useful if you don't have much of a clue
Rating:
3 / 5
I got this book amongst other related ones, for a management learning project I participate in. My background in formal evaluation of IT projects is essentially zero.
I expected this book to provide me with some oversight on the topic, and practical tools amd methods to carry out the assignment.
The book delivers on both aspects, so I feel I have to explain why I give it only a "fair" 3 stars rating.
The book conveys a host of conventional wisdom nicely and orderly packaged, a lot of "practical" stuff (that I don't expect to be able to use in practice though), and a "solution to any situation in 11 steps" attitude, all of which imho make it essentially a sort of consultant-held 2-day course in written form.
Also, it's useful in that you don't get confused with several approaches, but just the ROI approach may not be enough. You'll likely need more than this to get the job done.
In conclusion, it's a good book, but not something you can't do without, nor particularly enlightening, nor your definitive source on this topic.
Make sure your IT investments are profitable.
Rating:
5 / 5
If you really want to make sure your IT investments are making money to your organization, this is the book that will help you to get the right and supported answer.
Jack M Keen describes in a very detailed way how to track the benefits and real business value from the IT Investments. Is a well written and fast, easy to read book that worth's every dollar you spend on it.
Don't have any doubts; this may be the more useful book you may get about the subject. I have read others (Like IT Payoff, and others) and are OK, but this is the more practical and useful of all.
Raises the bar in business case development
Rating:
5 / 5
I have a pile of books that address the same subject and would not have picked this one up if a colleague had not persistently badgered me into reading it. Instead of yet another tome on business cases, ROI and value, I discovered what to me is the absolute best book on the following three areas:(1) business case development - the authors shine here by showing how to craft a realistic business case that does look at the important factors and benefits. More importantly, you're shown how NOT to write a business case, and common problems with too many business cases that are presented (and all-too-often accepted). This aspect of the book alone raises the bar in business case development. (2) properly computing ROI that is real - in many organizations ROI is a forbidden word and NPV used instead. One reason for this is it's rarely computed correctly. Before reading this book I used ROI as a quick and dirty gage, but always looked to NPV as the deciding factor when exploring the feasibility to a project or solution. The way the authors expose fallacies of improper ROI computation, and how to avoid them is invaluable, and will restore credibility to ROI as a realistic indicator. (3) assuring value - the VALUE-on-Demand approach the authors propose is a straightforward method for evaluating, selecting and prioritizing projects. This methodology has no flaws that I can find, and will add structure, clarity and process to governance. Regardless of your experience, there is much to learn from this book. It can serve as a company 'how-to' guide and standard as is with little-to-no tailoring, and represents the best book I own on business case development and determining ROI. It's also one of the best books on establishing a viable governance program I've read.
|