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Lessons From the Field: Beyond ROI: Page 11 of 16

At least, that's the case with the IT managers we interviewed for this special report.

Building a business case involves fostering business credibility, some skill with numbers, and a hefty dose of judgment and flexibility. In "Lessons From The Field: Beyond ROI" we tell you how to put these elements together to get your initiatives off the ground. As one manager points out, "There is no silver bullet. If there were, we could teach a monkey to do it."

"Projects That Defy ROI," looks at your safety nets--IDSs, hot backups, firewalls--and projects that provide unquantifiable but vital benefits, such as customer satisfaction. Don't be one of those companies that, in the words of Phil Mogavero, CEO of Data Systems Worldwide, become interested in intrusion detection only after their systems are compromised.

Finally, in "Technology ROI: The Siemens Formula," Klaus Stegemann, Siemens Corp.'s CFO, offers insight and examples of how his company evaluates IT projects. Bottom line, he says, the need must drive the technology.

Users and experts we interviewed cited these as top reasons that IT managers end up in the doghouse with top management. Avoid these and you'll have a lead on business credibility.

We hate it when IT managers and staffers: