Introduction | Excerpted chapter Powering Up How Public Managers Can Take Control of Information Technology Table of Contents Foreword Preface Introduction: What This Book Is — and Is Not The Government Performance Project The GPP Criteria The Academic Approach The Journalistic Approach The Journalists and the Academics Meet The Published Reports 1. IT on the Front Lines Benefits of Technology Pitfalls Politics Money and Management A New Breed of Managers In Summary 2. To Each His Own Varying Goals The Need for Stakeholder Input In Summary 3. Land Mines in Project Management On Time and on Budget? Underestimating Scope at the Outset Scope Creep A Shortage of Project Managers Training Project Managers Why Bad Things Happen to Project Managers How to Stop Bad Things from Happening to Project Managers In Summary 4. Lurching Toward the Center When the Mainframes Ruled Decentralization — and Its Problems In Search of a Middle Ground Sufficient Central Authority In Summary 5. Who's in Charge? What Should a CIO Do? Where Do CIO's Belong in the Leadership Chart? Some Model CIO Positions Bringing in the Stakeholders In Summary 6. Standardization: They Walk Alike and Talk Alike Enterprise Architecture A Range of Efforts Why Standardize? Obstacles to Standardization Keys to Effective Standardization In Summary 7. Strategic Planning: Getting from Here to There False Efforts at Strategic Planning What Should a Strategic Plan Contain? Enterprise-wide and Agency Plans Obstacles to Strategic Planning The Importance of Buy-in Keys to Successful Strategic Planning In Summary 8. Procurement: Buy Buy Buy Delays Are Destructive Decentralized Purchasing Requests for Proposal (RFP) Central Expertise External Obstacles Master Contracts Other Innovations Twelve Guidelines for Dealing with Vendors In Summary 9. Outsourcing Some Successful Outsourcing Efforts Some Lessons from Indianapolis A Half-way Approach to Outsourcing in San Diego Outsourcing Obstacles Outsource — But Keep Control In Summary 10. Training Shortages of IT Specialists Incapable End-Users Multiple Benefits from Training Not Enough Money Why Isn't There Sufficient Training? Keys to Successful Training In Summary 11. Is It Worth It? Why Isn't IT Held Accountable for Results? Good Management Meets Political Reality Measuring Benefits Isn't Easy Some Success Stories in Measuring Potential Benefits The Hardest Part — After-the-Fact Accountability Some Leaders in After-the-Fact Accountability In Summary 12. Oh What a Tangled Web Rapid Growth in Internet Use by Localities Creative Applications Are Being Added Continually Effective Planning for Web Sites Is a Shortcoming Structure Is Key Search Capabilities Transactional Capacity Easily Solved Obstacles to Online Transactions More Difficult Obstacles to Online Transactions Marketing Is Key Who Picks Up the Tab? In Summary 13. Case in Point: Washington State's Electronic Filing Service What Is ELF? Encouraging Risk Taking Strategic Planning A Solid Base for Action Managing the Project The Significance of Marketing Testing Rolling Out the System More Marketing Ongoing Hurdles Cost Benefits In Summary 14. Case in Point: Philadelphia's GIS System Geographic Information System (GIS) Difficulties in Standardizing and Sharing Data Support from Major Players Keys to Success The Importance of Central Controls In Summary 15. Case in Point: Phoenix's Financial Management System A New Financial Management System The Capacity Gap Involving Managers in Development Understanding Management Needs Retaining Realistic Goals Transition Management A Focus on Training Communicating with Departments In Summary 16. Making the Grade States Cities In Summary 17. The Crystal Ball Appendix A: Interviewed Sources Appendix B: Cities Appendix C: States Appendix D: Glossary Index Copyright 2001 Congressional Quarterly Inc.