Critical success factors for the requirements engineering process, with reference to quality management of information systems development

Preliminary research into the critical factors associated with software development/implementation identified three dimensions for successful implementation based on alignment of the requirements engineering process with business needs, change management process and quality of the implementation process. Research results demonstrate the link between the conceptual model for process quality and the process management attributes determined during the research.

Analysis of cultural conflict in the development of web-enabled information systems

The advent of the World Wide Web (WWW) and the emergence of Internet commerce have given rise to the web as a medium of information exchange. In recent years, the phenomenon has affected the realm of transaction processing systems, as organizations are moving from designing web pages for marketing purposes, to web-based applications that support business-to-business (WEB) and business-to-consumer (B2C) interactions, integrated with databases and other back-end systems (Isakowitz, Bieber et al., 1998). Furthermore, web-enabled applications are increasingly being used to facilitate transactions even between various business units within a single enterprise. Examples of some of the more popular web-enabled applications in use today include airline reservation systems, internet banking, student enrollment systems in universities, and Human Resource (HR) and payroll systems. The prime motive behind the adoption of web-enabled applications are productivity gains due to reduced processing time, decrease in the usage of paper-based documentation and conventional modes of communication (such as letters, fax, or telephone), and improved quality of services to clients. Indeed, web-based solutions are commonly referred to as customer-centric (Li, 2000), which means that they provide user interfaces that do not necessitate high level of computer proficiency. Thus, organizations implement such systems to streamline routine transactions and gain strategic benefits in the process (Nambisan & Wang, 1999), though the latter are to be expected in the long-term. Notwithstanding the benefits of web technology adoption, the web has ample share of challenges for initiators and developers. Many of these challenges are associated with the unique nature of web-enabled applications. Research in the area of web-enabled information systems has revealed several differences with traditional applications. These differences exist with regards to system development methodology, stakeholder involvement, tasks, and technology (Nazareth, 1998). According to Fraternali (1999), web applications are commonly developed using an evolutionary prototyping approach, whereby the simplified version of the application is deployed as a pilot first, in order to gather user feedback. Thus, web-enabled applications typically undergo continuous refinement and evolution (Ginige, 1998; Nazareth, 1998; Siau, 1998; Standing, 2001). Prototype-based development also leads web-enabled information systems to have much shorter development life cycles, but which, unlike traditional applications, are regrettably developed in a rather adhoc fashion (Carstensen & Vogelsang, 2001). However, the principal difference between the two kinds of applications lies in the broad and diverse group of stakeholders associated with web-based information systems (Gordijn, Akkermans, et al., 2000; Russo, 2000; Earl & Khan, 2001; Carter, 2002; Hasselbring, 2002; Standing, 2002; Stevens & Timbrell, 2002). Stakeholders, or organizational members participating in a common business process (Freeman, 1984), vary in their computer competency, business knowledge, language and culture. This diversity is capable of causing conflict between different stakeholder groups with regards to the establishment of system requirements (Pouloudi & Whitley, 1997; Stevens & Timbrell, 2002). Since, web-based systems transcend organizational, departmental, and even national boundaries, the issue of culture poses a significant challenge to the web systems’ initiators and developers (Miles & Snow, 1992; Kumar & van Dissel, 1996; Pouloudi & Whitley, 1996; Li & Williams, 1999).

The influence of collectivism in society and its implications for research on information systems and national culture

This paper argues that the nature of IS research that deals with indigenous culture must be informed as much by context as it is by culture models, which has been the focus of such research in the past. This is considered important because it better reflects the meaning of the data collected for the researcher. To appreciate the importance of context this papers also argues that research subjects from designated individualist societies will inform the researcher in different ways from those subjects located in collectivist societies. To illustrate the practical implications of this argument the paper reports three separate case studies in IS research where the researchers reflect on the impact that a collectivist view has had on the research findings. The paper suggests that (1) similar ethnicity and appearance are significant in gaining the trust of subjects in a collectivist society; that is the researcher is part of the in-group as they belong to the same culture or ethnic group; that (2) who introduced the researcher to the subject is significant in that trust is best reflected when a member of the group/collective plays an important role in the research process itself; and that (3) an ability to (a) communicate in the natural language and (b) understand the implicit body language and (c) cultural codes is important in gaining significant and more meaningful research outcomes. This is enabled via the implicit meanings embedded in members of the collectivist society.

