Customer Reviews

Building the Real-Time Enterprise: An Executive Briefing

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Building the Real-Time Enterprise: An Executive Briefing by Michael Hugos is a timely compendium of lessons about tested and proofed management and operational techniques for all CIO's wanting to create successful internal IT organizations in the global village we live and work in. How is an IT organization to spend its scarce resources to enable its business to excel in a world characterized by hyper-competition and co-opetition? Hugos defines the Real-time Enterprise and systematically explains its business foundations, supported by practical examples. Short overview sections on Information Theory, Cybernetics, General Systems Theory, Total Quality Management, Six Sigma, Business Process Management, System Dynamics and Viable Systems Model, to name a few, provide contextual settings in which the roots for the modern Real-time Enterprise are to be found. The book continues by explaining how to design a real-time enterprise. It does so by motivating the need for change and dynamic management, right through descriptions of real-time observation and action chains [the Observe-Orient-Decide-Act loop, borrowed from aerial warfare]and to guidance on where to start the journey toward the Real-time Enterprise once resolved as strategy. Directions of how to build an IT infrastructure for Real-time Enterprises, and tested project management methodologies are combined to serve as a Best Practice manual towards sure results. Decision-making, modern programming languages, social skills and people management, and the various steps of the system development life cycle, are all described in the context of creating the Real-time Enterprise. Of particular value is sections on hard lessons learned in successes and failures as the author experienced them in his career, and how these are of value in systematically moving towards the Real-time Enterprise. These lessons are classified in strategic guidelines for system design and tactical principles for running projects. Every chapter in the book is supported by a vignette describing a particular executive insight related to the chapter content, and this is where the book's ultimate value lies; it is based on the professional experience of an author, also award-winning CIO, having changed the organization he works for to a Real-time Enterprise with sustainable growth and success in the world of today. Having read Building the Real-time Enterprise left me with fresh and profound insights on how to optimize executive effort and organizational resources for the creation of a dynamic and agile IT capacity in the modern organization. Free of clichés, this book has set a benchmark to be followed as an example of how to combine theoretical principles with practical lessons and verified successes in the IT world. It won't easily be replaced as company on my professional journey!

Useful book for the busy executive: I am the CFO of my organization and manage many operating units. I have read Mr. Hugos' book and found it refreshing, to the point and extremely useful. In particular the last chapter has armed me with all of the important questions that provide the framework for keeping all projects on task and within budget. These questions provide a common communication framework between technical people and business unit managers that result in projects that stay focused and on track.

It was straightforward, relevant, and used examples from outside the business world (I especially liked the one about air to air combat) to parallel non-associated actions and show that the thought processes were similar. I think it was also balanced by explaining some of the pitfalls that may happen from too much of a good thing, like the call center monitoring tools. Great examples from the real world. I got a lot out of it.

Providing an easy to read, but comprehensive understanding of the real time enterprise, this book is a valuable reference to the busy CIO or IT executive. The book provides insight into not just the theory behind a real time enterprise, but also details on how to implement this within your organisation. The excellent layout and the use of diagrams and tables does not detract from the message, while the lists provide a valuable reference point. I would recommend this book to any IT executive who is trying to unlock the IT value proposition.

Based on over 35 years of experience leading Information Technology organziations as a CIO, I believe that the book by Hugos is a must read for both CIO's and other business function leaders. The book reflects Hugos' vast experience as a CIO and contains practical advice for both. For CIO's, Hugos not only provides realistic and common-sense advice on "what and how" to do things, but perhaps more importantly, "what and how" NOT to do things. CIO's can earn their keeps often by not falling into the trap of following the hype--many companies implement complex and expensive systems like ERP's and CRM's without compelling business case--just to "join the club." Hugos correctly points out that often adding futures and functions to existing well-run systems is a better (safer, faster, cheaper) way to address business needs.

His practical advice to functinal business leaders also hit the target. Particularly valuable are his suggestions on how to ensure IT projects should be structured to succeed and once they are started, how to make sure they are implemented on time and on budget.