Reengineering Books

Building Enterprise Information Architectures: Reengineering Information Systems (HP Professional Series)

Melissa Cook, Hewlett-Packard Professional Books

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 11 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Business-Focused and pragmatic - highly recommended 5 out of 5 stars.
37 of 38 people found this review helpful.

Ms. Cook takes a no-nonsense approach to building an enterprise architecture that puts business requirements first.

She starts this excellent book with a quick history, setting information architecture into a context. This is followed by addressing the hard part of architecture: overcoming political resistance and tackling the thorny problems of aligning systems to what the business needs. She pulls no punches.

The next part of the book, chapter 3, introduces the Zachman Framework, which I personally believe is one of the best foundations for an architecture that aligns IT to business.

Chapters 4 through 7 thoroughly delves into the layers of the Zachman Framework, and provides a coherent and comprehensive description of all of the "moving parts" from both an IT and a business perspective.

The theoretical underpinnings are translated into an actionable plan in chapter 8, titled, "Making It Happen". This chapter is pragmatic and gives a detailed roadmap to implementing an enterprise information architecture that will truly align information technology to business requirements.

Here are the key things I like about this book: (1) It focuses on the business, subordinating technology to a supporting role. This is refreshing. (2) It provides one of the best descriptions of the Zachman Framework I have ever read. (3) Political realities and organizational resistance are taken into account, and some excellent advice for overcoming these barriers is given. (4) Ms. Cook's approach to implementation is straightforward, and if followed, will greatly improve your chances for a successful implementation of an enterprise information architecture. Make no mistake, such an implementation is a daunting task with opportunities to fail lurking in many places. She has obviously encountered a good many implementation problems and gives some great advice on how to overcome them.

Ms. Cook has made a significant contribution to the body of knowledge of information architecture, and a strong case for the Zachman Framework in this book. She also reinforces the need for a well thought out approach to implementation, and provides clear advice on how to successfully accomplish this.

Editorial Review:

The manager's guide to building a business-oriented information systems architecture. Written for IS and corporate management, CIOs, and consultants. Provides a practical, easy-to-use framework for developing and implementing an enterprise information architecture aligned with business requirements. Learn to eliminate redundancy, control costs, and deploy new technology in an orderly way.

Re-Engineering the Manufacturing System: Applying the Theory of Constraints, Second Edition, (Manufacturing Engineering and Materials Processing)

Robert E. Stein

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Brilliant 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 4 people found this review helpful.

Re-engineering the Manufacturing System by Bob Stein is no book for the novice. Brilliantly conceived and executed it is written for experts in the field of manufacturing by an expert.

Eli Goldratt

Editorial Review:

An information systems trailblazer in the domains of decision support and factory and supply chain synchronization, the Second Edition of Re-Engineering the Manufacturing System: Applying the Theory of Constraints stays true to its title, once again bestowing uniquely straightforward instructions for designing, installing, and operating manufacturing information systems. This updated and expanded source takes special care to clarify the often blurred concepts of synchronization and optimization, plus offers implementation advice from four discrete angles to yield better bottom-line results.

Client Server Strategies: A Survival Guide for Corporate Reengineers

David Vaskevitch

List Price: $29.99 By: John Wiley & Sons Inc (Computers) Amazon Marketplace: 15 new & used starting at $0.81

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Great Book 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

This book states in plain english how a client/server product works, from theory to real world application. The author describes the history of computer information systems, databases, and program development. He takes each subject from humble beginnings as a technical brainchild to today's ( 1995 ) systems, continuing to tomorrows forecasted technology. This is a no nonsense author, who doesn't seem swayed by new technologies and "silver bullets". His philosophy is down to earth and in plain english. I couldn't put this book down, even while reading it in 2002. The history lesson presented in this book is worth more than Amazon is asking for this book. Buy it today.

It isn't technical enough to be used as a manual, however it is still a good read.

Editorial Review:

NEVER BEFORE have organizations depended more on local and wide area networks. Now there's an authoritative guide you can consult in working out a coherent, long-range computing infrastructure that makes everyone in your organization more productive and effective. In Client/Server Strategies, computing expert David Vaskevitch serves up practical, ready-to-use unformation on everything from cooperating components (sets of databases) and the impact of the Internet to groupware applications such as Lotus Notes. Plus, you'll find forward-looking advice on the much-talked-about shift away from stand-alone PCs to network-based computing.

The Practical Guide to Business Process Reengineering Using Idefo

Clarence G. Feldmann

Amazon Price: $34.95 List Price: $34.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Dorset House Publishing Company, Incorporated Amazon Marketplace: 8 new & used starting at $31.34

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 5 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Just as the title says... 4 out of 5 stars.
6 of 6 people found this review helpful.

