Book Description

This book introduces information systems and their underlying technologies to readers, laying a solid foundation of knowledge before discussing their use and management.Chapter topics cover hardware, software, database, and networking technologies; Internet and World Wide Web technologies; using information systems for electronic business, decision making, and business integration; managing information systems for strategic advantage; managing the development and purchase of information systems; and managing security, disaster recovery, and data retention.For individuals interested in a career in business, with an interest—but little or no knowledge of—information systems and the field of IT. ... Read more

Book Description

This unique and timely new book looks to the future of Information Technology management by examining what has been collectively learned from past research and business activities.Edited by Bob Zmud, Professor and Michael F. Price Chair of MIS at the University of Oklahoma, the book consists of 19 chapters covering topics of most pressing interest and importance to information systems practitioners, researchers, instructors and students.Each chapter is written by an individual or individuals internationally known and recognized as IT authorities and scholars.Each chapter:- Explains the importance of the topic in terms of today's (and tomorrow's) globally competitive business environment. - Identifies the key issues associated with the topic. - Provides the reader with one or more conceptual frames with which to view the chapter's content. - Overviews the best scholarly research done to date in the topic area, explaining what we currently know and what we don't know. -Suggests those issues regarding the topic that would most benefit from research over the next few years. - Is written in a style that is accessible to non-academics or to readers unfamiliar with the prior research in a given area.Contributing Authors: Ritu Agarwal

Maryam Alavi Soon Ang Anitesh Barua Izak Benbasat Marie-Claude Boudreau Marianne Broadbent James Dean David Feeny Robert Fichman Joey George

Varun Grover William Kettinger Laurie Kirsch Mary Lacity M. Lynne Markus Tridas Mukhopadhyay Lorne Olfman Proadpran Pitsataorn Daniel Robey Jeanne Ross V. Sambamurthy Jeffrey Sampler Carol Saunders Albert Segars Sandra Slaughter Cornelis Tanis Peter Todd Peter Weill Leslie WillcocksThe content, scope and quality of the material make this book a must have for ITresearchers, IT scholars and academics, IT graduate students and ITprofessionals/practitioners. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Academic, but contains fresh thinking and great ideas
Of all of the recent books on IT organization, strategic planning and operations management, this is without a doubt the best. I'm making this statement, in part, because the book squarely addresses some thorny issues with which I am currently grappling. These issues include organizing for effective and responsive service delivery and optimal use of IT as an enabling business resource. The issues that I am facing define the most appropriate audience for this book - if you are facing the same challenges, then this book is going to be immensely useful.

Highlights based on my requirements and research areas are:

Section 1-The Value-Adding Consequences of Information Technologies: "Managing Organizational Knowledge" and "Virtual Teams: Piecing Together the Puzzle" were two highly interesting and well-written essays that go to the essence of how to use IT to deliver value to the business.

Section 2-Successfully Implementing Technologies and Technology-Based Solutions: "Individual Acceptance of Information Technologies" was the best essay in this section. It provided some real insights into the critical success factors for effecting organizational change from process and systems viewpoints. Well worth reading if you are trying to effect organizational change.

Section 3-The Intertwining of Business Strategy and Information Technology: Every essay in this section is worth a careful read and some reflection. There was an almost overwhelming amount of fresh ideas here. There were also some mundane material, but overall, this section is valuable.

Section 4-Information Technology Management in an Information Age: The section's title is trite, but the essays are not. Of the four sections in this book this one was less academic and addressed real world issues head on.

A few facts about this book needs to be understood: (1) it's somewhat academic in nature, (2) there is a coherent theme, but not a sequential "how to" book - it's a collection of highly focused essays, (3) the topic areas have some overlap. I personally gained much from the book as a whole and view it as an investment in knowledge. Because of its theme and focus it may or may not be a good choice for all readers.

A good starting place
This is an excellent resource for anyone interested in an introduction to various issues in IS/IT research and management. It provides a starting place for the interested reader, and provides references if you would like to find the state of the art in current research. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

good content - badly written
The content of the book is obviously interesting for people starting a help desk or any IT service department. I would just like to stress that it is badly written. Typical I-don't-have-much-to-say-but-I-will-say-it-in-200-pages syndrom. Example? p36 "Problem can be discovered either before or after they occur" Waow, that's information! p35 "Problem identification is simply the processes, methods, and tools used by the service center to indentify a problem". Hey M Walker, never learnt one should not use a word in its own definition?
What's more the book isn't much instructive. Example? It is said that one can use the "queuing theory" the anticipate resource needs but don't expect the book to explain what this theory is.

Complete Guide to Service Center Processes
This is a great book for anyone involved in help desk or service center activities. I recommend this book for all IT professionals involved with production systems or anyone interested in IT methodology. This book gives the reader an appreciation for the documented processes and documentation that must be in place for a successful help desk venture.

This book has process flows for the entire problem management arena complete with guidelines on how to pick the most successful strategy for your company. It helps you with the decision process by offering pros and cons for each strategy so that you can tailor the strategy for your own goals and objectives. Also present are strategies for escalating problems and the structure that must be in place to support the strategy.

Other strong points of this book include the detail provided concerning the problem prioritization process, documented Triage processes, and escalation procedures. It also covers the documentation that must exist in order for a help desk to strive for cost effectiveness while meeting the goals of its customers.

This books helps IT professionals in the decision making process, whether you are currently involved in help desk activities, preparing to start a help desk, or migrating your current help desk into a service center. I gave this book to our help desk and they quickly ordered a couple of copies for the other managers. This is truly a first rate narrative.

Unique book that fills a gap in service delivery literature
This book does, indeed, represent the first of its kind to extend problem management from a help desk function to an enterprise-wide process. Moreover, it contains some of the best practices and processes I have ever seen in print.

Here are some of the highlights of what the book proposes that I know from experience works in an optimal fashion:

*Managed response model, where the help desk validates issues, prioritizes them and sends them immediately to the proper tier-2 group for resolution. This is far superior to a model where the help desk attempts to resolve the issue because too many go to tier-2 anyway. In my experience the managed response model more closely aligns IT to business (tier-2 also functions in an account management role if the process and organization is mature), and there is no hand-off (tier-2 owns the problem, the help desk owns the problem management process).

