Managing in‐house development of a campus‐wide information system

Abstract

Purpose To show how a combination of hard and soft project and change management methodologies guided successful in‐house development of a campus‐wide information system. Design/methodology/approach A case study of the methodologies and management structures that guided the development is presented. Findings Applying a combination of the dynamic systems development method, rapid prototyping, PRINCE 2, Checkland's soft systems methodologies and change management helped to develop a product that met user needs, offered value for money and was delivered on time. Practical implications The case study shows that the advantages of formal governance brought by PRINCE 2 can be retained in a softer environment where user needs generate work packages and stage gates. Originality/value There is widespread evidence that more than half of all IT projects fail and that the softer people issues are essential for success. The paper presents an example of fusing softer approaches with formal governance. It should interest programme and project managers, senior sponsors, software developers and usability specialists.