An executive information system (EIS) provides inquiry, analysis, and simulation and modeling capabilities specifically directed to executive management needs. This book is a practical guide to planning, selecting, and implementing such systems.

The book begins with a discourse on various aspects of management information and reporting systems: the role information serves in management and the importance of the executive as an active participant in structuring information; common misconceptions about management information and reporting systems; how an EIS differs from extensions to accounting and other transactional systems; and other topics generally of interest to executive management. The context in which an EIS functions is less well defined. For example, a clear and concise definition of an EIS is needed here, as is a discussion of how an EIS fits in with other decision support and financial planning systems. Other topics not fully considered are the relationships among an EIS project, information centers, and other systems activities, and how an EIS fits into the overall information systems strategy.

The remainder of the book is devoted to a discussion of the EIS planning, selection, and implementation process. Included are chapters devoted to planning and conducting the executive interview; identifying and analyzing user needs; developing the functional requirements profile; and developing the management proposal. Sound practical advice is offered in all four of these areas. While most topics are treated at a high level, the chapter on interviewing strategies is particularly detailed and provides an excellent set of interview questions. It is one of the strongest sections of the book. Topics not considered in any detail are project organization and staffing, project planning and control, and structured approaches to systems analysis and design. Prototyping is discussed, but the author understates the importance of evolutionary additions to the EIS as initial versions begin to uncover critical information needs.

The chapters on developing technical requirements and evaluating vendor proposals provide an overview of these complex processes. The author does not try to present technical information, and little insight into the actual functions of a good EIS is offered. Like the earlier parts of the book, however, these chapters are filled with some excellent practical advice on the requirements definition and technical evaluation processes themselves. Related topics that the book does not cover include software engineering, distributed processing, database design, and knowledge-based EIS systems. The book acknowledges but does not expand on the importance of being able to easily upgrade the EIS hardware and software as information needs grow and change.

The concluding chapter, on implementation of the EIS, covers a series of relatively unconnected topics, including controlling the growth of the EIS, user interface design, and applications of hypertext principles. Implementation topics not covered include documentation, testing, maintenance, and configuration control.

The book is extremely well written and provides excellent practical advice. The author develops clear, persuasive arguments based on sound reasoning, and the reader is more often than not completely persuaded by the reasonableness of his position. He does not rely on references to empirical evidence or a systems model, and I sometimes wished for more substantiating evidence and an underlying theory to connect the principles being proposed.

The references are to recent articles in management publications, primarily focused on case histories. No references to the academic or technical literature on information systems are provided.

Overall, the book is limited in scope but is accurate in what it covers and provides some good practical advice on EIS planning. It will be of interest primarily to managers and those systems staff involved in requirements gathering and needs analysis for management systems.