*The concept of a service catalog (sometimes called reference data or systems taxonomy) that allows you to capture metrics that lend themselves to Pareto analysis for system failures, etc. This is important for prioritizing fixes and patches to be released in future versions of an application.

*Clear definitions of severity, priority, escalation and elevation. These are too often misunderstood or misused terms, yet each is an important element of problem management.

*Detailed process for escalation and notification, which is not always implemented properly if implemented at all.

*Linking problem management to service level objectives and business goals. This is alluded to in many help desk books, but rarely addressed in the detail that this book provides.

*Alignment of problem management to other related processes, notably, change management. Finally, this dependency is recognized and discussed in a mainstream book. *Complete strategy for gathering and analyzing *relevant* metrics. Some gaps, but the approach is on target.

*Service delivery as a concept and process is clearly described. I cannot count the times I have had to define "service delivery" and distinguish it from "application delivery" (the former addresses supporting applications in production, the latter is how they are developed and released into production - operations and maintenance vs. development and project management).

Nothing is perfect, and here are some of the gaps I found:

*No clearly defined acceptance criteria for bringing applications into production - the service center (help desk) should get, at a minimum, service level agreements, application profiles, troubleshooting guides and a criticality profile for every application going into production. These should be considered to be the minimum entry criteria for supporting an application.

*Excellent discussion on priorities was marred by a lack of discussion about how to go about establishing a uniform baseline. I use a spreadsheet developed with a colleague that computes a criticality profile based on quantitative and qualitative measures. In my opinion there needs to be an enterprise-wide set of criteria for determining the criticality of applications if prioritization of issues is going to be repeatable.

*While the metrics approach is comprehensive it does not address aged issues. Consider how much more effective and meaningful it is to know how many open issues are over 1, 2, 4 and 6 weeks old, and how many from each of these buckets have been closed during a current reporting week. Contrast this with a simpler total open vs. closed this week measurement and you will see how the simpler measurement does not show the true effectiveness of the support organization.

Despite the gaps I noted this book makes an invaluable contribution to service delivery and IT process maturity. Overall I am impressed with the author's approach and consider this book to be essential reading for help desk managers, service delivery professionals and upper IT management. This book with jump-start service delivery if your company does not have clearly defined processes and procedures, and will give those that do some excellent ideas on raising the bar. Gaps notwithstanding, this book earns a solid 5 stars.

At long last - a book that goes beyond the help desk
Finally! A book that addresses the fact that problem management goes far beyond the help desk domain and extends to encompass all of IT. Problem management the key to IT/business alignment because it directly supports achieving reliability, availability and service objectives.

The approach taken in this book is, like all other books in the Enterprise Computing Institute series, to address people, process and technology.

The authors start this book with standard fare on help desk organization. This information is available in virtually every help desk book on the market. However, the discussion becomes interesting when process is introduced. I thought the chapters on response models and service catalogs were particularly valuable. They certainly reflect the best practices that I have had to discover on my own as a service delivery consultant.

Because I develop and implement service delivery solutions for a living I was gratified to see a chapter on this discipline. While I found little new here (I do this for a living), the approach is sound and the focus on tiers 2 and 3 roles and responsibilities is something that is consciously missing from all of the books on help desk management that I have read.

I did learn a lot from the chapter on knowledge capture and sharing. This is an area that I have found to be weak in every organization in which I have had a consulting engagement. While there has been a lot written about capturing and sharing knowledge at the tier 1 (help desk) level, little has been written prior to this book about capturing and sharing knowledge across IT from a problem management point of view. Although this chapter does not provide detailed solutions it does give ideas and a good starting point from which to approach this aspect of IT problem management.

The book ends with four final chapters that give a high-level overview of managing the process, service level agreements, service center tools and how to motivate IT participants in the problem management process.

This book fills a large void in the IT service delivery body of knowledge because it is the first to address problem management as something larger than help desk operations. It extends the problem management process to tiers 2 and 3, which is something that the help desk books seem to only briefly address if they address it at all. Moreover, this book contains processes that are essential for aligning IT to business. As such this is a valuable addition to the professional body of knowledge for help desks and technical support specialists. If you work in production services or IT management you should definitely read this book you will also find the information in this book to be invaluable. ... Read more

Book Description

The first comprehensive guide to designing highly usable, fully integrated computer-based information systems… Traditional human-computer interaction (HCI) and system design models have proven too narrow to adequately assess user needs and to design usable and efficient computer-based information support systems. Taking modeling concepts from engineering, psychology, cognitive science, information science, and computer science, cognitive systems engineering (CSE) provides a much broader, more dynamic framework. This book is the first comprehensive guide to the emerging new field of cognitive systems engineering. Throughout, the emphasis is on powerful analytical techniques that enhance the systems designer’s ability to see the "big picture," and to design for all crucial aspects of human-work interaction. Applicable to highly structured technical systems such as process plants, as well as less structured user-driven systems like libraries, these analytical techniques form the basis for the design and design evaluation guidelines that make up the bulk of this book. The authors also provide a chapter-length case history in which they chronicle the success of their approach when applied to a full-scale software design project. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

a deep and wide-ranging discussion of human-computer interac
Written by 3 leading experts from Denmark's Riso National Laboratory, this book contains a deep and wide-ranging discussion of human-computer-interaction especially with regard to the design of information systems. Included are chapters on work domain/task situation/ user profile combinations, methodolgies, ecological information systems, activity analysis, and field studies in libraries ... Read more

Book Description

The new Sixth Edition is designed for business students who are or who will soon become business professionals in the fast changing business world of today. The goal of this text is to help business students learn how to use and manage information technologies to revitalize business processes, improve business decision making, and gain competitive advantage. Thus it places a major emphasis on up-to-date coverage of the essential role of Internet technologies in providing a platform for business, commerce, and collaboration processes among all business stakeholders in today's networked enterprises and global markets. ... Read more

Book Description

Imagine thinking about your company's information technology inthe same way that you think about its investment portfolio: as a bundleof assets that--when managed right--will generate revenues and savings. Here's just such a framework for leveraging IT (technology, networks,data, and software)--one that enables business managers to make theimportant decisions about the potentially confounding mix ofhigh-technology that influences near- and long-term planning, affectsthe ability to support customers, and dictates the flow of dailyoperations.This hands-on resource, complete with benchmarks and casestudies, creates the common ground where both management and IT canmeet, communicate their goals, and agree upon the best plan for gettingthere.

Drawing upon their rigorous research with over 100 topmultinationals, the authors present a rich and varied range of examplesof IT investment strategies that have reaped rewards for firms such asCitibank, Honda, Johnson & Johnson, Ralston Purina, the DevelopmentBank of Singapore, and Telstra.They include proven guidelines, alongwith lists of essential questions that managers must ask themselves andtheir IT staff in order to compile a competitive IT portfolio as wellas measure the results.For senior managers seeking to link strategyto their IT investments, Leveraging the New Infrastructure provides thepower to make technology not just a tool, but an asset that generatesvalue. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

REQUISITE READING for Information Age strategists.
Information technology has made possible the Information Age. Today, organizations are wrestling with the monumentally complex decisions about how to invest in this ever-advancing technology-investment decisions that are shaping the competitive destiny of corporations. How such decisions are made and how they should be made is at the heart of this book.

The central theme is linking strategy with a firm's IT portfolio: its total investment in an IT infrastructure. The authors explore four approaches to such infrastructure investment decisions, ranging from none to an enabling view that positions the firm to optimize its IT core competence in a strategically flexible manner. The authors have synthesized the approach market leaders take to leveraging IT. This books reveals how IT creates business value, and how top performing firms use IT in alignment with their current and future needs and goals. The book's concluding section addresses how to manage the IT portfolio for optimum business results. The book includes, among many of its nuggests, a useful grouping of infrastructure services into 8 management clusters.

Reading this book is a delightful educational experience; it is also REQUISITE READING for all strategists. Reviewed by Gerry Stern, founder, Stern & Associates, author of Stern's Sourcefinder The Master Directory to HR and Business Management Information & Resources, Stern's CyberSpace SourceFinder, and the Compensation and Benefits SourceFinder.

Strategically investing in IT to achieve the market edge.
Information technology has made possible the Information Age. Today, organizations are wrestling with the monumentally complex decisions about how to invest in this ever-advancing technology-investment decisions that are shaping the competitive destiny of corporations. How such decisions are made and how they should be made is at the heart of this book. The central theme is linking strategy with a firm's IT portfolio: its total investment in an IT infrastructure. The authors explore four approaches to such infrastructure investment decisions, ranging from none to an enabling view that positions the firm to optimize its IT core competence in a strategically flexible manner.

The authors have synthesized the approach market leaders take to leveraging IT. This books shows how IT creates business value and how top performing firms use IT in alignment with their current and future needs and goals. The book's concluding section addresses how to manage the IT portfolio for optimum business results. The work includes a useful grouping of infrastructure services into 8 management clusters. Reading this book is a delightful educational experience; it is also requisite reading for all strategists.

Thorough Survey
I found this book quite helpful for my team. It covers the current issues quickly and well. Although it is repetitive, the book presents a tapestry that steers thinking in IT toward strategic alignment. The book lays the foundation for the holistic integration of IT and business strategy, using techniques (though not explicitly) of portfolio management, continuous improvement, teambuilding, and enterprise architecture modeling.

I highly recommend this book. It should be paired with a more enterprise architecture centric book to provide a complete actionable background. That said, the book stands alone to plant the foundation for successful IT/Strategy convergence.

start with 20 pages
This book has a tendency to reiterate the same concepts over and over, but they are 'sensible' concepts. Managing the projects and having measurements for the use of infrastructure in todays businesses is critical. More important is the methods used to weigh the benefits of investing more into a global infrastructure vs. a LOB infrastructure. the second half of the book reads faster than the first, but 20-30 pages a day will get you through it in know time and allow you to consume the message.

A Two Hi-Liter Book
Super book! This book adds value to something most companies are yet to figure out they have or need--an IT infrastructure. The book makes a case that the infrastructure is the key to competitive edge. Sold! I believe it. Read this book and you'll also be convinced.

Regrettably, some of the readers won't "get it" hence the competitive edge. If you don't get, check your altitude. You may be flying too low. In my view, infrastructure only looks like infrastructure from on high. Think end to end. The secret is to gain enough altitude to see it. Believe me--whether you see it or not--it's there and costing you big bucks! So soar! Gain altitude until you see the infrastructure. Let this book be the wind beneath your wings.

Don't just take Weill and Broadbent's word for it. What is your favorite IT guru saying about this subject?

You will undoubtedly conclude that this book is on target and on the money! Read it. Let it soak in. Then start Leveraging the New Infrastructure. ... Read more

Book Description

"Richard Hunter has seen the future, and its really scary. If you ever plan to do anything wrong, you need to read this book. If you suspect that someone will ever try to do anything wrong to you, you also need to read it. I believe that covers pretty much all of us." —Thomas H. Davenport, Director, Accenture Institute for Strategic Change, Distinguished Scholar, Babson College

"Like a laser, Hunter gets directly to the heart of the issues for business and society in computer security. He understands and delineates issues and nonissues of cybercrime and cyberwar and provides provocative thought on new social structures affecting current and future security issues. A strongly recommended read for anyone concerned about cybersecurity and the coming cyberwars." —Dr. Bill Hancock, CISSP, Vice President, Security and Chief Security Officer, Exodus, a cable and wireless company

To some its a dream come true; to others its the stuff of nightmares–a world of ubiquitous computing in which human beings are surrounded by smart, aware, always-on machines that monitor, record, and analyze most or all of what goes on around them. World Without Secrets takes you on a chilling tour of the near future and the hard realities of whats to come, from the home without secrets to the Network Army, from mentats to the exception economy.

