Measuring the Business Value of Information Technology. Practical Strategies for IT and Business Managers (IT Best Practices) [Import] [Paperback]

David Sward (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: 2006

In today's fast moving competitive business environment, companies increasingly demand that IT investments demonstrate business value through measurable results. David Sward directly addresses this challenge in his book Measuring the Business Value of Information Technology.

Intended for IT professionals and consultants as well as business managers, this book covers one of the most important strategies any company can establish to help manage IT in the coming years. Namely, the creation of an IT Business Value Program to execute systematic customer focused approaches to determine the business value for any IT investment an organization may make.

Expanding on concepts offered in Martin Curley's Managing IT for Business Value, and linking business value programs with CMF frameworks, Sward explains how business value programs are established; measured; maintained; and governed; providing a blueprint for evaluating IT investments and equipping the reader with the tools required for success.

Measuring the Business Value of Information Technology is a rich collection of methodology, processes, metrics, supported with examples from IT @ Intel and other IT organizations. Based on financial concepts and drawing on his background as a Human Factors Engineer, Sward makes the case that the process of establishing and running a business value program can ultimately create a new mindset for IT professionals.

While Sward recognizes this will not happen overnight, he believes it serves to instill a belief that an organization can and will create a competitive advantage and increase shareholder value not by just deploying information technology, but by deploying the right information technology by linking IT to corporate objectives and focusing all efforts on the requirements of the end user.

Product Details

• Paperback: 282 pages
• Publisher: Intel Press (2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0976483270
• ISBN-13: 978-0976483274
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #623,652 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A "Must Read" for IT Professionals AND business decision makers, June 25, 2007

By 

David B. DeHaven (Potomac Falls, VA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

I've dealt with how IT can move from being viewed as a cost center to a value center and this is one of the few practical books that takes this issue head-on. David walks the reader through a step by step process on to how to design, implement and run a business value program in any firm, regardless of industry type or organizational size. It is a refreshing perspective on the topic, focusing on value delivered to the users of IT. Choosing the right solutions to maximize an organization's performance has never been more critical and this book provides the tools to aid decision makers to do this efficiently and effectively. The concepts are presented in a way that make them easily "right sized" for any organization. I consider this book a must read for IT professionals, business decision makers, and academics grooming the next generation of business professionals.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars excellent book from a state-of-the-art practice, April 26, 2007

By 

GJ Beekman (The Netherlands) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

David Sward has written a valuable book for the practitioner, bringing together economic theory and human factor engineering. The economic theory renders a solid theoretical framework to analyze IT business cases and subsequently track IT performance during the project and deployment phases. The human factor engineering provides the practitioner with a clear approach how to develop and implement a 'IT for Business Value' program at a company plus a list of pitfalls and ways to get around. The book reads easily and takes the reader through the program, step-by-step. Excellent graphics support the reader's understanding. I strongly recommend the book to management and finance practitioners who need to get a grip on the economics of IT and to academics who want to get a feeling for a state-of-the-art practice.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book for practitioners, March 8, 2007

By 

J. Kenneally (Europe) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Sward's approach is couched in Intel's experiences of how its internal IT Organisation has over-come the issue of the 'IT revenue gap' (objectively linking where IT costs are incurred and where the corresponding value materialises). The book steps through the creation of a practical IT business value program that focuses on systematic and objective data collection to develop reliable value propositions for IT solutions in the language of the customer - what results is a credible process for demonstrating the value of technology investments to the firm. The book is well laid out and backed up with lots of good examples and re-useable templates. A must read for practitioners in this area.