  Cloud computing projects have many implications, including issues such as
security, compliance, funding, cohesion with existing systems, operational
resource requirements, and number of employees involved. In order to gain a
better understanding of why businesses are interested in adopting cloud
services in spite of these potential difficulties, we interviewed senior IT
personnel at five different organizations about their processes related to
cloud decisions, their thoughts before and during the process, and the outcome
of their endeavor. Our results provide insights from their perspectives into
the similarities and differences among the organizations and the implications
of going into the cloud. We conclude with a list of recommended questions and
areas to consider for use by other organizations looking into adopting cloud
services. The ultimate goal is to help businesses considering a cloud computing
project by providing advice from other organizations based on their experience.
