Chapter 2

The project Management and Information Technology Context

As we know project can not be run in isolation thus it must operate in a broad organizational environment and project manager within the greater organizational context. System thinking is taking a holistic view of carrying out projects within the context of the organization. Systems approach emerged in the 1950s to describe a more analytical approach to management and problem solving. Systems philosophy is an overall model for thinking about things as systems. Systems analysis is the problem-solving approach. Systems management is addressing business, technological, and organizational issues before making changes to systems.

As for the Three-sphere model for the System Management:
1) Business
2) Organization
3) Technology

As for the four frames of organizations:
1) Structural frame
2) Human resources frame
3) Political frame
4) Symbolic frame

As for the organizational Structures, there are three general classifications:
1) A functional organizational structure
2) A project organizational structure
3) A matrix organizational structure

As we know, organizational culture is a set of shared assumptions, values, and behaviors that characterize the functioning of an organization. There are ten characteristics of organizational culture:
1) Member Identity
2) Group emphasis
3) People focus
4) Unit Integration
5) Control
6) Risk tolerance
7) Reward criteria
8) Conflict tolerance
9) Means-ends orientation
10) Open systems focus

Thus, a project needs to be supported by the Top management. Their commitment is crucial to project managers for the following reason:
1) PM needs adequate resources.
2) PM often require approval for unique project needs in a timely manner.
3) PM must have cooperation from people in other part of the organization.
4) PM often need someone to mentor and coach them on leadership issue.

The Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) is a framework for describing the phases involved in developing and maintaining information systems. Systems development projects can follow:
Predictive life cycle: the scope of the project can be clearly articulated and the schedule and cost can be predicted
Adaptive Software Development (ASD) life cycle: requirements cannot be clearly expressed, projects are mission driven and component based, using time-based cycles to meet target dates

Project Phases and Management Reviews are important because a project should successfully pass through each of the project phases in order to continue on to the next. Management reviews, also called phase exits or kill points, should occur after each phase to evaluate the project’s progress, likely success, and continued compatibility with organizational goals.
The people involved in information technology project must come from very diverse backgrounds possess different skill set.