ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses some of the preliminary factors to be considered when selecting a project. The discussion is taken beyond consideration of a single project to building a portfolio of projects and deciding which projects in the portfolio should claim priority for action and expenditure of resources. The chapter recommends how this question can be answered in terms of value drivers, which themselves are vital elements of the business case. It shows that the importance of ensuring that every new project aligns with the organization's strategic objectives. A company needs to focus its investments on those projects that will return value, and this means creating and maintaining a project portfolio that allows projects to be selected and prioritized, taking into account bandwidth, other constraints, investment and benefit values. Jones pointed out that really large software systems can 'cost more than building a domed football stadium'.
