CDU – School of Information Technology

HIT241

Management and Information Systems - Slide 1

HIT241 - Management and Information Systems

Management & Project Management

Running an information systems project calls for ability in all management disciplines, but the short-term nature of project work demands special application, discipline, and technique.

Concentration of effort calls for a special kind of manager and focus of management activity.

CDU – School of Information Technology

HIT241

Management and Information Systems - Slide 2

HIT241 - Management and Information Systems

Management & Project Management

The objectives and focus of most long-term and ongoing IS management activities are geared to factors for:

Survival

Growth

Long-term return on investment

Service …. etc

These are objectives that necessitate flexible strategies and long-term perspectives.

CDU – School of Information Technology

HIT241

Management and Information Systems - Slide 3

HIT241 - Management and Information Systems

Management & Project Management

Project management - in contrast to IS management - is focused upon the essentially limited term of the project life cycle, the day-to-day and step-by-step progress.

Leadership and team development are vital ingredients of project management, but in terms of day-to-day activity, planning and control are still dominant.

CDU – School of Information Technology

HIT241

Management and Information Systems - Slide 4

HIT241 - Management and Information Systems

Managing Expectations

IT managers must be able to anticipate the challenges arising from the volatility of technology, and from evolving technology’s impact on the organisation’s structure and economics.

Well-prepared managers seek to understand the nature and scope of these issues, and are prepared to plan for, and control their consequences.

CDU – School of Information Technology

HIT241

Management and Information Systems - Slide 5

HIT241 - Management and Information Systems

Managing Expectations

IT management must be able to manage expectations effectively.

In particular, senior executive will have the expectation that the use of information technology will deliver competitive advantage and financial payoffs for the organisation.

Information about technology is a major basis of expectations, and senior IT managers must respond to these expectations in a disciplined and mature manner.

CDU – School of Information Technology

HIT241

Management and Information Systems - Slide 6

HIT241 - Management and Information Systems

Managing Expectations

IT managers must have a clear and realistic view of technology trends, and an accurate understanding of the organisation’s technological maturity.

The degree of technological maturity will directly impact the organisation’s ability to directly take up the technology.

This knowledge is essential for providing the executive of an organisation with the information upon which reasonable expectations can be built.

CDU – School of Information Technology

HIT241

Management and Information Systems - Slide 7

HIT241 - Management and Information Systems

Managing Expectations

The expectations held by the executives of an organisation will be the basis by which IT managers performance will be measured. It does not matter where expectations originate, or whether they are realistic - completely fulfilling expectations will lead to a satisfactory performance appraisal.

IT managers must therefore appreciate the importance of expectations, and should work proactively to set and achieve expectations.