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COMP3470 IS33 People-Centred Information Systems Development

School of Computing FACULTY OF Engineering. COMP3470 IS33 People-Centred Information Systems Development. Week 5 : Lecture 1 Failure Case Study – Denver International Airport. The Denver International Airport Case Study. Why study this? Any recent escalating IT project?

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COMP3470 IS33 People-Centred Information Systems Development

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  1. School of Computing FACULTY OF Engineering COMP3470 IS33 People-Centred Information Systems Development Week 5 : Lecture 1 Failure Case Study – Denver International Airport IS33 DIA

  2. The Denver International Airport Case Study Why study this? Any recent escalating IT project? Search for ‘NHS IT project over budget’ • In Google • In BBC News 12th Oct 2004 – http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3734504.stm GP worries http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3750474.stm • An update May 2007http://www.computerweekly.com/Articles/2007/05/17/218050/nhs-national-programme-for-it-in-the-spotlight.htm Does it ring a bell? See NAO’s value for money report on the National Programme for IT in the NHS published in June 2006. – CW2! IS33 DIA

  3. The Denver International Airport Case study Why study this? • Appreciate the range of issues in developing complex system • Introduce the concept of de-escalation • Appreciate the roles of people in complex projects IS33 DIA

  4. Sources of information • Montealegre R & Keil M, De-escalating Information Technology Projects: Lessons from the Denver International Airport, MIS Quarterly, Vol 24, No. 3, Sept 2000, pp.417-447 • Donaldson A.J.M., Narrative Case Study of the Denver Airport Baggage Handling System, SFC TR 2001-02, May 2002 access via http://www.cs.mdx.ac.uk/research/SFC/Reports/TR2002-01.pdf IS33 DIA

  5. Business drivers (i) • Early 80s, City of Denver would like a ‘state-of-the art’ modern airport to act as a hub for major American airlines – a project for job and trade creation • Sept 89, $60m was authorised to build DIA with target opening date in Oct 93 • Feb 90 & Dec 91, Continental and United Airlines sent their commitment to use DIA as hub (hence they have a concourse each, A & B) IS33 DIA

  6. Business drivers (ii) • Traditionally, major airlines would look after their own system for handling baggage. UA commissioned BAE to build an automated baggage handling system for their concourse. Tug-&-cart was a common baggage handling system in those days. • In 92, DIA project management team began to see the benefits of an airport-wide automated baggage handling system, as “the friendliness of an airport is measured in time”. • Apr 92, BAE was awarded the contract to build the system (despite BAE originally turned down the opportunity because the project was over-ambitious) and UA’s requirements became part of the project. IS33 DIA

  7. What happened (i) • May 92, head of DIA project resigned • Aug 92- Jan 93, numerous changes to requirements (from UA and Continental) • Oct 92, Chief Airport Engineer (strong proponent of the baggage system) died • Feb 93, Mayor delayed opening to Dec 93 and then to Mar 94. • Summer 93, cars were running but programming not completed (BAE controlled) IS33 DIA

  8. What happened (ii) • Sept 93, BAE negotiated maintenance contract with City of Denver and lost the contract (intended to pay £12 per hr for jobs that the union wanted £20 per hr) – occasioned a 2-day strike of millwrights and electricians • Sept 93, opening delayed until May 94, and then 7 times over the next few months • Jan 94, UA requested alterations to odd-size baggage inputs IS33 DIA

  9. What happened (iii) • Mar 94, still dealing with ‘unclean’ electricity supply and needed additional equipment that took months to arrive • Apr 94, City of Denver invited reporters to observe the first test of the baggage system without notifying BAE – reporters saw piles of damaged clothes and personal items lying beneath the Telecar’s tracks • May 94, Mayor hired the German firm ‘Logplan’ to assess the state of the baggage handling system ….beginning of the ‘de-escalation’ IS33 DIA

  10. The solution at the end • DIA opened on 28 Feb 95 with • 5 runways • 99 gates • Cost of $5.2 billion • 3 different baggage handling systems: • UA with an automated system • Continental with a tug-and-cart system • Others with a very conventional, highly labour intensive system IS33 DIA

  11. Concept of de-escalation • The MIS Quarterly paper tried to articulate a process to get out of a troubled escalating project (they acknowledged the limitation of drawing conclusion from one case) see table 4 on p.438 • Problem recognition • Re-examination of prior course of action • Search for alternative course of action • Implementing an exit strategy IS33 DIA

  12. People issues • Who were the stakeholders? And their relationships? • Project management teams • Inadequate skills set • Poor communications • Leading figures IS33 DIA

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