Year 2000 problem

The "Year 2000 problem" is the type of business threat a CEO or CIO dreads most. It presents an unavoidable stumbling block, a crisis that "must be faced." It is one deadline that no executive manager can postpone. The date January 1, 2000 will come, and organizations will see their internal IT operations and external business services crippled by old software that cannot process dates beyond 1999. Experts warn that the cost of fixing the problem will be considerable. Yet, no one can say exactly how much. The estimates are staggering, but probably not exaggerated. And in the end, even after all best efforts to make proactive repairs, some portion of Year 2000 solutions are bound to fail.

Technical problem solvers are already busy determining what software they might have to fix, how long it might take, and who they might call for help. But, at the executive level, CEOs and CIOs have a more fiscally focused set of issues to consider:
	How do you establish and maintain proper financial control in the management of your Year 2000 projects?
	How can you ensure that Year 2000 costs become part of a true investment rather than just a huge, forced expense?
	Which repairs are most business-critical in terms of minimizing financial exposure?
	What current or upcoming IS initiatives can help reduce or offset the cost of Year 2000 repairs?
	What safeguards and remedies are in place if a particular Year 2000 solution fails or an area of impact has been overlooked?