Seven Factors in the Failure of Large-Scale IT-based Systems

Speaker:	Dr. Albert M. Erisman
		Institute for Business, Technology, and Ethics

Title:		"Seven Factors in the Failure of Large-Scale
		 IT-based Systems"

Date:		Monday, 21 March 2005

Time:		4:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Venue:		Lecture Theatre F
		(Leung Yat Sing Lecture Theatre, near lift nos. 25/26)
 		HKUST

ABSTRACT:

Large-Scale IT-based systems offer huge potential value to business and
government organizations ranging from efficiencies of operation to quality
improvements to opportunities for new business areas.  Unfortunately, cost
overruns, missed promises, and outright failure continue to plague the
development of such systems.  We will discuss seven factors that
contribute to the shortfalls, and make suggestions for increasing the
likelihood of success.


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Biography:

Albert M. Erisman is Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Institute
for Business, Technology, and Ethics (www.ethix.org).  He is also the
Executive in Residence at the School of Business and Economics at Seattle
Pacific University.  He received his Bachelor of Science in Mathematics
from Northern Illinois University in 1962 and his Master's in Applied
Mathematics from Iowa State University in 1967.  He was awarded his Ph.D.
in Applied Mathematics from Iowa State University in 1969.

Al worked for The Boeing Company for 32 years. His experience with Boeing
includes working as an algorithmic researcher and technical manager.  When
he left Boeing in April, 2001, he was Director of Mathematics and
Computing Technology, an R&D organization of 250 computer scientists,
mathematicians, statisticians, and engineers working on future
technologies for the company.  He was selected as one of the inaugural
twelve Senior Technical Fellows of The Boeing Company in 1990.

Al's teaching experience includes lecturing at Carnegie Mellon, University
of Washington, Regent College in Canada, Iowa State University, Seattle
University, and most recently, Seattle Pacific University.  He has taught
at both the undergraduate and graduate levels in courses such as numerical
analysis, technology and ethics, technology and business, electrical
engineering, information systems management, and applied mathematics.  Al
has co-authored three books and numerous journal papers in such diverse
journals as the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics, Numerische
Mathematic, ACM, IEEE, Scientific American, and Life @ Work.  He is
currently working on a book titled Why be Ethical in Business?  His
writing ranges from ethics to supercomputer applications to mathematical
algorithms to technology.

He has made presentations to professional societies, companies, and
governments in many parts of the world, most recently in China and
Southeast Asia.  In addition, Al has participated in several National
Academy of Sciences committees and currently is Chair of the review panel
for the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) Information
Technology Laboratory.  He is also Chairman of the Board of the Washington
Technology Center.