Cover -- Half Title -- Dedication -- Title -- Copyright -- Contents -- List of figures -- List of tables -- Preface -- Acknowledgements -- Introduction -- Part I: The problem with information systems projects -- 1 A fifty-year context -- 2 What have we learnt from failure so far? -- 3 Introducing the failure model -- 4 High investment but low return -- 5 Business and IT: they just can't communicate -- 6 Information politics: the new organizational battleground -- 7 Over-commitment in information systems projects: when failure is the only option -- 8 Where is the accountability when information systems projects fail? -- 9 The silver bullet syndrome: expecting the problems with information systems projects to be solved by a single-shot solution -- Part II: Breakthrough to project success -- 10 Mastering the basics in four, not so easy, steps -- 11 Guaranteeing returns from high-investment information systems projects -- 12 Eliminating the culture gap: business and IT working together -- 13 Short- and medium-term solutions to information politics -- 14 Stopping the escalator: ensuring your information systems projects are successful -- 15 Rehabilitating accountability -- 16 Avoiding the silver bullet syndrome: choosing the right tools and techniques -- Part III: Optimizing information systems projects -- 17 Optimizing the delivery of information systems projects -- 18 Changing attitudes towards IT and information systems projects -- 19 The bottom line -- Epilogue -- Notes -- Index