Dont enter the future unprepared. Read World Without Secrets and learn how to protect your business from information crime, seize emerging opportunities, and survive and succeed in a new environment that is as dangerous as it is promising. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

It's here and now
Every day I see electronic privacy issues in the news. Nanny camera hacking, .coms selling previously private data, fervent calls for a national ID. If I had not read this book, I would have seen these as random stories. World Without Secrets gave me the insight to see the big picture in these events that lead us to ever increasing exposure and exploitation of the data trails we leave behind every day. Hunter has done a good job of synthesizing the threat, opportunities and strategies for dealing with this new reality.

World Without Secrets: Business, Crime and Privacy in the Ag
"World Without Secrets: Business, Crime and Privacy in the Age of Ubiquitous Computing" - Reviewed by Stephen Lafferty

The title of Richard Hunter's book refers to the growing availability of information about the personal lives of consumers living in capitalist democratic states. The book begins with the assumption that "very little of consequence can't and won't be known about anyone or anything". Hunter approaches the subject of the erosion of personal privacy from two angles: the business and the governmental/police justifications for retaining information on individuals. His argument, that citizens in democratic countries had better take responsibility for the power of surveillance technologies while they still can, emerges from the discussion of the increasing possibilities for deriving behaviour patterns from recombining archived data.

Hunter's first point, that people adapt at a slower rate than the
introduction of new technologies, is underlined using examples of
Amazon.com and Acme-Rent-A-Car of Connecticut. Neither set of
consumers, when they began relationships with either company, realised that information collected about their shopping habits and movements would be sold to third parties or used for law enforcement purposes.

Hunter then goes on to demonstrate how organisations that create and retail information, such as Microsoft and record companies, are responding to threats being posed by self-organising groups using the Internet to communicate. Hunter calls these groups 'Network Armies' and provides an analysis of how such groups coalesce and fight their cause, using examples of the Open Source software movement and Linux vs. Windows, Napster and digital distribution of music and the anti-capitalist protestors in Seattle and Genoa.

The discussion then moves on to identifying social groups within the 'world without secrets'. Hunter and a team of researchers at Gartner identify four groups: 'Network Armies', the 'Lost and the Lonely', 'Conscientious Objectors' and the 'Engineered Society'. This analysis implies that the world without secrets is inevitable and the area of society to which you belong depends upon whether you support or oppose the authority of the leadership that passes legislation to eliminate barriers to information flow.

The last two chapters are dedicated to discussion of war when all
enemy movements are known; and the possibility of a war in cyberspace.

Parts of this book were written on or after September 11th 2001 and Hunter considers the development of terrorist network armies and the response that an 'engineered society' can make to such attacks. The New York Electronic Crimes Task Force is used as a model network army for terrorist threats from cyberspace, an Internet version of Interpol with intercontinental crime-fighting agreements.

Richard Hunter believes that a world without secrets is inevitable.

He urges his readers to take responsibility for the ways that
technologies are implemented through democratic means, such as
building in limitations for information usage by the authorities.

This book makes a compelling argument for educating both the
authorities and the public about the type and uses of recorded
information and is an excellent introduction to contemporary
attitudes towards and policies of surveillance. Readers who are
interested in the freedoms that they enjoy in their societies should read this along with Simson Garfinkel's 'Database Nation' and Michael Caloyannides 'Desktop Witness' and be careful about to whom they give their personal information.

Good & bad view of Digital Technology
Easy to read review of what digital technology is going to promise us in the future - both good & bad.

It's not intended to scare, nor to defend the undefendable, but it gives a good all round review in an easy entertaining style.

Book of Daniel -"Knowledge will increase"
There are a few books out there that make you think. John Dewey's "How we think", Kuhn's "The Structure of Scientific Revolutions" and a book on the history of IP by an Australian writer whose name and book title elude me at the moment are three books that have stimulated my thoughts. This book would be the fourth.

It could be that I'm a "shallow Hal" but I have to agree with the other review on the point the author raised in connection with Herbert's "Dune".

As we gather more information and as Sandisk (or someone like them) begins to offer terabyte storage to the everyday consumer, we will see more tracking.......and I fear, that in conjunction with XML, ......knowledge will increase.

Read the later part of the Book of Daniel in the Old Testament to see what I am referring to. Next, go to the Maxwell Air Force base website and look up their link page to critical thinking. Take a while to learn some things about critical thinking and then read this section in Daniel and this book by Hunter.

Most importantly.......THINK FOR YOURSELF AND DRAW YOUR OWN CONCLUSIONS.

McNealy is right. The frogs are already in the pot (loss of privacy) and most will never notice that they are being boiled until it's too late.

Hunter has done us a favor by raising this issue in the manner that he did.

There are NO secrets
I bought this book when it first came out and then recently read an insiteful, positive interview with the author of World Without Secrets in the Sunday New York Times. My feelings about the subject matter in the book were similar to that of the reviewer.

Interestingly, the article and the book cover lots of privacy issues concerning Amazon.com. Issues that everyone who buys a product on Amazon (or anywhere online) should be aware: especially the policies of sharing information about customers with companies that want to sell goods and services to us (junkmail!) Of course, other companies are discussed, which, in the end just frightens us even more about the amount of information about each of us that is so readily accessible to anyone who wants it.

The NY Times reviewer states: "Mr. Hunter is right to argue that if Americans aren't involved in resolving these (privacy) issues, the issues will be resolved without them." Hunter says:"The amount of electronically stored data about individuals is massive, detailed, and growing. We don't yet know how to manage a world in which everything can be linked to me, wherever I am."

