This short and practical handbook is dedicated to the idea that there is a set of highly effective strategies and tactics that chief information officers (CIOs) and other IT professionals can use to significantly increase the effectiveness of their own work and the competitiveness and profitability of their companies. Even though information technology itself is changing rapidly, these strategies and tactics transcend any particular technology, and they remain highly relevant over time: -- Seven strategic guidelines for designing application systems -- Six tactical principles for running projects -- Five questions to answer every day on every project -- Create agile IT organizations using three "agility loops" -- Agile "30-Day Blitz" Define-Design-Build development process Frequent use of diagrams and case studies to illustrate key points throughout the book.