Software Failure: Management Failure: Amazing Stories and Cautionary Tales (Wiley Series in Software Engineering Practice) (Paperback)

~ (Author) "Computerized information systems are at the heart of all modern organizations..." (more)
Key Phrases: aided despatch system, paper share certificates, vehicle location system, General Council, The Field System, Financial Times (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Its fine to celebrate success but it is more important to heed the lessons of failure Bill Gates Good judgement is usually the result of experience. And experience is frequently the result of bad judgement. But to learn from the experience of others requires those who have the experience to share the knowledge with those who follow Barry LePatner

Many millions are wasted every year on building, extending and fixing information systems that either do not perform as expected, do not work at all or are abandoned before they are implemented. Details of the events that contribute are too often shrouded in non-disclosure contracts and confidentiality agreements, the causes of errors never to be aired and analysed by those in a position to prevent similar blunders in future. Newspaper reports of spectacular fiascos provide as much hard evidence as most are likely to hear, but what proportion of substandard and unwieldy IS developments come into being and continue in use simply because they are not so flawed as to be totally useless? The purpose of this book is to bring together material about a number of significant information systems which did not perform as originally envisaged and to provide a coherent account of the surrounding events. The author identifies major causal events and draws from them management lessons. In case after case critical factors point out strategic, organizational or resource problems rather than technical bugs. The value of comparing these woeful tales is to become aware of the way that organizations can become locked in a cycle of failure, condemned to repeat the mistakes of others. Read and be warned! Learn from the experiences of…

• The Performing Right Society
• The Confirm Development
• Socrates Reservation System
• Californias DMV
• The London Ambulance Service
• Denver Airports Baggage System
• TAURUS at the London Stock Exchange
• The Pineapple Group
• B of A Masternet
• The IRS
• and, unfortunately, more…

From the Publisher

Millions of dollars are wasted and many managers' jobs are put on the line when computer systems do not live up to their expected performance, or fail outright. Concentrating on management skills and the tools needed for analysis and control, this book helps managers learn from other's mistakes to help prevent failure in their own companies. It contains case studies from different companies and industries, including: American Airlines, the IRS, the Bank of America MasterNet, the Denver Airport, the Stock Exchange, and many more.

Product Details

• Paperback: 210 pages
• Publisher: John Wiley & Sons (December 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471951137
• ISBN-13: 978-0471951131
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,992,333 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Software management cannot replace business management, May 24, 1998

By	Johnny Getha (Denver, CO, USA) - See all my reviews

The gist of this fascinating book is that so-called software failures are really failures of the business environment, not the coders. In not one of the case studies are the software developers to blame. The culprit is always bigger-picture management, who are often trying to use a computer system to fix a broken business practice. So far I haven't read the entire book, but the author does not seem to think practices such as CMM or Software Process Improvement will really help. The entire system, not just the computer components, must be evaluated holistically. Software must be used only where it will really help. Trying to automate a broken business practice will only result in a broken automated system.