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Information Systems Project Management, first and second editions presents the following major themes:
We are pleased to announce the publication of the Second Edition of the acclaimed Information Systems Project Management. The Second Edition has been updated with new material such as:
This table gives the contents of each edition of Information Systems Project Management, the contents of the original are noted in column 1 and those of the Second Edition in column 2.
Each week, we will post a topic from the origina edition of Information Systems Project Management to this web page. The Excerpt of the Week is identified in the Table of Contents with an asterisk. Building the Environment for Commitment [Last week, we presented several conditions for building the environment to nourish commitment from project team members. This week, we look at the remainder.] 8. Defend your team. There will come a time when members of your team will come under attack; from the client, management, external participants, or other team members. The quality of your team-building will depend upon how you respond. Of course, if the attack is unjustified or the charges are mitigated by circumstances unknown to the attacker, you will defend the team member. However, the real test of your team-building skills happens when the attack is reasonable and when you observe that, were you in the attacker’s position, you would do the same. This is a test because, in these cases, you must also defend the team member. When the charge is justified, your only defense may be to say, “I am not going to be pressured into acting prematurely. I will investigate this, but right now I’m not going to do anything until I have had the chance to check it out.” Then investigate and, if discipline is called for, apply it, but only to the extent that you believe is justified. Defending someone who has made serious errors is not easy, but your reasons for doing so are to maintain the integrity of the team. If, when someone complains to you about a team member, you agree with the complainant and confirm the criticism, you are committing two errors: you are condemning the person without a hearing and you are setting an environment in which complaints are an acceptable means of dealing with others. 9. Remove obstacles. What is interfering with the work? Is the temperature too high or too low? Is the room noisy? Is it smoky? Is the equipment archaic? You must be relentless in finding out what annoys and slows down the team. Then, to the extent of your ability, fix the problem or admit to the team that you cannot fix it and they’ll have to adjust. Part of removing obstacles is finding them. Since most people will not complain, you must actively seek problems. Do so in public and in private. If they see you committed to making their lives better, they will give you their problems—and higher effort. 10. Praise in public. When people do things right, let them know. Identify what they have done and why it is praiseworthy. Above, all, praise in public. Everyone likes ego stroking, even the warm embarrassment that comes when others hear it. Praise everything that deserves praise. If someone looks especially sharp, praise. If someone has just completed a course, praise. If someone has been elected to the local school board, praise. The purpose of praise is to make people feel better. Such people will be far more willing to commit to the project than the person who, despite having put in fifty hours so far this week, has just been chewed out for coming in fifteen minutes late. 11. Correct in private. Sometimes you will have to correct or discipline team members. The worst way is to criticize them in front of others. Not only does it make an enemy, it reminds the others of the abyss between you, the manager, and them, the flunkies. Public criticism creates distance and builds isolation. Correct or discipline in private and always follow three steps: a. Describe the specific behavior that is a problem. (“On these three occasions, you committed to deliver something by a certain date, and you did not deliver.”) b. Identify the results of the behavior. (“On the first occasion, we could not start integration for a week and the integration team had to put in overtime to catch up. On the second occasion,....”) c. State what is required. (“You have now committed to deliver results by the fifteenth. I expect you to do whatever is necessary to get the work done, or to let me know now if there will be a problem.”) Never criticize personality (“You’re not proactive enough.”) It’s mean-spirited and probably wrong, and there’s nothing anyone can do about it anyway. 12. Facilitate communication. One of the characteristics of a team is togetherness. Therefore, get them together. If you cannot physically put them in the same place, make sure they can easily communicate with e-mail or phone mail. People will do what the structure of the workplace dictates: The harder it is to communicate, the less communication there will be. 13. Thank people. Thank people liberally. Thank them for putting in extra time or helping someone else out or recommending a solution or telling you of a problem or taking a phone message or delivering a result or doing anything else that may help the project. Thank them even for doing the work they are paid to do. Why thank people? Why not? It makes them feel good and it’s free. One way to thank people is materially. Give them some time off. Buy a candy jar and keep it filled. Bring doughnuts to the team meetings. Take them out to lunch. Simple expressions of gratitude make it easier for people to want the project to succeed. Wanting success is the first step to commitment.
