Articles by Dr James Robertson

Business process is the focus of most business information system implementations and is highly ineffective, this article goes so far as to suggest that business process is irrelevant, distracting and dangerous and that there are other much more effective techniques that should be applied

SNw 051 Strategically Enriching your BIS: Part 3 -- Steps in applying these recommendations

Steps in applying these recommendations with regard to precision configuration in terms of a method of working geared to quickly and efficiently developing high quality data content that captures the essence of the organization and creates a platform to help the organization thrive

CIO 006 Beyond Technology

TxM 074 Section 8.3 Rennies Group General Ledger case study -- headlines

Prd 025 Overview of the value that the proposed investment in the JAR&A Chart of Accounts design will give

SNw 043 Strategically Enriching your BIS: Part 1 -- Introduction

Introduction to the principles of precision configuration and strategically enriching your business information systems

TxM 050 Section 6: Why taxonomy software?

Web 05 Organizing Microsoft Outlook

A comprehensive explanation of how to set-up Microsoft Outlook to organize your emails in a manner that makes it easy to handle the full diversity and complexity of emails that executives and managers typically receive

Dr James A Robertson PrEng The Business Information Systems Doctor

Business Systems NOT delivering?

Call the Business Systems Specialist

Dr. James Robinson

Dr James A Robertson -- has been involved in the effective application of Business Information Systems, including but NOT limited to ERP, since 1987 and in the profitable and effective use of computers in Business since 1981.

Drawing on a diversity of experience, including formal military training in Quick Attack techniques at the Regimental Commander level, Dr Robertson has developed highly effective methods of investigating any sub-optimal Business Information Systems situation -- be it an established system or a stalled project or any other source of Executive frustration -- quickly and concisely diagnosing the root cause of the problem and prescribing concise practical actions that Business Executives can effectively act on see the Pulse Measurement page and also the Sample Reports page for redacted real reports.

He has also developed highly effective methods of strategically enriching systems to unlock the full potential of existing investments, see the Precision Configuration page and couples this to architecting small pieces of clever software that harness the full potential of your investment, see the Software page.

If you are having problems with your systems, your project or your IT Department, call The Business Systems Specialist
James@James-A-Robertson-and-Associates.com

Business System Failure is RIFE -- we offer insight into why this happens AND WHAT is required to prevent it.

Failure is at epidemic levels with massive damage done to client companies -- if you are NOT aware of the extent of the problem please visit the About Failure page for a catalog of major failures running to billions of Pounds and Dollars.

All evidence indicates that the established players do NOT know how to deliver stable, reliable high value solutions that WORK.

There HAS to be a better way!

This website provides information relating to that way with a large collection of white papers, presentations, standards documents, etc that you can use to start bringing the situation under control

We also offer high level advisory services with regard to the application of the principles advocated on this website

We offer an ENGINEERING APPROACH to addressing these issues

By Engineering I mean the formal, structured, highly disciplined, highly systematic, highly practical approach that consistently delivers results in ALL areas of human endeavor where formally trained and certified engineers are the ONLY practitioners permitted to operate -- think large buildings, factories, motor vehicles, aircraft -- highly complex systems that work at a level that we take it for granted that they WILL work and where failure is all but unthinkable and, when it happens, attracts immediate public attention and rigorous investigation directed at ensuring that such failures are prevented in the future -- in fact, everything that the management consulting industry that implements complex software systems is NOT

This approach is discussed further on the Engineering Approach page.

Book -- The Critical Factors for Information Technology Investment Success

In 2003 I undertook an in-depth analysis of all the information and experience that I had gathered with regard to the factors giving rise to Business Information System failure including ERP and general IT and classified this information into a number of categories including "The Factors Causing Failure" and "The Critical Factors for Success" based on this I developed a two day Course "The Critical Factors for Information Technology Investment Success" which is still offered today.

Based on this I wrote the book of the same name, which is available in electronic form here for download:

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Random Selection of Articles by Dr James Robertson

Std 023 Procurement: 01 Large Project -- Request for Proposal for Turnkey Solution

This is the RFP for larger projects referred to above, the document is too long to include on this webpage but is attached below

Sem 04 7 Steps to FIX your ERP

A new element recently added to a number of existing seminars and presentations outlining seven practical measures that can be taken to FIX your ERP or other business information system

KnE 005 Electricity is only Technology - It is People that make the Difference

Std 002 Standards for Custom Software Specification

A set of outline standards for the specification of custom software

Sem 03 The Critical Factors for IT and ERP Investment Success

Detailed discussion of the factors that cause business information system investment failure and the Critical Factors for investment success -- these factors are vital to understanding the information technology industry generally and particularly to understanding business information systems

TxM 012 Section 1.10 Differentiators

TxM 100 Taxonomy Manual Part 1: Introduction, Problem Statement, Definitions and Examples

An overview of the history of the approach and statement of the problem in terms of major deficiencies in high quality management information together with definitions and examples

TxM 019 Section 2.2 Definitions of Strategy

SNw 030 Why ERP can make the blood boil

Cnf 072 The essence of managing I.T. Projects on time that meet expectation

The management of IT projects generally focuses on the wrong factors, it is vital to focus on the Critical Factors for Success and the Factors causing Failure and manage these effectively using multi-disciplinary teams that effectively balance the tension between cost, quality and time