For years I have been searching for the "right" method with which to measure IT costs and benefits. In my quest I have come close with a few well-written white papers that fell short because they didn't go deep enough. This book ends my quest - finally, I have found the "right" method.

The authors start with a chapter on the elusive nature of IT benefits, and the difficulties of measuring and managing them. This chapter lays the groundwork for the rest of the book. One nugget of valuable information given here is the recommendation that IT be run based on P&L (profit and loss). Because IT is traditionally operated as a cost center instead of a profit center I first thought that this was overly radical. However, as I dug deeper I understood the true intent: to tie together investment, value and economics, and measure IT investments based on their derived value to the business. This is where profit comes in. It initially looked like thinly disguised cost/benefit, but the expansion of this concept as the book unfolds makes it look like a true P&L approach.

Chapter two focuses on reasons to evaluate IT investments, and gives a number of approaches to perform evaluations. It covers the strengths and weaknesses of each approach and also discusses some of the pitfalls of benefit evaluation. This material segues into chapter three, which covers the investment decision process. The authors did a good job of explaining this from an IT perspective, and ties it closely to meeting business requirements.

The next chapter discusses the issues associated with, and the techniques used, to perform the IT evaluation. This is where the book gets interesting and a coherent method for measuring IT costs takes shape. What I liked most about this chapter is the list of possible techniques you can employ and how the authors classified techniques based on relative strengths such as objective vs. subjective, etc. This allows you to select the best approach based on the degree of precision you are willing to accept and your goals.

Chapter five, identification of IT costs, is about what we all struggle with: identifying total costs of ownership, finding the "buckets" into with to place the costs, and the cost drivers themselves. The costs are divided into direct and indirect cost portfolios, and the cost breakdowns for each portfolio are comprehensive. This material is valuable and will lend itself nicely to a number of approaches, among them activity-based cost management. Chapter six, IT Cost Control, shows you how to manage the costs that you identify and is a good primer on IT budget management for those who find themselves in a new management position.

IT Business Case Accounting, the topic in chapter seven, presents a straightforward approach to building your business case for IT investments. This is "must" reading for IT management and consultants. Chapter eight, Risk Analysis, is standard fare if you are familiar with these techniques. It is covered completely and provides a solid foundation in the science of identifying, quantifying and managing risks.

My favorite chapter is nine, Evaluation of the IT Function. As a consultant who performs such evaluations I thought I knew a thing or two. This chapter sparked some ideas, and the accompanying checklists are worth their weight in gold. Not only is there a comprehensive set of checklists, you are also shown how to assess the results. Contrast this with books (and consultants) who provide findings, but fail to show the root causes of the findings or make valid recommendations based upon them.

Chapters ten, eleven and twelve tie up some loose ends by covering Ranking and Scoring of the evaluations, Determining Value for Money, and Designing IT Surveys for Benefit Measurement. Taken together these three chapters can stand alone as a small book on using quantitative methods to measure IT value. Chapter thirteen addressed project management issues, which were fairly generic, and the authors end the book with a chapter on final thoughts. They include nine appendices, of which the following provide additional value: C - Financial Measurements used in Cost Benefit Analysis (great primer for non-financial types), D- Factor Analysis (advanced techniques for correlating questionnaire responses), E- Sample Sizing Scenarios (how to select sample size using statistical techniques), F through H Questionnaires and associated issues (the questionnaires are more excellent material for consultants and auditors).

This book provides a roadmap to measuring and managing IT benefits. The approach is straightforward and the goals are achievable (although not without a lot of hard work). It also provides many valuable checklists that will serve you well regardless of whether you are intent on implementing a measurement and management program, or are just seeking some techniques to more effectively manage an IT function. I strongly recommend this book to all consultants who perform IT organizational analysis, and members of IT governance committees or program management offices.

Medical genetics is a difficult discipline in medicine. So many factuals, rules, syndromes and malformations which will make you dizzy. Professor Connor transforms all these difficulties into a concise textbook suitable for both study and reference. Medical graduates can find medical genetics a more approachable science. Strongly recommend for all medical graduates in addition to specialists.

English being my second language, I found this dictionary to be very usefull during my first college years.In fact, I would call this book in question, i.e., Everyday American English Dictionary : A Basic Dictionary for English Language Learning by Richard A. Spears (Editor), et al , an indespenseable tool for the person interested in the English langauge and especially American English.

This book is the most comprehensive look at ground ladders that I've ever read. This book is geared towards the fire service but really these principles can be applied to all jobs where ground ladders are used. Construction workers, roofers, contractors, carpenters, etc are of the professions that could get some good information from this book. But this book is designed for the fire service and appeals to those working this job.

ladder types, and terminology, construction ,maintenanceservice testing, handling of ladders, and handling ladders are all deaqlt with in this 200 pg book. All the information a firefighter will need is contained in this book. This book is more extensive than many will need but has information that would be very helpful to know. Obviously this book is not a replacement for a manufacturer's specific booklet. The principles in this book are meant to be for general use. Safety is also a primary concern that is expressed in this book. IFSTA has refined their ladders books a great deal, this being the 9th edition.

This book is required reading for anyone interested in the Amazon, especially for those planning "eco-travel" in and around Manaus

I love this book, I wont let my friends touch it. It's totallyworth the dollars, it tells you about the greatest NFL players ever. For example: Steve Young, the best left-handed Quarterback ever,and Jerry Rice, the greatest all-time wide receiver ever.

This is a really great book for anyone wanting a Native American story. Grandfather Four Winds is blind, and is talking with Rising Moon, his grandson. They talk about life, faith, courage, hope and wisdom, all rolled into a story about Apple Tree and Pine Tree. I loved it so much, I had tears in my eyes. Wonderful and respectful. Must have for Native American History month.

This book was read to me by a teacher as a way to learn to write a story outline, and with this book I found it extremely easy. The Librarian and the Robbers was hilarious and easy to follow.

My 5 year old son loves the stories in this book. We borrowed it from the library twice and even brought it on our 2 week holiday recently where he actually took the book out several times to read it amid all the excitement of the holiday! We finally bought one to read over and over again.

It consists of 15 short stories some of which are King-Smith's funny animal versions of familiar fairy tales like "Hogsel & Gruntel", "Little Red Riding Pig", "Goldipig & The Three Bears", etc. Sure winner with young ones, just like the rest of his books. Many of the stories appear in individual books, but this beautiful hard cover collection with colour illustrations is great value for money.

The editorial review basically says it all. I'm using the book quite a bit -- I'm trying to attract birds that will eat insect pests. Few other sources have such detailed information about feeding habits, and the information on houses is quite adequate, although you can find birdhouse designs which are much more visually appealing (to humans!) in other books. The one thing I really wish they had done is to put the pests in the index; finding what pests birds like particular to eat requires tedious entry-by-entry searching.