Auditing IT Projects: Early Warning Signs of Material Risk

Abstract

Abstract. IT projects are often materially significant and yet the nature and magnitude of their risks go unnoticed until disaster strikes. Significant problems and failures associated with IT projects are largely avoidable if one knows how to spot the signs of impending difficulty. The importance of auditors, if they know what to look for, in helping management see IT project risks and thereby preventing both large and small disasters cannot be over estimated. Focusing on the early warning signs of IT project peril, this article provides a straightforward starting point for seeing, monitoring, auditing, and managing the risks of an IT project.