Comments, Reviews, and Citations Datamation magazine, November 1997, features an adaptation from Information Systems Project Management. The article, "The politics of projects" describes the importance of managing people in delivering project success. Review the article at the Datamation website at http://www.datamation.com/PlugIn/issues/1997/november/11book.html. The Web Developer's Journal for May 19, 1998 carries a review of Information Systems Project Management. You can read their review on-line at http://webdevelopersjournal.com/books/is_project_mgmt.html. PMForum carries a description of Information Systems Project Management. You can read their comments at http://www.pmforum.org/pmwt01/publications01-06.htm The Entrepreneurship Institute of Canada carries a description of Information Systems Project Management. You can read their comments at http://www.entinst.ca/AMA-CO-Information%20Systems%20Project%20Management.htm Palm Books24X7 carries a description and synopsis of Information Systems Project Management. You can read their comments at http://palm.books24x7.com/library.asp?ct=toc.asp&bkid=1676 MindLeaders includes Information Systems Project Management in its End User Select Reference Library. The complete library is available at http://www.mindleaders.com/pdfs/EndUserReferenceList.pdf Wainscott Finch Associates, Project Management Evangelists, carries a description and synopsis of Information Systems Project Management. You can read their comments at http://www.wainscottfinch.com/newsletter/2001/e-Project%20Manager%20Today!%2004-21-2001.htm Resource Development Systems carries a description and synopsis of Information Systems Project Management. You can read their comments at http://www.rds-net.com/shop/detail.asp?sku=30-0368-9 The Australian Computer Society NSW, Project Management Special Interest Group includes Information Systems Project Management as one of its recommended books. You can check out the other recommendations at http://www.acs.org.au/nsw/sigs/pm/resources.htm The IEEE Engineering Management Review includes Information Systems Project Management on its "Engineering Management Great Books List." You can review the list at http://www.ewh.ieee.org/soc/ems/emr/archives/greatbooks.html Pearson Education cites Information Systems Project Management several times in its sample chapter on Project Management. You can read the chapter at http://vig.pearsoned.com/samplechapter/0028639669.pdf BusinessPro Books carries a description and synopsis of Information Systems Project Management. You can read their comments at http://businesspro.books24x7.com/library.asp?ct=books.asp&catid=7050 IT World cites Information Systems Project Management in its article "Managing your three-ring circus." You can read the entire article at http://www.itworld.com/Career/1965/IW000313caproject/ MeansBusiness cites Information Systems Project Management in its section on Project Management. You can read the entire section at http://www.leadershipandchangebooks.com/Leadership-and-Change-Books/Project-Managers.htm Professional Advantage includes Information Systems Project Management in its bibliography in its paper, "Buying a New System, Doing the Sums." You can read the complete paper at http://www.pa.com.au/greatplains/downloads/article/buying_a_new_system.pdf The University of Wisconsin at Green Bay lists Information Systems Project Management as one of its recommended books for Information and Computing Sciences. You can read the reference at http://www.uwgb.edu/laplantb/InfoTech/netLibrary.htm IQ Reference carries a description and synopsis of Information Systems Project Management. You can read their comments at http://iqreference.books24x7.com/library.asp?ct=books.asp&catid=7012
EXPERIENCE SUMMARY Mr. Hallows is a Consultant with a background in systems consulting and project management. His assignments have included strategic planning, requirements analyses, technology reviews, systems development, project management, and project management reviews. His assignments have required him to work at the most senior levels of client organizations. His clients have included Federal, Provincial, State, and Municipal Government Ministries and Departments, a large pension fund, national retailers, a community college, manufacturers, aerospace companies, and several public utilities. He has consulted on information systems strategic planning, conducted requirements definitions, led design teams, prepared cost/benefit studies, and provided other consulting advice to clients. As a senior project manager, he has developed a project management methodologies and has presented courses in project management. Mr. Hallows has written numerous articles on various business topics for the trade press and the mass media. He is the author of Information Systems Project Management (AMACOM, 1997) and The Project Management Office Toolkit (AMACOM, 2001).
Both editions of Information Systems Project Management are available through special order from bookstores. Specify ISBN 0-8144-0368-9 for the original edition and ISBN 0-8144-7273-7 for the Second Edition. The book is also available online from AMACOM at http://www.amanet.org/books/index.htm, the Project Management Institute bookstore at www.pmibookstore.org or Amazon Books at www.amazon.com.
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