COLLABORATIVE Systems
IT (Information Technology)  Quality

In 1996 I wrote an article and developed an assessment that some folks have found helpful in looking at the quality of their organizations Information Technology efforts.  Assessing and Improving IT Quality.

"Experience has taught me, that taking action in the general direction to which all of these (quality) models point is what information technology managers need to do today. The differences in quality approaches are not nearly as relevant as the inertia that keeps one from getting started!"

The assessment form: IT Quality Assessment Printout and read the article and take the assessment.  Learn and act on the learning.

I recently read Charles Wang's earlier edition of Technovision. This is the first big, open, public, explanation of why businesses are not as successful in using IT as they could be. The triangulation between IBM, the CEO, and the CIO has existed for all of the 40+ years that I have been in the computer field. IBM's influence in this has been greatly reduced, but the triangle and its bad effects hang on. I have ordered and am looking forward to reading the new edition when it arrives.  I have put a helpful questionnaire from his book here for your use.  If you are the CEO look at this questionnaire.

Wang , Charles B. Technovision II : Every Executive's Guide to Understanding and Mastering Technology and the Internet.  (August 1997) McGraw-Hill Book Company; ISBN: 0070681694.  This edition of the bestselling technology guide for executives-from one of the preeminent experts in the field-now expanded to cover all the new and exciting developments on the Internet. The book allows the reader to get inside the mind of industry leader Charles Wang, who shares his vision, a vision that sparked the creation of a $4-billion software development firm, Computer Associates International, Inc. Filled with new case studies, tips, and insights, this edition explores how the World Wide Web is transforming commerce and business. The result is a resource that prepares decision-makers to not only understand the cyber-revolution, but profit from it.

Peopleware : Productive Projects and Teams, 2nd Ed. (February 1, 1999) This second edition is so much better than the first or I was so much more ready to hear what was said.  All managers of knowledge workers should read this book.  You can learn how to do your job better.

When you get ready to build or substantially upgrade an application first read Process Mastering and consider giving it to the manager of the group that will be using the new application.  You might also find Collaborative Information Systems Development worth considering.  

We are putting together a collaborative of up to six companies in the central Indiana area to focus on improving IT quality.  some information is avaliable now and more will be shared as it developes.

Other Resources:

Braithwaite, Timothy. Information Service Excellence Through Tqm : Building Partnerships for Business Process Reengineering and Continuous Improvement, ASQ Press, 1994

Eason, Ken. Information Technology and Organisation Change . London. Taylor & Francis, 1988. (A must book for Information Systems executives.)

Wilson, Ray W. and Paul Harsin. Process Mastering: How to Establish and Document the Best Known Way to Do a Job. , Productivity Inc, 1998 .  I found Process Mastering to be a very valuable resource. The book is well written and straightforward in describing how to develop a process master.
In my field of information technology (IT), it is critical for program designers to have a baseline of how a program presently works. This is best done by a representative team of end users. I have found process mastering the most economical and efficient way to get a document that describes the current system. By doing a process master the team becomes empowered to improve the present process without the IT people and to know what else they want or need IT to do for them. Additionally, the team becomes more effective in their participation in the joint application development (JAD) with the IT folks.
The philosophy behind the approach is very empowering to employees since it is they, the people who do the work, who develop the process masters. I am also pleased with the emphasis that the book puts on understanding the needs of internal and external customers.
Finally, I can recommend this book to anyone who has processes they want to improve and who sees the value of engaging the energy, thought and commitment of their employees to do it. This book, this process, is truly liberating even to the extent of giving meaning and value to previously mundane work.

Davenport, Thomas H. etal 1993 Process Innovation : Reengineering Work through Information Technology
1998 Working Knowledge: How Organizations manage what they know, examines how knowledge can be nurtured in organizations. Building trust throughout a company is the key to creating a knowledge-oriented corporate culture, a positive environment in which employees are encouraged to make decisions that are efficient, productive, and innovative.
2000, Mission Critical: Realizing the Promise of Enterprise Systems

