Avoiding system failures; isn’t that the job of the information technology (IT) staff? Why should I care? A considerable portion of this text is devoted to helping you understand how information technology can be used to benefit your business or organization. In this chapter we will look at the dark side of information systems (IS) and discuss the implications of system failure and what organizations can do to reduce although not eliminate the probability of their information systems failing. Upon the completion of this chapter, we want you to appreciate that while an organization's professional IT staff may be responsible for implementing the majority of technical details associated with avoiding information system failures, organizational management must be involved in:
- Assessing IS benefits and their associated risks,
- Prioritizing IS investments required to improve system reliability and security, and
- Ensuring that policies are in place across the organization so that all organizational members recognize their individual and organizational responsibilities for maintaining the availability, integrity and security of those information systems on which the organization depends.
Management must recognize the potential downside of relying on information systems. The greater the benefits derived from information systems, the greater the potential for loss resulting from system failure. While the IT staff should play a critical role in helping organizational management to understand potential weaknesses in its information systems, the organizational management must be prepared to assess operational, financial and even legal implications of system failure. That is, what are the consequences to an organization if particular a particular IS service (e.g., email, production scheduling, point of sale, transportation scheduling) fails? Furthermore, do the consequences vary if multiple services fail individually or in combination?
IS failures can have financial, legal and moral consequences. Consider, if there were no adverse consequences resulting from an IS failure, then one must wonder why the information system exists. Perhaps the most critical takeaway from this chapter is that organizational managers -- clearly top management, but operational and staff management as well -- must be involved in assessing the consequences of system failure. After understanding the consequences of IS failure, organizational management must actively participate in the determination appropriate policies, procedures, training and technical safeguards to reduce the probability of sustaining unacceptable IS failures.
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