Project Management for Information SystemsAbstractInformation systems (IS) projects are vulnerable to resource cuts, and increasing system complexity and advances in information technology make it difficult to find the right staff and associated high development costs. Good project management is essential for success. Some alignment methodologies include IBM's Business Systems Planning (BSP), Robert Holland's Strategic Systems Planning, James Martin's Information Engineering (1989), and Anderson Consulting's Method/1. The critical success factors methodology (Rockart, 1979) focuses on identifying the key information needs of senior executives and building information systems around those key needs. Williams, (1997) identified four steps for system planning. Earl (1989) proposed five alternative strategic frameworks that project managers should consider when deciding how the system will improve the business function. Standard business strategy methods are used to identify such opportunities using: value chains, application research and information analysis (Earl 1989). Project managers may decide that major changes to business processes may be necessary. Change management is important for project managers and business leaders, starting in the project phase and continuing throughout the entire life cycle. Employees need training to understand how the system will change business processes. Technology factors include system software, support for legacy systems, and the IT infrastructure on which the system will be installed. Information systems are powered by information technologies that must last throughout the system development lifecycle.IntroductionThe responsibility to achieve...... middle of paper......Production Systems, 5, 1, 31 -8.- Rockart, JF, 1979, "CEOs define their data needs", Harvard Business Review, 57, 2, 81-93.- Rosario, JG, 2000, "At the cutting edge: critical success factors in ERP implementation projects", BusinessWorld, Philippines.- Scheer, A, Habermann, F, 2000, "Making ERP a success", Communications of the ACM, 43, 3, 57-61.- Sumner, M, 1999, " Critical Success Factors in Enterprise-Wide Information Management Systems Projects", Proceedings of the American Conference on Information Systems (AMCIS), 232-4.- Wee, S, 2000, "Navigating to ERP Success: Keeping the Key Factors High successful", ERP News, http://www.erpnews .com/erpnews/erp904/02get.html.- Williams, LT, 1997, "Information System Planning and Management: A Manager's Guide", Industrial Management & Data Systems Volume 97 Number 5 1997 pp. 187-191