DeMarco, Tom and Timothy Lister Peopleware : Productive Projects and Teams, 2nd Ed. (February 1, 1999) Dorset House; ISBN: 0932633439 Ever wonder why everybody at Microsoft gets their own office, with walls and a door that shuts? It's in there.  Peopleware asserts that most software development projects fail because of failures within the team running them. This strikingly clear, direct book is written for software development-team leaders and managers, but it's filled with enough commonsense wisdom to appeal to anyone working in technology.   Peopleware is a short read that delivers more than many books on the subject twice its size.
Controlling Software Projects : Management, Measurement and Estimation. (September 1986) Yourdon; ISBN: 0131717111. This is an excelent textbook about software projects estimation. The only problem with the book is the lack of more examples to learn the techniques discussed.
Structured Analysis and System Specification. (November 1985) Prentice Hall; ISBN: 0138543801. This classic book of tools and methods for the analyst brings order and precisions to the specification process as it provides guidance and development of a structured specification. Covers functional decomposition; data dictionary; process specification; system modeling; structured analysis for a future system. Suitable for practicing systems analysts. 

Martin, James. Application Development Without Programmers. Prentice-Hall 1982. Rapid Application Development. MacMillan 1991

McConnell, Steve. Rapid Development; Taming Wild Software Schedules . Microsoft Press, 1996

Gerald M. Weinberg   Is a man I have never met; yet he has had great influence on my consulting practice and me.  The first book I read by him was The Psychology of Computer Programming.  He also wrote and made an audio tape of Secrets of Consulting : A Guide to Giving and Getting Advice Successfully.  These books and possible his workshops may be helpful to you. I try to follow the principles laid out in the following 5 books by this author.
Handbook of Walkthroughs, Inspections, and Technical Reviews : Evaluating Programs, Projects, and Products 1990
Quality Software Management : Systems Thinking, (Vol 1) 1991
Quality Software Management : First-Order Measurement (Vol 2) 1993
Quality Software Management : Congruent Action (Congruent Action, Vol 3) 1994
Quality Software Management : Anticipating Change (Vol 4) 1997

These books are not cheap nor are they easy to read and apply.  I may have been attracted to them because of the author's devotion to family systems, which I believe is very helpful when working with teams and organizations.  There is more on this topic under Team Building.

Jones, Capers. Software Quality: Analysis & Guidelines for Success , International Thomson Publishing, 1997

Watts S. Humphrey, Managing the Software Process , Addison-Wesley Pub Co 1989
A Practical "how-to" and "what questions to ask". If you wish to improve the Quality of your software development, this book is worth reading, studying, and questioning. It realy does not tell you how or why to improve, but suggest processes and measures that you need to concider if you are already commited to better software.

Gates, Bill and Collins Hemingway. Business @ the Speed of Thought: Succeeding in the Digital Economy. (May 15, 2000) Warner Books; ISBN: 0446675962.  Argues that the capabilities of computers, software, and networks are only beginning to be harnessed, and that companies must start building a modern, digital nervous system now in order to compete quickly and intuitively in the new millennium. Explains how to turn hardware and software into an evolving network of information.  Much better writen, with good examples from Microsoft and other companies.  I am fasinated by his just sliping in the asides that this want work unless you impower you people ... unless you do the quality stuff... etc.
The Road Ahead (CD ROM included) (November 1996) Penguin USA (Paper); ISBN: 0140260404. Love him or loathe him, Mr. Microsoft is certainly an influential voice in the modern business world and The Road Ahead is definitely an important addition to any business library. Gates' description of the beginnings of the information age, while somewhat over-emphasizing his own contributions and downplaying those of his competitors, is nonetheless as clear and enlightening as any in print today. Likewise, his view of the digital future--from hardware to software and education to entertainment--should be read and studied by all who use technology in their business today or plan to use it on the road ahead.

Beck, Kent. Extreme Programming Explained: Embrace Change. (October 15, 1999) Addison-Wesley Pub Co; ISBN: 0201616416. eXtreme Programming eXplained provides an intriguing high-level overview of the author's Extreme Programming (XP) software development methodology. Written for IS managers, project leaders, or programmers, this guide provides a glimpse at the principles behind XP and its potential advantages for small- to mid-size software development teams.
Planning Extreme Programming. (October 13, 2000) Addison-Wesley Pub Co; ISBN: 0201710919. The hallmarks of Extreme Programming--constant integration and automated testing, frequent small releases that incorporate continual customer feedback, and a teamwork approach--make it an exceptionally flexible and effective approach to software development.