ABSTRACT
Developing and implementing information technology (IT) applications is a major, often irreversible, change. Minimizing the human impact of IT applications has been a challenging management task. The chapter discusses that IT applications have a greater chance of success if they follow the well-proven development process. Whether an IT application is a generic package or custom developed, changes in processes and people are involved. Much of the information on change and change management is very familiar to human service professionals. The changes involved in IT follow a process very similar to other changes, and the process of planned change is well researched. At its simplest, the stages of any planned change effort involve feasibility, assessment, implementation, and evaluation. The detailed design and development stage produces a working application of software, hardware, communications, and procedures. The detailed design and development stage produces a working application of software, hardware, communications, and procedures.