An excellent book that goes beyond the FIPS manual in terms of increasing the readers understanding of IDEFO concepts. More importantly, however, are the sections on the do's and dont's. These sections are very useful in improving ones authoring techniques and are very useful for a project manager. Great book.

An excellent language for describing business processes 5 out of 5 stars.
5 of 5 people found this review helpful.

The old saying about not being able to understand something until you can quantify it is generally true, but can be superseded by a more accurate statement. "If you can diagram it, then you can understand it, more particularly you can make someone else understand it as well." While most humans can think numerically, a large percentage have some difficulty with quantitative data. However, nearly all can follow directed diagrams, so they are generally a superior way to describe complex structures. IDEF0 is a set of rules for diagrams that are simple, yet allow for enough complexity so that the most complex of processes can be represented.
This book is an explanation of the IDEF0 syntax and structure and how to apply it to business operations. No previous experience is necessary, the diagrams are largely self-explanatory and what little extra explanation that is needed is provided. As a long-time user and instructor of the Unified Modeling Language, I am familiar with complex diagrams. Yet, I was surprised with how simple and effective the IDEF0 "language" is to use and understand. Using little more than boxes, arrows and labels, very complex structures can be described in a compressed format. The last two chapters describe how to use it and how to avoid making some common mistakes.
Business Process Reengineering is where previous business processes are modified to conform to changes in the environment. In order to be able to do that, you must be able to define what your previous business process was. The IDEF0 will allow you to do that, and I recommend that you read this book if you are currently in the process of altering your business practices.

Editorial Review:

Teaches the basics of IDEFO and defines the method's application in BPR efforts with diagrams, case studies, and practical appendices. Paper. DLC: Reengineering (Management).

Reengineering Cobol With Objects: Step by Step to Sustainable Legacy Systems (Object Technology Series)

Robert Levey

List Price: $40.00 By: Mcgraw-Hill (Tx) Amazon Marketplace: 9 new & used starting at $2.77

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

A COBOL BOOK FOR ALL SEASONS 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 3 people found this review helpful.

This book is the ultimate end to the evolution of COBOL from spaghetti code to structured programming to legacy systems. Robert Levey discusses how most legacy systems probably started out as well structured code and, over several years of maintenance, evolved into structured linguine (my metaphor).

He then offers a solution of reengineering with objects. This book is a must for all COBOL programmers and analysts both young and old (green and seasoned)

Book needs a major rewrite 2 out of 5 stars.
0 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I found this book to be dry and poorly laid out. Examples were often mentioned on one page, but shown on the next. This resulted in having to flip pages back and forth to view code snippets while reading about them. The book is too light on example source code and does not contain any complete programs. The ideas presented by the author are a broad overview. After reading this book, I have no idea about how to really start implementing them.
If you are wanting an overview of objects and how they relate to COBOL, read this book. If you are looking for a Step by Step to Sustainable Legacy Systems, then this is not the book for you.

In addition the book mentions the author, Robert Levey, is president of Prospect Systems in Nutley, NJ. However, using Google, I could not find a web site (or any information for that matter) for this company.

Editorial Review:

The methodology presented in this book shows how to use objects and object techniques within COBOL. By gradual elimination of the maintenance backlog, enterprise programmers can rebuild the old logic into a robust and adaptable software system.

Groupware, Workflow and Intranets : Reengineering the Enterprise with Collaborative Software

Dave Chaffey

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

This comprehensive guide for system developers, IT managers and consultants focuses on how intranets, groupware and work flow technologies can be used to improve the efficiency of their organizations. The focus is on how to use these tools to support organization transformation through business process reengineering, continuous improvement or TQM programs. It gives practical guidelines for evaluating where these tools can be best used, selecting the right tool and managing the stages of process analysis, design and implementation. These stages are illustrated by a case study of typical company applications.

This book goes beyond a description of the available groupware and workflow systems to explain how the development and deployment of these systems can be managed to make sure the potential is delivered.

Background: Groupware started as simple messaging applications such as email and conferencing and has evolved into more complex task and document management. Groupware and workflow tools are becomng widely available for use on intranets.

Gives integrated coverage of workflow, groupware, intranets and how they can be applied to solve business problems
Practical guide on how to build and implement collaborative systems
Describes how intranets can be used to implement workflow and groupware

Business Process Change : Reengineering Concepts, Methods and Technologies

Varun Grover, William J. Kettinger

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

5 * + 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 5 people found this review helpful.

