IT Management Slideshow: The Economics of Choosing Business Software

What does quality software need to do today? It must work on multiple platforms, within a global landscape. It needs to remain compatible with legacy systems, as well as other currently popular software applications. It can't allow defects to cripple organization objectives. As a CIO, you're ultimately responsible for these and other software-related demands. If you fail, there are a number of possibly devastating consequences, including rejection by internal or external customers, failure to deliver on strategic business objectives and possibly even a massive onslaught of litigation. The recent book "The Economics of Software Quality" (Addison-Wesley Professional/available now) explores these issues while providing guidance to CIOs and other top tech executives as to how to ensure optimal choice and use of software. Authors Capers Jones and Olivier Bonsignour contend that poor software choices can endanger large-scale development projects, but few organizational tech leaders fully understand the economic and business impact of the wrong software. The book reveals best practices that can generate needed ROI and reduce total cost of ownership. Here are 10 highlights: