temporary;
must convince
Established organization
Developing organization
Long-term relationships
Short-term relationships
Small set of skills managed
Diverse set of skills managed
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Summary
• IS Project Managers need special abilities
– Get things done without authority
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