The purpose of this book is to bring together material about a number of significant information systems which did not perform as originally envisaged and to provide a coherent account of the surrounding events. The author identifies major causal events and draws from them management lessons. In case after case critical factors point out strategic, organizational or resource problems rather than technical bugs. The value of comparing these woeful tales is to become aware of the way that organizations can become locked in a cycle of failure, condemned to repeat the mistakes of others.