* Organization and coverage. Modular organization allows flexibility for the instructor. McLeod emphasizes the entire cycle with more coverage of the phases that follow analysis and design including construction, installation and post implementation activity.
* Project management emphasis. The text is ideal for courses that assign real client projects. Students have the responsibility of managing their projects, and the text describes the planning and control mechanism used for PM, covering tools such as Gantt charts, network diagrams (CPM, PERT), and milestone charts. A "PM Toolbox" feature is integrated into each chapter, as well.
* Knowledge, tools, skills approach. The combination of chapter topics with supporting technical modules provide students with what they need to know in developing software-based systems. Real forms and templates are provided for students to use with their clients.
* Integrated case (Advanced Systems Technology Associates or ASTA) throughout the book helps students apply every concept. For courses where students do not work with real clients, the extended case introduces students to the project management issues, tools and techniques.
* Equal coverage of both structured and object-oriented programming gives instructors the flexibility to choose which methodology to emphasize.
* Coverage of web-based system design.