With his background as a top security expert, Hunters words will shake up any beliefs you may have left that ANYTHING is private anymore. ... Read more

Book Description

This book illustrates how to develop the related standards, procedures, and guidelines for implementing policy. Each chapter provides advice on the structural mechanics of the various documents as well as an example of each form. This new edition updates material on the concept of responsibilities that reflects the general nature of the individuals responsible. Standards and procedures are also updated to reflect the work done in the field during 2002 with additional examples. ISO 17799 is used to identify possible standards that enterprises can create. This includes better explanations of what to use and when to use it. ... Read more

Book Description

When you invest in expensive technology and systems, you want to get the most out of them. Process improvement has been used for years as an effective strategy to reduce costs, shorten cycle times, improve quality, and increase user satisfaction in other areas of business such as Quality, Manufacturing, and Engineering. While there are many books available on process improvement and process re-engineering, few of them address the unique processes within information systems as clearly and succinctly as A Practical Guide to Information Systems Improvement.PROCESS IMPROVEMENT FOR ISTailored specifically for IS processes, A Practical Guide to Information Systems Process Improvement provides a step-by-step method for creating a world class Information System organization. The authors introduce process management and highlight its application to information systems. The book outlines a practical, complete, and easy-to-understand method for improving or re-engineering the processes within the Information Systems organization - simplifying process improvement so that you can begin to use it immediately.AVOID COMMON PITFALLS AND MISTAKESThe evolving business environment puts new demands on your Information Systems. E-commerce, changing technology, ERP, and globalization are just a few of the areas that will benefit from process improvement. This easy-to-follow guide includes a corresponding process model for each step that serves as a starting point for process improvement effort. It provides a checklist to ensure your new process meets all the requirements for its particular purpose and identifies pitfalls and mistakes to avoid. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Provides a blueprint and a compass
This book is important for two reasons: (1) it describes what a process is and the main characteristics shared by processes regardless of the model used, and (2) it provides a clearly defined approach to implementing processes and a framework for improving them.

Why these two reasons are important is because most IS/IT professionals have a vague idea about what processes are. They can visualize them on a conceptual level, but not on a detail level as a flow with measurable attributes. The way the authors portray processes allow all stakeholders (producers and consumers) of a process chain to use the same definition and to objectively measure the same characteristics. This cross-functional understanding and agreement is essential to process improvement. However, understanding processes and having a clear definition are only half the equation - implementing and improving them can be a daunting task without a clearly defined roadmap. Therein is the main value of this book: it provides that roadmap. You can either get to your destination by trial and error, false starts and wasted time and resources, or you can follow the identification, selection, "as-is" assessment, "to-be" target and implementation plan sequence that are presented. The authors highlight key points and pitfalls each step of the way, which is based on their extensive experience from which you'll benefit.

If you're involved in process design and/or improvement in IS/IT this book will point you in the right direction and get you moving forward.

IT Process Improvement - About Time
It is about time a book like this get written. The authors have hit a nerve with the typical IT department. That is, taking the "rambo" fire fighting mentality out of I/S, and conforming it into a smooth running operation. The authors take lessons learned years ago in manufacturing and engineering disciplines, and have correctly applied them to IT. The book is written exceptionally well, is easy to understand and provides a practical step-by-step methodology. I believe there is enough detail in the book to allow motivated and savvy IT managers to drive process improvement in their organizations. This book is definitely a "keeper". It should be part of every I/S manager's library, and it should not gather dust.

A sound approach for many improvements
This book is a great "how to" guide! First, I like how it connects the improvement activity to the business and customer needs rather than getting wrapped up in the technology of information systems. The book outlines a 7 step process for improvement and breaks down each step into bite-size pieces that can be easily followed. Each step comes complete with checklists, questions to ask, considerations to be reflected upon or reviewed, and diagrams or examples that make the action very clear. A lot of thinking has been done and shared, and it will be quite easy to adapt the books guides to most applications. There isn't really much theory here, just straight-forward assertions about what works and what doesn't. However, the content is consistent with most Quality and Organization Development theory I've read. I also like the chapter end summaries and pitfalls. As I read this, I found myself thinking this could be used for most any business improvement project quite easily. ... Read more

Book Description

Each and every recent innovation in Information Technology can be traced back to a project: the behind-the-scenes work that, when correctly managed, results in a new system, a new technology, or a new product in the marketplace. This text builds an unparalleled foundation for tomorrow’s creators and managers by providing meaningful examples of real projects—both successful and failed—and applying the lessons they teach to a sound framework in IT project management.

* Applies the widely-accepted PMBOK set of standards (Project Management Body of Knowledge) to the changing field of IT.

* Includes a 120-day trial version of Microsoft Project 2000 and appendix, "A Guide to Microsoft Project 2000".

* Features an extensive running case that puts skills into practice using real-world data from the files of Northwest Airlines.

* End-of-chapter mini cases provide extra real-world reinforcement.

* Offers complete preparation for CompTIA's IT Project + Certification Exam. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

A Basic to Intermediate Textbook on IT Project Management.
As one can guess from the price, this book is geared to be used as a text book in a University setting. But almost anyone will find this book extremely useful because the book occupies a unique niche in the market on Project Management books.

There are several project management books out in the market that mostly fall into the following categories - General Project Management, Advanced Project Management, PMP Exam Preparation, and PM Software books. The problem I have had with these books is that there are very few that address IT Project Management and even fewer that use Case Studies throughout. I am in IT Project Management and absolutely require Case Studies to learn any subject thoroughly. Especially a practical subject like Project Management.

This book is perfect for an IT Project Manager because it - covers basic project principles, incorporates the IT view on every topic, has plenty of exercises to prepare for a PM exam (like the PMP or CompTIA's ITProject+), has a very decent section on using Microsoft Project 2000, a 120 day trial version of MS Project 2000 software in case you don't have it, plenty of mini case studies, a real-world running case study of the Northwest Airlines' ResNet project, and an excellent reference list at the end of each chapter. It is clear that the book was aimed at being the perfect reference for any IT Project Manager.

The only downside of this book is that it is very light on all the topics and does not address any advanced topics. But that would have doubled the number of pages in the book and potential been a turn-off to anyone new to the subject. It might not have appealed to an Intermediate level Project Manager either. So I don't feel that this is such a big downside and is actually a positive.

After obtaining my PMP, I came across this book when I was given the opportunity to teach Project Management Part-Time on a need basis at the Austin Community College. They use this book as the required text book for their comprehensive IT Project Management class aimed at those new to the field or those looking to gain a deeper knowledge of IT Project Management. I am glad I received a free copy of this book as I would have normally passed it up as too basic a book (since I already have my PMP). But I now realize that I will benefit tremendously by doing all the exercises in the book and strengthen/deepen my understanding of several Project Management concepts. So my immediate future is going to involve devouring this book.

I hope you too benefit from this book and enjoy using it for any one of the many purposes!

Excellent source of Project Management techniques in IT.
By studying the Project Management processes in this book, I passed my PMP exam! A wealth of information is contained in this structured text. The concepts are easy to understand, and the real-life examples are enjoyable to read. Every Project Manager should have this book to use as a reference. All IT professionals would benefit by the author's knowledge and expertise. Helpful ideas are jumping off the pages!

Good Text Book
I'm using this book in my graduate project management class. It does a good job of reenforcing the concepts and terms used throughout the chapters. The one problem I have with it is that the author loves the word "and" too much. The sentences drag on for ever sometimes like the one below talking about Change Management: "Configuration Management ensures that the descriptions of the project's products are correct AND complete, AND concentrates on the management of technology by identifying AND controlling the functional AND physical design characteristics of products AND their support documentation." Man, that's a mouth full!

Good book in general with a few buts
I agree with most of the reviews in general. I have been using this book as a textbook for a class on Project Management. I enjoy reading the chapters and it gives you a good overview of Project Management and the terms used in it but, that is my issue, it's an overview. I like reading the case studies but frankly I think the assignments at the end of each chapter have many that ask for more detail then the overview content of the book gives. I find this to be an issue with many textbooks. They write the book concisely to cover a whole topic in one textbook hitting the highlights, but write the assignments to be done as if you had been studying the subject in depth.
Case in point: Chapter 11 Exercise 5 on page 357. Draft an RFP (Request for Proposal) for purchasing laptops for all students, faculty and staff at your college or university. use the outline provided in Figure 11-4. List all the assumptions you made in preparing the RFP.
Sounds like a great assignment, with the exception that an RFP is a very detailed document. In the outline it is also suppose to include a Statement of Work ( a document that should be prepared before an RFP) and schedule information. To do this assignment you basically have to dream up an entire project and do previous prep work in order to write an RFP. Also, this outline is the only example of an RFP in the whole book. There is no example of a completed RFP, after all, this is an "overview" book. I have been researching on the net for sample RFP documents. I have yet to find one that even remotely looks like this outline or follows the criteria in this book.
I spend hours and hours every week just doing the prep work to get my head around this random assignments.
This book would have been better had it just made the assignments a case study that built from Chapter 1 on, instead of bits and pieces of this kind of project or that. I think I read in the main review that the book uses NWA as a case study to teach, that doesnt even happen till like Chapter 12 or 13. Did this person really read this book??
I don't mind being taught principles of Project Management but don't just hand me terms and principles and sketchy outline examples and expect me to give you the full blown details of a project that I have to make up mostly out of my own head and hope it's right. Projects are team efforts and some of these things asked for would be the product of a whole team's input not just one person yet in assignments it is just the student doing it all as if they were the whole freaking team. This kind of thing annoys me to no end in textbooks.
I could give more examples but I am already a partially dissenting voice among reviewers. I guess I could sum it up as a good book to have and read but it is a LOUSY TEXTBOOK.

This is the book you need for the PMP Exam
What can I say? If you are looking for a book to PASS the PMP. This it it! I studied from here and the PMBOK 2000 guide and passed the exam on the first attempt. This book gives you a lot more insight to PM than the PMBOK guide, including a section on how to use MS Project (comes on the CD). Thank you! Juan Poggio, PMP ... Read more

Book Description

Knowledge Networks: Innovations Through Communities of Practice draws on the experience of people who have worked with CoPs in the real world and to present their combined wisdom in a form that is accessible to a wide audience.CoPs are examined from a practical, rather than a purely academic point of view.The book also examines the benefits that CoPs can bring to an organization, provides a number of case studies, lessons learned and sets of guidelines.It also looks at virtual CoPs and to the future by asking 'what next?' This book is a resource for all people who work with CoPs - both in academia and in the real world. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Rich crop...Well harvested...
The management of knowledge is a diverse field of study and within the field new crops of ideas are constantly emerging. One of the most resource-rich crops is that of community of practice. Sometimes generic, often hybrid and capable of being genetically-modified they have vast potential in supporting knowledge ecologies.

The agricultural metaphor lends itself well to the nurturing of knowledge. Of course, this is not the first time it has been used nor will it be the last. My own particular interest in the metaphor is how it not only lends itself to communities of practice but also to the process of learning.

For the last three years, I have been involved in teaching a module entitled "Knowledge Management" to students Mastering in Information and Library Management at a University in the North East of England. During those three years, communities of practice have emerged as a significant tool in understanding the creation, capture and transfer of knowledge within and between organizations.

The method of teaching involves lectures (theory-based) and seminars (case study-based) with the use of specific tasks to link the two areas.

This collection of papers is, perhaps, the single most useful text to emerge for teaching the concept of communities of practice, how they relate to managing knowledge within organizations and how they are cultivated and developed. It is abundant in well-researched and relevant commentary, which avoids the jargon of other works. The case studies are particularly useful to information management students trying to understand the relationship between information and knowledge management.

Congratulations to the editors for their conceptualization of the structure and identification of appropriate areas of content and to the individual authors for the quality of their contributions. ... Read more

Book Description

The definitive formula for computer security, from power outages to theft and sabotage

Whether you are in charge of many computers, or even one important one, there are immediate steps you can take to safeguard your company’s computer system and its contents. The Computer Security Handbook provides a readable and comprehensive resource for protecting computer mainframe systems and PC networks. This Fourth Edition continues a long tradition of maintaining highly regarded industry guidelines for detecting virtually every possible threat to your system and prescribes specific actions you can take to eliminate them.

The collected chapters are written by renowned industry professionals. Requiring minimal technical knowledge to understand, covered topics include: foundations of computer security, threats and vulnerabilities, prevention (technical defenses and human factors), detection, remediation, management’s role, and other considerations such as using encryption internationally, anonymity and identity in cyberspace, and censorship.

