A sizable minority of organizations (44%) did not include the user department in
the evaluation process at the feasibility stage. This cuts off a vital source of information
and critique on the degree to which an IT proposal is organizationally feasible and will
deliver on user requirements. Only a small minority of organizations accepted IT
proposals from a which variety of groups and individuals. In this respect most ignored the
third element in Earl’s multiple methodology (see above). Despite the large amount of
literature emphasizing consultation with the workforce as a source of ideas, know-how
and as part of the process of reducing resistance to change, only 36% of organizations
consulted users about evaluation at the feasibility stage, while only 18% consulted
unions. While the majority of organizations (80%) evaluated IT investments against
organizational objectives, only 22% acted strategically in considering objectives from
the bottom to the top, that is, evaluated the value of IT projects against all of organiza-
tion, departmental, individual management, and end-user objectives. This again could
have consequences for the effectiveness and usability of the resulting systems, and the
levels of resistance experienced.