This document provides an agenda for a class on managing project priorities. It includes discussions on a case study about prioritizing projects at an organization called VoA, reflections on managing IT project priorities, a blog post on prioritization processes, a reading discussion on measuring IT value, and an activity where students identify outcomes and metrics for scenarios involving technology implementations at a university.

1. Week 7 –Managing Project
Priorities
MIS5100: Management Information Systems
PROF. STEVEN L. JOHNSON
Twitter: @StevenLJohnson
http://stevenljohnson.org
http://community.mis.temple.edu/mis5001fall10johnson/

2. Today’s Agenda
 Case Discussion
 Blog Discussion Question
 Reading Discussion
 Measurement Activity

3. Case Study Discussion
 What is your assessment of the new process for
managing priorities at VoA? Is it better or worse than
the old process? Are the criticisms justified?
 How should Matulovic respond to his fellow
executives who are asking for special treatment?
 Is it fair that $16 of $60 million is “set aside” for
Matulovic to use at his discretion?
 How is it possible that under this new system a
“critical” project (global supply chain system) was
unfunded? What should be done about that?
 Does VoA need a new selection process?

4. 100-Second Reflection
1. What would you like to remember at the end of the
semester about managing IT project priorities?
2. What would you like to know more about?
3. Any other comments?

5. Blog Discussion
 Prioritization Process (Janice Fraser, Adaptive Path)
 “Big List of Things to Do”
 Dependencies and Baseline
 Feasibility and Importance
 Graph: 4 quadrants
1. Do First (F+, I+)
3. Maybe Not (F+, I-)
2. Maybe Later (F-, I+)
4. Don’t Bother (F-, I-)
 Similar to: Must Have, Nice to Have, Future

6. Reading Discussion
 What is the IT value measurement problem?
 What is “The Clarification Chain”?
 “Anything is measurable in a way that is superior to
not measuring it at all” – Tom DeMarco

7. Measurement Activity (4 Groups)
 Each group is assignment one of these scenarios:
1. Every student enrolled of Fox School of Business is given an
iPad and all textbooks are delivered electronically.
2. Temple U. has all student feedback forms completed online.
3. SEPTA allows riders to use a single electronic fare card for
bus, rail, or subway fare.
4. Temple U. library provides online access for students to all
books in its collection (e.g., full page Google Books)
 Identify 4-6 ways things organizational outcomes
that will be different after than before.
 Propose ways to measure these differences. Be
specific.

8. For More Information
PROF. STEVEN L. JOHNSON
EMAIL: STEVEN@TEMPLE.EDU
Twitter: @StevenLJohnson
http://stevenljohnson.org
http://community.mis.temple.edu/mis5001fall10johnson/