Most organizations purchase off-the-shelf, computer-based systems to help them perform their day-to-day business activities. Sadly, many of the purchases fail to live up to expectations. This book provides a "blueprint" of what to cover in the early stages of the procurement process so as to prevent the recurring problem of information systems projects that run over budget and over time, and yet under-perform. The questions the book answers are simple but fundamental: where to find advice, who should be involved, how to manage the purchase, how to decide what you need, which package or supplier to choose, how to manage the implementation and how to know if the system is successful. Real examples of information system purchases are used to help provide practical guidance on the methods, the pitfalls and the keys to success. In addition, the book contains several adaptable tables and checklists to provide a flexible and effective step-by-step framework for the entire process.