Protect the information and networks that are vital to your organization with Computer Security Handbook, Fourth Edition. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

The InfoSec Bible... Simply put, a MUST have!
This book is the Bible of information security. I stumbled into the 3rd edition (published in 1995) years ago and found it quite helpful, but dated by the time I acquired it. I was simply stunned and enthralled when I discovered a 4th edition had been published. I ordered it immediately, and waited impatiently to arrive... (2 day air)... I received it today, and I can't put it down. It has completely exceeded my expectations, which were considerable given I was very much impressed with the 3rd. This book belongs in any security professionals library. If you haven't got it, you are missing the definitive compendium of security information. Once you have mastered this text, other books do an excellent job of drilling further into the details, but few can exceed the sheer scope and thoroughness of this tome. For those worried about acquiring obsolete texts, this edition is completely current and up to date! Very impressive. Highly recommmended.

A "must have" for InfoSec newbies and professionals.
This book makes an excellent addition to anyone in the field of information security. It is very thorough in content, discussing computer security from many angles based on four principles: Integrity, Availability, Control and Auditability. Not for the light reader, but makes a great reference, and an excellent basis for creating a solid security design. I've often heard this book referred to as "big blue". Must have.

Excellent info security reference
Overall, the Computer Security Handbook is about the best single-source book on computer security available.

The topics cover just about every area of infosec.

On one side, the fact that the book has chapters from over 30 authors makes the book lack a consistent style. On the other side, the diversity of authors shows various points of view for an assortment of different security topics.

The overall orderliness of the chapter's developers in a coherent manner. It starts with the basics of information security and then develops into higher-level issues.

Taken as a whole, the Computer Security Handbook is an excellent reference.

Computer Security Handbook
This book is a must have for anyone working in the Information Assurance/Computer Security field. "Big Blue" was written by experienced professionals who are considered experts in their field. The book contains sections pertaining to every conceivable aspect of Infomation Assurance. I am currently using this book in my Masters program at Norwich University, and will continue to use it as a reference for many years to come. Mich Kabay and Sy Bosworth are to be commended for consolidating all of this information into one superb book. Great job!!

The Only Book that covers all aspects of Computer Security
I am offering an IT Security undergraduate course for the first time this Fall in a Business School environment. I reviewed many books on IT security before I selected this title for my course. The vast majority of Security books are nuts-and-bolts oriented, great for Engineers and Computer Scientists but lacking depth for the IT manager.

This book is a welcome relief since it contains such a wealth of information valuable to anyone working as an IT practitioner. It has several strenghts that other IS security books do not have: The current edition has been revised since the events of September 11th and thoughtfully reflects the change of the collective mindset of the IT world. Secondly, each Chapter is written by an expert in their respective fields. Thirdly, there is is a collection of references and links at the end of each Chapter which I found to be particularly valuable.

My course covers about half the topics in this book. The chapters on: Information Warfare, Denial of Service Attacks, Protecting Internet Visible Systems, Public Key Infrastructure and Computer Audit stand out in my mind as outstanding.

I intend to use this book again next Fall when this course is offered once more. ... Read more

Book Description

This book introduces readers to a wide range of knowledge management (KM) tools, techniques and terminology for enhancing innovation, communication and dedication among individuals and workgroups. The focus is on real-world business examples using commonly available technologies.
The book is set out in a clear and straightforward way, with definitions highlighted, brief case studies included that illustrate key points, dialogue sections that probe for practical applications, and written exercises. Each chapter concludes with discussion questions, review questions, and a vocabulary review. An Online Instructor's Guide is available.

* Easy to read, user-friendly introduction to knowledge management
* Full of practical applications for business professionals
* An Online Instructor's Guide is available, with power point slides, case studies, exercises and review questions ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Excellent Book!
This book was my first introduction to Knowledge Management. Truthfully, I could not be more pleased! I'm a Director of Sales for a leading insurance company and am responsible for 250 offices across the Northeast U.S. Our organization has struggled for many years with the very issues addressed in this text and I found the insight gained to be invaluable.

It is easy to see that the authors, Groff and Jones, are experienced management professionals. They adeptly and expertly framed the content in an enjoyable and easy to understand manner that is directly applicable in multiple business scenarios. In fact, I utilized several of concepts from the text in developing our annual business plan. Through these initiatives, we expect to improve efficiency and overall productivity resulting in increased profitability for the business unit.

Without a doubt, this text is a tool that will assist my organization in maximizing results in today's quickly changing business environment.

understandable and valuable
KM in Business is written in such a manner that it is understandable for even a computer novice such as myself. The applications for small Mom & Pop operations as well as large firms makes it a must have for any business owner. It deserves a place in business classes at college or high school. As an owner of two retail businesses, I find it invaluable.

Knowledge Management Textbook Suitable for Business Studies
This is a Knowledge Management Book that covers the foundational components of KM and is laid out in a textbook format. This is a real find for any instructor wishing to add Knowledge Management discussion to an existing business course, or is looking for a text for a KM course. I believe this book would fill either role, and at 29.95 using it as a supplemental text is not unreasonable. Another plus for this book is the instructor's guide that is available from the publisher.

As someone that has taught in the college and business environments, I believe this book is a strong resource for both. I've also searched the web for this title and found that Connecticut Southern State University has adopted this book for a Library Sciences course.

Finally! A textbook for teaching basic KM.
Ideal for untroducing the principles of Knowledge Management to college students or for corporate KM training programs. Complex concepts like systems thinking, attention management, trust building and social networking are explored in the practical context of real world business issues.

A logically organized and easy to read gateway to the exciting new business concept sweeping the nation! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A thoughtful and thought-provoking book about BI ...
The tji-Boston reviewer is dead-on correct that this is a frank discussion about BI. Biere will help you to think about BI, and he will help you to think clearly.

Business Intelligence for the Enterprise is written for the customer. The author is a sales guy, who works for a vendor (IBM - Good Grief!), AND he has written a book for the customer. Why?

He is obviously interested in seeing Enterprise BI succeed.

This book will help you think through sales hype, and move closer to success. In a certain sense, it is a book written to help business people like you deal with sales people like Mike Biere. Ironic? Yes. And no.

A perspective like this doesn't come from being slick and clever (goodness knows there is an endless array of slick and clever sales people.) Rather, it comes from making a mature commitment to one's working life, which Biere has obviously done.

It is as important for the C-level IT professionals to read as it is for their C-level bosses and colleagues. Needless(?) to say it is also an important read for those who are going to do the actual work of implementing the BI strategy.

