Information Technology: The Management Challenge

The eleven chapters in this 199-page book gives a roadmap for aligning business and IT, and for effectively delivering value. As such this book should be on the book shelf or reading list for anyone who is involved in IT management or consulting.Chapter 1 opens with IT as it relates to the global business environment. Much has been said about the global nature of the connected world, but views provided by two essays, reinforced with a case study and capped off with an action checklist sums up the key issues. The book uses the same discussion-reinforcing case study-action checklist structure in every chapter. I like this approach because it has enabled the author to provide the key issues in succinct terms, demonstrate those issues in action, then give a structure from which you can develop your own plans. I also like the fact that management views written by other writers who are experts in their fields are included in many of the chapters.Each chapter addresses a specific and important aspect of IT management, and each builds upon the preceding chapter. The sequence is: frameworks for thinking about business and IT (especially solid chapter because it gives a point of reference for the rest of the book), delivering information, IT for competitive advantage (another excellent chapter!) and managing the development of an IT strategy. Although the book is not divided into sections, the preceding chapters is a foundation for what's to come. The next two chapters cover analyzing IT investments and impact of IT on an organization. These set the stage for the two that follow: implementing the IT strategy and the business manager's role in development. The book concludes with two chapters that cover major trends in IT (this chapter is still valid despite the fact that the book was written in 1999) and management concerns for the future.The book is well written and thought-provoking. I got through it in a weekend, then spent weeks thinking about much of what was presented, and frequently referred back to key chapters. The action checklists are probably the most valuable parts of the book and are carefully crafted to make you think about key issues as they relate to your organization.