THIS BOOK IS A MUST FOR ANYONE SERIOUSLY INTERESTED IN REENGINEERING CONCEPTS, METHODS AND TECHNOLOGIES.

Editorial Review:

Global competition, sluggish economies and the potential offered by emerging technologies have pushed firms to fundamentally rethink their business processes. Business Process Reengineering (BPR) has become recognized as a means to restructure aging bureaucratized processes to achieve the strategic objectives of increased efficiency, reduced costs, improved quality and greater customer satisfaction. Business Process Change: Reengineering Concepts, Methods and Technologies provides extensive coverage of the organizational, managerial and technical concepts related to business process change. Among some of the topics included in this book are: process change components; enablers of process change; methodologies, techniques and tools; team-based management; effective adoption of BPR.

Reengineering the Factory: A Primer for World-Class Manufacturing

A. Richard Shores

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

REENGINEERING THE FACTORY 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Outstanding tool for understanding and planning to become World-Class. Easy to read and understand at many different levels. Includes TQM, KAIZEN, TCM, TEAM BUILDING, JIT, AUTOMATION and much more. It's a great reference. One of the best I have seen.

Just the Facts 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Used this book to teach a class in 1994, still applicable in 2003! Gave it to consulting clients to read and they loved it. Less than 100 pages but gives a lot of info! Now I am ordering out of print editions for my clients.

Editorial Review:

no description

Business Reengineering: The Survival Guide (Yourdon Press Computing Series)

Dorine C. Andrews, Susan K. Stalick

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Exceptionally practical in approach, this volume provides a “street smarts” survival guide for business professionals, information systems experts, managers, and executives who have been charged with making radical changes — i.e., business reengineering — in their organizations. It outlines a tried-and-tested systematic and interdisciplinary approach that addresses all facets of organization change—in business policies and control, systems and technology, organizational relationships and business practices, and reward programs. Reviews the basic principles for quality business reengineering; shows how to create a new type of team structure that will involve the right people throughout the life of the project; outlines an 8-step life-cycle methodology for getting the reengineering project done as effectively and efficiently as possible; describes obstacles and problems that may be encountered and how to overcome them; and tells how to transition a continuous process improvement mode so reengineering will never have to be done again. For systems designers, analysts, administrators, software managers, maintenance managers.

Successful Software Reengineering

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Excellent secondary resource - covers wide range of topics 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

The 21 essays that comprise this book cover the full spectrum of software reengineering, with a marked emphasis on computer-aided software engineering and software reuse. This is not a primary resource for hand's on techniques, but is an invaluable collection of papers for software engineering process practitioners who are interested in up-to-date research in software reengineering.

Coverage includes:
Computer-Aided Software Engineering - CASE conceptual models, future directions in CASE repositories, Architecture and Implementation Issues for Upper CASE, and auditing CASE environments.

Reuse - achieving effective software reuse for business systems, enhancing a rigorous reuse process with natural language requirement specifications, Java integrated development environments, and support for reuse-oriented software development.

Data and Data Models - process model for round-trip engineering with relational database, adding alternative access paths to abstract data types and relational data modeling for geographic information systems.

Quality - load-testing of web site applications: analysis and recommendations and a process model for certification of product and process.

Other topics include:
- The Future of Software Development
- Understanding the Role of Use Case in UML
- Extended Spatiotemporal UML: Motivations, Requirements, and Constructs
- A Design Method for Real-Time Object-Oriented Systems Using Communicating Real Time State Machines
- Information Modeling and Method Engineering: A Psychological Perspective
- Component-Based ERP Design in a Distributed Object Environment
- Knowledge and Object-Oriented Approach for Interoperability of Heterogeneous Information Management Systems

As shown by the topics this book does cover a wide range of knowledge areas. Although the collection is not tightly edited, which resulted in each paper reflecting its author's distinctive writing style, each paper in this book goes into a great deal of depth and thoroughly covers the topic. In fact, if only one topic from among the 21 in this collection coincides with your area of interest this book will be a worthwhile investment. For example, although I read each of the papers and found more than a few that were in line with my own professional interests, I felt that the two that addressed quality to be an amply return on my investment in this book.

Editorial Review:

Software process reengineering has become highly visible over the past several years. Efforts are being undertaken by organizations of all types and sizes as they attempt to deal with the challenges of quality, complexity, and competitiveness. These efforts rely on the successful integration of many technical, organizational, and methodological issues. As an emerging technology, the effectiveness and potential impact of process improvement efforts have been debated, but not fully tested or validated. This significant book examines the most recent theories, models, approaches, and processes involved with the concept of software improvement and reengineering. It provides a comprehensive collection of recommendations, successes, and pitfalls that every organization and researcher can benefit from.