Read this book, but only if you are willing to spend some time thinking....

For once -- a business book about technology and a MUST READ
......

If you:

- are tired of the increasingly unintelligible hype around corporate IT

- need to get your feet on the ground about how to apply IT for creating business value

- want to understand business intelligence for what it can really do for your organization (as opposed to what the product vendors tell you)

then read this book.

I've been in the software industry for twenty years, and this is one of those rare, honest books that speaks from long experience and with a welcome disregard for technical faddism and ivory tower theory.

This book is needed because the idea of "information at your fingertips" at most companies is still just that: only an idea. Instead, most organizations still operate inefficiently and clumsily from "islands" of information scattered about in everything from spreadsheets to CRM systems to mainframe COBOL programs whose authors have long since retired.

Even companies that have spents millions of dollars to correct this state of affairs have failed. Why?

This book is about making information available across the board, why you would want to, and how to give your technology of choice "traction" and an impact on the bottom line.

This is done from two perspectives: the technical and the human side.

The author is refreshingly frank in describing corporate IT disasters, and does an excellent job of exposing the human side of where they go wrong down in the trenches. Anyone who has been anywhere near an overbudget, underperforming, or ultimately worthless IT project (this should include most people in corporate IT by now) will read with a smile of recognition. Others should read before you spend: there is a lot of money and heartache to be saved. By demonstrating in everyday language that the hardest part to manage is human expectations, Biere performs a real service to the industry that is usually neglected, and gives managers, end users, and even vendors much insight on where to be proactive.

But this is not a collection of anecdotes. CIOs, CEOs, IT professionals, and beginners will gain a lot from the industry retrospectives, overviews of categories of tools, and the workbook approach for grasping the human side and the technical side at once. The author provides thinking and homework that MUST be done before even considering an expenditure, and asks the questions that even the most expensive consultants won't ask for you.

Because the author is with IBM, you might expect the book to promote IBM products. Not so. Mr. Biere manages to name almost no products, and yet covers the tools available comprehensively.

And college computer science professors: put this book in your curricula -- give your students a healthy dose of the "real world" before sending them out into it.

Well done, Biere. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Original, useful and fun
IDEF1X is by far the most used DB modeling language today. Books and papers, however, rarely approach it. Bruce's book is a fine piece of work. Excellent on the details of modeling - for instance, his discussion on the adoption of surrogate (artificial) keys is enlightening. Even the less technical stuff is excellent (the text on the ANSI-SPARC architecture is the best I ever read). Great book for someone who wants to develop modeling expertise.

Money & time well spent.
This book is the best-written database design book I have come across. It should be part of every database designer and application developer's library.

This book focuses on information models using the IDEF1X information modeling technique. This text presents a very practical approach for modeling data and relational database design. Although this isn't a database administration book, DBA's would benefit from understanding how the databases they support are designed. This is a book for the masses.

A Classic Database Text
Whether or not you support or practice IDEF 1X as your data modelling religion (after all, it WAS developed for the military), Tom Bruce's 1991 edition can increase the effectiveness of your data modelling by giving you the opportunity to examine your beliefs and standards.

This text covers topics from introductory information modelling concepts , normalization, and reverse engineering, to more advanced data modelling issues. Mr. Bruce's text also includes chapters on conducting modelling sessions, John Zachman's Framework, setting up Data Administration functions within your organization, CASE tools and the IBM Repository (this section is obsolete, of course), a case study, and review exercises with answers.

Best suited for those who have participated in IRM activities and wish to build on that experience. Seasoned IRM practictioners will probably skip the introductory material and head right to the sections on abstractions, resolution of typical data modelling issues, and other advanced topics. Even though "Design" is used in the title, this text is weak on database design topics.

This text is a good one to have on hand when you're looking for justification of following a specific data modelling approach or technique. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Keep This Book Handy
Whether you are an experienced project manager or just starting out, this book should be on your shelf. For the beginner, it covers all of the basics...and much more. For the experienced project manager, much of it will be familiar, but you will find many opportunities to improve your techniques.

Better Software Project Management goes beyond the oversimplified approaches that confuse project management tools with project management. Real project management means dealing with people as well as tasks, schedules and budgets. This book offers insights into them all.

Review of "Better Project Management"
As an IT Project/Program Manager, senior IT executive and fellow-author for more years now than I care to remember, I found Marsha Lewin's new book, "Better Software Project Management", a pleasant and informative surprise. Ms. Lewin has distilled her obviously vast experience into a highly practical "how-to" book which will prove invaluable to Project Managers and all other managers with IT connections. Her advice and suggestions throughout this well-written book vibrate with hard-won experience and a strong aura of "been there, done that". Newly minted project managers will find a wealth of tips and templates to get them started and to provide project deliverables with the aplomb of seasoned veterans. Veterans will themselves find plenty to learn and re-learn from Ms. Lewin's hard-nosed, yet humorous approach. The author dispenses with the usual theoretical approaches to the subject but illustrates the best of the available theory with practical and thoughtful "cases".

If you have one project management book to read this year, read this one!

A professional's hearty endorsement
I have been engaged in the management of software projects for more than 30 years. This "primer" is, by far, the best and most concise book that I have ever read on the subject.

Of particular note, it is written by an experienced project manager to meet the needs of real life project managers. The author offers practical answers and presents usable examples that clearly show how her methods may be applied.

One of the hardest things for a new project manager to do is to sort out all of the acronyms, buzzwords, means and methods spoken of when describing the management of a project. The author cuts through the professional fog that obscures the subject and makes clear what is entailed in this art/science. Even after 30 years I found myself learning from her.

I strongly recommend this book.

A must for large project managers
This is a short and easy to read book that is packed with practical advise. Marsha gives detailed examples that can be adapted for other projects. She discusses the role of tools for project managers but also discusses the unquantified problems that cause projects to fail such as personnel turnover, changes in scope, and defining the end of a project. She has obviously managed some large projects and is speaking from experience. I must contrast this with "Extreme Programming Explained" which might work for very small projects but which does not work for a large project. ... Read more