Survey Pinpoints Technology Failures

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Survey Pinpoints Technology Failures

Changing business needs and projects that don't deliver as promised are the leading causes of IT project failures, according to a survey of IT professionals conducted by ISACA at its North American Computer Audit, Control, and Security Conference in Las Vegas. More than 40 percent of the 386 respondents say their organization has recently ended an IT project before it was implemented.

Nearly 30 percent of respondents say their organization ended a project prematurely because it didn't meet current business needs, while 23 percent say the project didn't meet expectations. Other reasons for ending IT projects include the project was no longer a priority (14.4 percent), it exceeded budget (13.2 percent), and it didn't support the business strategy (6.6 percent).

"Unfortunately, many underperforming IT-related projects continue longer than they should because management does not constantly assess projects and ensure they generate appropriate value and benefits," says Marios Damianides, a past international president of ISACA and the IT Governance Institute. "It is a good management practice and a sign of appropriate governance to evaluate and take action on underperforming IT projects as they progress, rather than suffer the financial and reputational consequences further down the road."

Survey participants also ranked IT-related issues in order of importance. As they survey indicates, 45 percent of respondents say security is the most important IT issue their organizations will address in 2008. Other issues rated as important include risk (15 percent), compliance (15 percent), governance (14 percent), and assurance and audit (9 percent).

More information about the survey can be found on the ISACA Web site.