Making technology investments profitable Bringing in real ROI

Over 50 percent of all Information Technology projects fail, not only costing companies considerable monetary investment but also thwarting key strategic initiatives for which the new technology was critical. This book helps executives and managers increase IT project success by using a process for identifying the true ROI value for proposed IT investments-"Real ROI"-then tracking project results against that standard. This guide provides an abundance of pragmatic tips, tools, and techniques to make the process easy to understand, focusing on implementing an ROI plan as well as on tracking IT investments and measuring results postimplementation.

Introduction. About the Authors. Why IT Projects Falter and How Astute Business Cases Help Save the Day. When IT Project Problems Are Really ROI Problems. IT Projects: Too Many Failures, Too Many Times. How Hidden ROI Problems Torpedo IT Success. The Business Case: Flawed Afterthought or IT Value Star? Spotting Business Case Defects. Six Ways Good Business Cases Shape Project Success. How to Recognize a Trustworthy Business Case. The Business Case as a Trusted Scout. Using the Seven C's to Assess Content Quality. The Seven C's of Content Quality. The Seven C's Content Audit Tool for Business Cases. The Importance of Good Processes. Why Process Really Matters. Business Case-Grounded Processes Drive Business Results. Substandard Business Case Processes Abound. Costs of Tolerating Process Problems Are High. Symptoms of Process Problems. Types of Process Problems. Detecting Process Problems. The Process Audit Tool for Business Cases.4. Defining: Steps 1, 2, and 3 to Building Better Business Cases. Seven Hats for Seven Steps. Step 1: SCOPE (Who Expects What?). SCOPE in a Nutshell. SCOPE Explained. Description of Tasks. Step 2: CRITERIA (Who Cares About What?). CRITERIA in a Nutshell. CRITERIA Explained. Description of Tasks. Hitting the “Dartboard-of-Value”. Using the ValueBoard. Using a Balanced Scorecard-Oriented ValueBoard. Establishing Key Themes. Finding Crucial but Elusive Criteria. Step 3: ALIGN (Connect the Dots.). ALIGN in a Nutshell. ALIGN Explained. Using the Value Ladder to Display Alignment. Using the Seven Tests of Alignment. Assessing: Steps 4, 5, and 6 to Building Better Business Cases. Introduction. Step 4: CALCULATE (Show the Money.). CALCULATE in a Nutshell. CALCULATE Explained. Using the PayoffCard. Description of Tasks. Step 5: PROVE (Who Says So?). PROVE in a Nutshell. PROVE Explained. Description of Tasks. Step 6: ANALYZE (Find the Winner.). ANALYZE in a Nutshell. ANALYZE Explained. Description of Tasks. Delivering: Step 7 to Building Better Business Cases. Introduction. Step 7: STORYTELL (Explain It.). STORYTELL in a Nutshell. STORYTELL Explained. Description of Tasks. Finding Hidden Value Others Miss. Who Has the Value? Finding Commonly Overlooked Value Areas. Knowing Where to Look. Knowing What to Look For. Handling Intangibles: An Emotional Enigma of the IT Evaluation. The “Intangibles Factor”: Controversial Yet Crucial. What Is “Intangibility,” and Why Is It Controversial? Managing Intangibles with Skill and Style. Five Ways to Handle Intangibles. Converting Intangibles to Tangibles. Using the Scoresheet to Manage Intangibles. An “Intangibility” Policy Memo. Tips on Management of Intangibles. Using ROI Storytelling to Drive Home the Message. Why ROI Storytelling Drives Home the Message. Principles of Good ROI Storytelling. Pick the Right Story for the Right Audience. Build Stories That Touch Human Hearts. Use Vivid Language. Be Succinct. Stay Alert for Story Ideas. 10. Selecting: Prioritizing Projects with Confidence and Ease. IT Project Selection: Replacing Anxiety with Confidence. A Simple Project Prioritization Process. How Are We Doing? A Quick IT Selection Process Audit. A Simple Project Prioritzation Scoresheet. Uses. PPS in Action: Three Worthwhile Projects, One Bag of Funds. Understanding the Project Prioritization Scoresheet (PPS). A Vendor Comparison Prioritization Scoresheet. Business Case Submittal Standards. Using Standardized Decision Criteria. P3 Implementation Guidelines for the Evaluation Team. 11. Tracking: Making Sure Benefits Get Realized. Benefits Realization: Fantasy or Fact? The IT Benefits Realization Process Audit. Principles of a Good IT Benefits Realization Process. How Good Business Cases Contribute to IT Benefits Realization Succes. The Value Ladder: A Tool for Clarifying Benefits Realization Targets.12. How Vendors Use Business Case ROI to Help Buyers Buy Better. The Culprits and Costs of “Value Neglect”. Buyers Want More, Better ROI Help from Vendors. Recognizing Vendors with “Throwaway ROI”. Recognizing Vendors with “Business Case ROI”. What B