Public IT Investment
The Success of IT Projects
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This book pertains to the discussion of Strategic Alignment which, if not implemented properly, can cause the failure of the information technology (IT) projects in an organisation. While some public sector organisations are able to deliver their IT projects on time and on budget, few of them report on project performance and how they actually identify and measure the benefits supposedly arising from those projects (Gershon 2009). IT projects typically involve organisations committing substantial resources and funds, and so project failure can result in not just loss of the funds invested, but also of the benefits that would have accrued directly had the project implementation been better informed. IT governance strategies and objectives shape Strategic Alignment (SA) perspectives, which in turn affect the management of IT projects. Hence, SA is a key subject in this book. It should be noted that the current trend is to align IT with business as equal partners, not to align IT to fit into a predetermined business strategy. The study identifies strategic ICT alignment issues that contribute to the success of IT projects. Using a local government in Australia as a case study, the book investigates 14 IT projects and highlights how strategic alignment perspectives generate public value through IT projects. The research undertaken in this study has shown that the delivery of IT projects on time and on budget is an inadequate measurement for value realisation from IT. The outcome must also be assessed through alternative measures and governance feedback mechanisms. The crucial issue that this research investigates is the role of Strategic Alignment (SA) in the success of IT projects in public organisations. It is essential to consider the IT SA perspectives that can be utilised to increase the understanding needed for a better achievement of value realisation in a public organisation. This book develops a conceptual framework as a model of assessment and provides recommendations for its application to government IT projects decision-makers, IT projects and programme managers, and small and medium IT entrepreneurs.
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About the Book
The frequent failure of IT projects in the public sector suggests that significant underlying problems remain unsolved. IT projects typically involve a substantial commitment of resources and funds; consequently, project failure can result in the loss of not just the funds invested, but also of the benefits that would have been realized by successful implementation. The delivery of IT projects on time and on budget is inadequate to measure value realization. This research analyzes five Strategic Alignment (SA) perspectives that affect organizational performance in an Australian public agency when implementing IT projects: Organization Strategy (S), Knowledge (K), Decision-making (DM), Enterprise Architecture (EA) and Public Value Plan (PVP).This book shows how public IT decision-makers can realize the benefits of IT investment by effectively employing SA perspectives in IT management.