A Control Perspecttve on Information Technology

A lot ofproblems with respect to use of IT and development of information systems stem from the lack of proper control of the IT function of organizations. Jüst like other business fiinctions, a control system hos to be developedfor the IT function. This paper discusses control aspects oflT, and how these aspects can be used to build a control system for the IT function. This control system hos to be flexible, and growth towards such a system shoüld take into account all levels of control, notjust one level. INTRODUCTION Planning for and use of information technology (IT) are still key problem areas for management. The rise in methods and techniques has not changed this. This lack of success is visible, for example, in the still existing software crisis (see Vinig [1991], McClure [1989]), the need with measuring the potential benefits of use of new IT and developing information systems (see, for example, CASE Strategies [1991], EDP Analyzer [1991]), and the notion that IT "is a two-edged weapon which may prove a Messing or a bane to the user depending on the skill and insight with which he handles it" (Van Waes [1991], see also Darton and Giacoletto [1989]).