Functional group conflict in information systems development

This paper discusses how interpersonal conflict between IS developers and clients can disrupt IS projects.  It is suggested how potential problems can be avoided by getting the 'soft' factors right which can lead to improvements in information systems development (ISD) processes.  However little is being done in most organisations to review success from this perspective.  Measurement of ISD quality tends to favour the product rather than the human drivers that influence the development of the product.  Several ideas are put forward that can be used to resolve conflict and tp better involve stakeholders in the ISD process.

Developing and teaching information systems for construction management students: a perspective in Deakin University

A new unit named Information Systems in Construction was developed and taught for the first time in the School of Architecture and Building at Deakin University in Semester 1 2003 for first-year construction management students. This paper reports on key issues that arose during the unit development process and the implementation of teaching activities. Special consideration is given to the learners (first year students), the teaching environment (online teaching and learning), the unit background (information technology and information system), and the discipline (international construction). Several suggestions are outlined for improving the unit development and delivery in the next round.

Power, politics and legitimacy in information systems implementation : an ethnographic study

Systems implementation is inherently a political process. However, the majority of the literature in the area of systems implementation takes a simplistic look at factors attributed to success. These studies provide empirical evidence that “human factors” such as “top management support” contribute to a successful implementation. Rather than accept this, we challenge this view and explore two “human” issues – power and legitimacy inside systems implementation. By exploring the implementation of a learning management system at the University of New Zealand, issues such as power and legitimacy affect the way an implementation team collaborates. Systems implementation is a complex and messy process and we need to understand the implementation process, acknowledging that top management support is not always necessary to “successfully” implement a system.

Predictive mapping of powerful owl (Ninox strenua) breeding sites using Geographical Information Systems (GIS) in urban Melbourne, Australia

Urban expansion is a principal process threatening biodiversity globally. It is predicted that over half of the world's population will reside in urban centres by 2010. If we are to conserve biodiversity, a shift in perspective from traditional ecological studies based in natural environments, to studies based in less natural environments is paramount. To effectively conserve species which occur in urban environments, comprehensive analysis is necessary to determine the processes that are driving this urban usage. Geographical Information Systems (GIS) technology provides a valuable tool for efficient spatial analysis and predictive mapping of species distributions.

This study used GIS to analyze current breeding sites for the powerful owl, a vulnerable top order predator in urban Melbourne, Australia. GIS analysis suggests that a number of ecological attributes were influencing powerful owl usage of urban environments. Using these ecological attributes, predictive mapping was undertaken, which identified a number of potential breeding sites for powerful owls within urbanized Melbourne.

Urban environments are traditionally perceived as “the wastelands” of natural environments, however, this study demonstrates that they have the potential to support apex predators, an important finding for the management of rare and threatened species.

Value perception in music information systems

When referring to the value that IS adds to business and provides to consumers, we often (implicitly or explicitly) pertain to monetary value. However, perspectives exist regarding the notion of value which go beyond the monetary significance and maintain a direct influence on businesses and their performance. This paper explores the concept of value, its importance in IS, and the importance of understanding of how IS stakeholders perceive value. The paper focuses on the challenge of studying value in IS -although value manifests in properties of an information system, it can only be experienced and perceived subjectively through sense perception, experience and judgement of the system stakeholders. To address this challenge, the paper suggests the existence of a clearly shifting trend in the perception of IS technology and comments on the social impacts of end-users (consumers) being absorbed into the value-creation process for an information system in the music industry.

