Based on experience in identifying and evaluating project risks in large-scale software systems acquisition and development programs, Integrated Computer Engineering developed a risk database. An analysis of the database identified dominant characteristics that provide insight into the causes of dysfunctional software projects.
The project risks collected from years of project assessments form a significant database of more than 800 primary and secondary project risk indicators.
Seven dominant characteristics have been identified leading to failure of system acquisition and development projects.The seven common characteristics are described in a paper on the Integrated Computer Engineering Web Site.
This US Defense Acquisition University book describes the national armament acquisition systems of Australia, Japan and the United States. The book introduces the political environment, acquisition organizations, systems and processes. The differences in national culture, traditions, time zones, currencies, fiscal year schedules and language barriers are described.
This book is a must read for anyone in the business of international defense projects acquistion and cooperation. The book is online at http://www.dau.mil/pubs/misc/acq-comp-pac00.asp
The goal or MIT IT Information Systems is to educate practitioners in Information Systems on project management tools and practices. The information web pages are a starting point to a review of the field and to encourage the use of project management methodology both at the Institute and Information Systems community.
Some of the topics listed at the MIT Information Systems web dealing with project managerment are:
The disclaimer to this web site reads
"These pages include links to web sites which are external to MIT as well as references to commercially available project management tools. These links and references are provided to support individual exploration of project management practices and techniques. They are not intended as an endorsement of any particular web site, commercial product, or methodology by MIT and may not be cited as such."
The MIT Project Resources and Discovery pages are maintained by the I/T Discovery Process which is unit of MIT's Information Systems (IS) Department. On part of the I/T Discovery mission is to support the promotion and application of project management methodology within the IS and greater Institute community. Comments and suggestions are welcome.Please direct email to Joanne Hallisey, Senior Project Manager, Discovery Team or to the Discovery Team at discovery@mit.edu.
[ MIT Project Resources and Discovery Web Site ]