The paper describes how the Committee in charge delivered the IT infrastructure and
services for this large‐scale international event. It derives several lessons for IT
executives responsible for managing such planned events. First, it emphasizes the need
for preparedness and planning in executing such projects. Second, it highlights the use
of IS to maintain situation awareness. Third, it suggests how relationships can be
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cultivated among multiple parties to promote effective communication and
coordination. Fourth, it emphasizes the importance of vendor management and
partnerships with the industry. Fifth, it indicates the salient role of experience and skills
(including negotiation) in IT project management for such large‐scale projects.
The S2006 experience in using IS is valuable for large‐scale projects which involve
complex coordination among multiple stakeholders and dynamic requirements under
non‐negotiable deadlines. The lessons and experiences that were accumulated through
the event can be applied for communication and coordination for future large‐scale
planned events and to some extent for advance preparation for disasters and crisis
management. The experiences in managing, developing, and deploying IS could also be
useful for other Governments and companies responsible for the organization of megascale
events.