Questions for Thought - Assignment Example

Management in Information Technology Agile project management borrows many ideas from the Agile method of software development and uses them in project management. Agile project management encourages on stakeholder involvement and feedback in the management process. It also includes objective, metrics, and effective controls. Proponents of agile project management believe that the analysis, design, code and test are continuous stages of software development. The same approach is applied to project management.

There is improved quality because testing starts from the first day of the project quality improves as the project is continuing while the risk is reduced due to the early feedback. On the other hand, the waterfall method is a sequential design process. Completion of one stage usually leads to the next stage that has different goals. Agile methods allow an individual to make frequent changes to the management process and test the various stages of the project (Nayab 1). Change management is a vital process for IT professionals in many organizations.

Every organization undergoes different forms of change. As the world of technology and business is changing it is paramount for organizations particularly the IT departments to conform to these changes. Change management is whereby the organization applies structured processes and tools for leading people during the change to achieve a particular outcome. Organization change management offers a framework upon which organizations can manage the changes in organization structure, new business processes, and cultural changes facing the company.

Change management is beneficial particularly when the change requires all employees or people in the organization to learn new behaviors and skills. Organizations should set expectations, use tools to improve communication and reduce misinformation among employees to ensure they adapt to the change. Managing change is paramount for organizations that seek in the corporate world (Fernandez and Rainey 168).There is a growing contention on whether organizations should develop their software packages of not.

Several advantages are cited to support the development of personal software packages. However, before developing build in software packages, the company should assess the benefits of the software in relation to canned software packages. The “build versus buy” discussion is an important issue facing companies today. If building seems cheaper, it may be the best option rather than buying. Other benefits of building software packages include the ability to customize the software according to specifications beneficial to the company.

In addition to cost efficiency, making software packages can help increase the productivity of the company and also provide the competitive advantage to the company (Chuck 1). Developing your software tailored to company needs may offer an efficient and commoditized service at a better price.Virtualization is increasing its importance in organizations. As such virtualization can present different advantages and disadvantages for organizations. Virtualization plays a critical role in managing facilities of the organization.

It helps save space and hardware costs such as those of buying server wires and cables. Virtual appliances also help reduce security risks that are common in traditional setups. Virtualization also helps management the resources of the organization. In addition to optimizing the usage of existing hardware resources, it helps manage the servers (Marshall 1). However, there are also other pitfalls associated with virtualization. There may be internal resistance from other people within the organization.

Management should address this resistance early before launching the virtualization process. Mismanagement and poor resource allocation can be a massive blow to the process of virtualization. Lack of support from other software vendors can be a problem for companies seeking to adopt virtualization of their systems. Accessing the required skill to develop and implement virtualization is an enormous challenge facing many organizations.Works CitedChuck, Cohn. "Build vs. Buy: How to Know When You Should Build Custom Software Over Canned Solutions.

" 15 September 2014. Forbes. 12 April 2015.Fernandez, Sergio and Hal Rainey. "Managing Successful Organizational Change in the Public Sector." Public Administration Review (2006): 168-176.Marshall, David. "Top 10 benefits of server virtualization." 2 Nov 2011. InfoWorld. 12 April 2015.Nayab. "Agile vs. Waterfall- Is There a Real Winner." 12 July 2012. Bright hub project management. 12 April 2015.