Essay Undergraduate 406 words

Five Major Challenges to Information Systems Development

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Abstract

This paper examines five major challenges that organizations face when developing and implementing new information systems. Drawing on Kroenke's Using MIS, the analysis covers difficulties in determining requirements, managing changing requirements, scheduling and budgeting constraints, technology shifts, and diseconomies of scale. Underlying all five challenges is the critical need for an effective change management program that helps affected users understand why system changes are occurring. The paper highlights how each challenge can derail a project's timeline, budget, and ultimate success if not proactively addressed.

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What makes this paper effective

  • Organizes a multi-factor analysis into a clear numbered sequence, making it easy for readers to follow the progression of challenges.
  • Anchors every claim in a single authoritative textbook source, demonstrating focused, consistent use of academic citation.
  • Identifies a unifying theme — change management — that ties all five challenges together, giving the essay analytical coherence beyond a simple list.

Key academic technique demonstrated

The paper uses a thematic enumeration structure: it introduces an overarching concept (change management) in the introduction, then unpacks discrete sub-challenges in sequence. This technique is useful in business and technology essays where multiple related factors must each receive attention without losing the thread of a central argument.

Structure breakdown

The paper opens with a framing introduction that identifies change management as the unifying challenge. The body is organized into numbered challenges — requirements determination, changing requirements, scheduling and budgeting, technology shifts, and diseconomies of scale — each addressed in its own paragraph. The analysis builds from internal project factors (requirements) to external and structural ones (technology, scale), before a brief conclusion reinforces the importance of a coherent change management approach.

Introduction

There are a myriad of challenges to successfully implementing new systems, with the largest being how to manage resistance to change. The intent of this analysis is to evaluate the five major challenges to systems development. What unifies all of these factors is the need for a successful change management program that can provide those users most affected by new systems with greater insight into why the change is happening (Kroenke, 2013).

Determining and Managing Requirements

In addition to change management challenges, a lack of clear objectives can lead to a systems development project failing. The first challenge to systems development is managing the difficulty of determining requirements (Kroenke, 2013). This is particularly difficult when there is resistance to the new system from the outset, or when system analysts are attempting to design enhanced and more effective workflows.

The second major challenge is dealing with changes in requirements. This is particularly challenging from a continuity standpoint, as it can often lead to an organization moving in multiple directions simultaneously. Changes in requirements create confusion and waste valuable time on a project. Effective requirements management is therefore essential to keeping a systems development project on track.

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Scheduling, Budgeting, and Scope Creep · 75 words

"Budget uncertainty and scope creep slow development progress"

Technology Shifts and Diseconomies of Scale · 75 words

"Unplanned technology changes and scale inefficiencies threaten timelines"

Conclusion

What unifies all five challenges is the fundamental need for a robust change management program that addresses resistance to new systems and provides affected users with clear insight into why changes are occurring. Without this overarching framework, challenges related to requirements, scheduling, budgeting, technology, and scale are far more likely to derail a systems development effort before it reaches completion.

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Key Concepts in This Paper
Change Management Requirements Determination Scope Creep Budgeting Constraints Scheduling Accuracy Diseconomies of Scale Technology Shifts Systems Development Project Objectives Workflow Design
Related Topics
Management Information System 1,000 papers Strategic Management 1,000 papers Information Security 1,000 papers Software Development 1,000 papers Qualitative Research 1,000 papers Technology 1,000 papers
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Cite This Paper
PaperDue. (2026). Five Major Challenges to Information Systems Development. PaperDue. https://paperdue.com/study-guide/challenges-information-systems-development-88391

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