Impact of nursing information systems on residential care provision in an aged care provider

The challenge of an ageing population has placed a great pressure on the Australian aged care sector in the coming decades. Technology-enabled solutions such as health information systems (HIS) can be seen as a way to improve care quality, safety and process efficiency. Compared to the overall healthcare sector, the adoption of HIS in the aged care sector has been slower. One reason for this is that aged care providers are not well informed therefore not yet convinced of the positive impacts of technology solutions on their service provision. This paper reports findings from an evaluation of the impact of HIS adoption at an aged care provider in Victoria. The evaluation was conducted in two distinct areas, residential aged care and residential disability services. Overall, the findings show positive impacts of the system on individual work of the care staff and on service provision of the organisation as well as suggesting opportunities for improvement in later implementation stages. The evaluation will also inform other aged care and disability service providers of the benefits of HIS and useful lessons in adoption of technology solutions.

Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and their role in sustainable planning : a case study from a Local Government Area (LGA) in Australia

A case study is used to demonstrate the application of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) to inform sustainable development. The suitability of the landscape to support tourism accommodation in a Local Government Area (LGA) is modelled by integrating existing datasets, including conservation areas, residential zones, major roads and known locations of tourism operators into a logistic regression framework. By using a data-driven approach an indication of the relative importance of each explanatory variable can be accounted for, therefore informing planners of the importance of different assets. In a region where tourism is reliant upon natural features, this use of information systems in conjunction with quantitative statistical modelling can value-add to existing datasets. The provision of this kind of knowledge is important as it would otherwise not factor into the decision-making process had the datasets been considered independently of each other – a concept that applies to both the public and private sectors.

Implementing green business processes : the importance of functional affordances of information systems

An environmentally sustainable and thus green business process is one that delivers organizational value whilst also exerting a minimal impact on the natural environment. Recent works from the field of Information Systems (IS) have argued that information systems can contribute to the design and implementation of sustainable business processes. While prior research has investigated how information systems can be used in order to support sustainable business practices, there is still a void as to the actual changes that business processes have to undergo in order to become environmentally sustainable, and the specific role that information systems play in enabling this change. In this paper, we provide a conceptualization of environmentally sustainable business processes, and discuss the role of functional affordances of information systems in enabling both incremental and radical changes in order to make processes environmentally sustainable. Our conceptualization is based on (a) a fundamental definition of the concept of environmental sustainability, grounded in two basic components: the environmental source and sink functions of any project or activity, and (b) the concept of functional affordances, which describe the potential uses originating in the material properties of information systems in relation to their use context. In order to illustrate the application of our framework and provide a first evaluation, we analyse two examples from prior research where information systems impacted on the sustainability of business processes.

Geographic information systems and coastal planning in Australia

The objective of this paper is to demonstrate the ability of visualization and simulation techniques to aid and simulate current and future directions in coastal planning. The process of visualization will interrogate the coastal cities of Portland, Apollo Bay, Anglesea and Hobsons Bay in south-eastern Australian coastal seaboard through a progression of projections and simulated forecasts from 2014 to 2050 to see if a process(s) or methodology could help in planning the future growth of coastal settlements. The analysis uses Geographic Information Systems (GIS) associated with planning application software.

Assimilating healthcare information systems in a Malaysian hospital

The importance of information systems/information technology (IS/IT) to healthcare organisations is being recognised today as paramount and critical in order to realise superior healthcare delivery. Successful assimilation of IS/IT, which is the central focus of this study, then becomes a key consideration in ensuring that IS/IT is appropriately and systematically deployed into a healthcare organisation. The key findings from this research indicate that there are people, process, technology and environment elements that should be considered as facilitators to the healthcare information systems (HIS) assimilation process, as well as barriers that the healthcare organisation should overcome throughout the entire assimilation process or at specific stages. This research, therefore, is not only topical but especially beneficial to management and administrators in the web of healthcare players as they grapple with trying to successfully assimilate HIS into their respective organisations. © 2014 by the Association for Information Systems.

Requirements engineering for web-based information systems

This chapter overviews the existing methods of requirements analysis as prescribed by some of the best-known web-development methods. It also discusses the pre-eminent importance of stakeholder analysis, identification of stakeholder views and concerns, and the processes governing elicitation of web systems requirements. The chapter finally derives a model of concern-driven requirements evolution from several case studies undertaken in the area of web-enabled employee service systems.