CHAPTER 11
Facilitating
User Computing
11.1
© Prentice Hall 2002
END-USER COMPUTING
• HANDS-ON USE OF COMPUTERS BY
EMPLOYEES
• ENTER DATA
• MAKE INQUIRIES
• PREPARE REPORTS
• PERFORM STATISTICAL ANALYSIS
• ANALYZE PROBLEMS
• DEVELOP WEB PAGES
11.2
*
© Prentice Hall 2002
PRIMARY DRIVERS
• AVAILABILITY OF LOW-COST
MICROCOMPUTERS:
– HIGH-LEVEL LANGUAGES
– COMPUTER LITERACY AMONG
COLLEGE GRADUATES,
PROFESSIONALS
• INCREASED USER FRUSTRATIONS
ABOUT NEW PROJECT BACKLOGS
*
11.3
© Prentice Hall 2002
USER APPLICATION
DEVELOPMENT
• USE OF COMPUTER TOOLS
• DEVELOP BUSINESS APPLICATIONS
• USERS ARE NOT IS SPECIALISTS
• INVOLVES APPLICATION, TOOL &
DEVELOPER
*
11.4
© Prentice Hall 2002
USER-DEVELOPED APPLICATIONS
ADVANTAGES
• INCREASED USER CONTROL OVER
PROJECT
• INCREASED USER ACCEPTANCE OF
SOLUTION
• FREES IS RESOURCES
• INCREASES USERS’ KNOWLEDGE OF
IT
*
11.5
© Prentice Hall 2002
USER-DEVELOPED APPLICATIONS
DISADVANTAGES
• LOSS OF QUALITY CONTROL
• INCREASES OPERATIONAL RISKS
DUE TO DEVELOPED TURNOVER
• POTENTIAL LABOR/TIME
INEFFICIENCIES
• LOSS OF INTEGRATION
OPPORTUNITIES/CAPABILITIES
*
11.6
© Prentice Hall 2002
CHARACTERISTICS
• APPLICATION:
– SCOPE: Personal, departmental,
organizational
– CRITICALITY/IMPACT: Risk exposure
– SIZE & USAGE: One-time, periodic,
ongoing
– PROBLEM COMPLEXITY: Structure,
how common is task?
*
11.7
© Prentice Hall 2002
CHARACTERISTICS
• TOOL:
– SOPHISTICATION, COMPLEXITY
– INTERCONNECTEDNESS
• DEVELOPER:
– USER SKILLS, EXPERIENCE,
AVAILABILITY
– IS SPECIALIST SKILLS, EXPERIENCE,
AVAILABILITY
11.8
*
© Prentice Hall 2002
EXTENT OF INTERCONNECTEDNESS*
STAGE EXTENT OF INTERCONNECTEDNESS
• ISOLATION: Application does not use or
create data for another application
• STAND-ALONE: Application uses
manually entered computer-generated data
from reports, printouts
• MANUAL INTEGRATION: Data
electronically transferred from another
application, manually (e.g., file on disk)
*
11.9
* Adapted from Huff, Munro & Martin, 1988
© Prentice Hall 2002
EXTENT OF INTERCONNECTEDNESS*
STAGE EXTENT OF INTERCONNECTEDNESS
• AUTOMATED INTEGRATION:
Application electronically connected with
one or more databases/applications using
automated scripts
• DISTRIBUTED INTEGRATION:
Application uses data created, stored,
maintained by organization’s systems under
control of IS specialists
*
11.10
* Adapted from Huff, Munro & Martin, 1988
© Prentice Hall 2002
GUIDELINES FOR CHOOSING
DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
DEVELOPED
FOR OTHER
USERS
DEVELOPED
FOR SELF
USER ONLY
1
3
SMALL, SIMPLE
11.11
2
4
LARGE,
COMPLEX
1. SDLC OR
PROTOTYPING,
DISCIPLINED
APPROACH TO
DEFINITION &
IMPLEMENTATION
2. SDLC, CLEAR
“HANDS-OFF”
BETWEEN PHASES
3. “COLLAPSED” LIFE
CYCLE
4. DISCIPLINED,
ITERATIVE
DEVELOPMENT
© Prentice Hall 2002
LEVERAGING END-USER COMPUTING*
ORGANIZATION LEVEL
STRATEGY
CONTEXT:
ORGANIZATIONAL
LEVEL FACTORS
SUPPORT &
CONTROL
ACTIONS
TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENTAL
LEVEL FACTORS
STATUS OF
IS/USER
PARTNERSHIP
INDIVIDUAL LEVEL
USER
DEVELOPER
DEVELOPMENT
*Based on Branceau &
Brown, 1993
TASK
PROCESS
TOOL
11.12
© Prentice Hall 2002
ORGANIZATIONAL LEVEL
• STRATEGY: Strategic objectives and
approach to end-user computing
• TECHNOLOGY: Range & accessibility of
end-user tools
• SUPPORT & CONTROL ACTIONS:
Support services, control policies &
procedures
*
11.13
© Prentice Hall 2002
EXPANSION
EXPANSION/CONTROL MATRIX*
CONTROLLED
GROWTH
HIGH
ACCELERATION
LOW
LAISSEZ-FAIRE CONTAINMENT
LOW
HIGH
CONTROL
*Based on Monroe et al., 1987-1988; Brancheau & Amoroso, 1990
11.14
© Prentice Hall 2002
EVOLUTION OF INFORMATION
CENTER
STAGE ONE:
• REACTIVE SERVICES
• INDIVIDUAL SOLUTIONS
• PRODUCT TRAINING
• ALL NEEDS SUPPORTED
• COMPUTER LITERACY TRAINING
• ONE-WAY RELATIONSHIPS
*
11.15
© Prentice Hall 2002
EVOLUTION OF INFORMATION
CENTER
STAGE TWO:
• PROACTIVE SERVICES
• DEPARTMENTAL SOLUTIONS
• BUSINESS PROBLEM-SOLVING
• HIGH-PAYOFF NEEDS SUPPORTED
• INFORMATION LITERACY
EDUCATION
• ALLIANCE: IS/USER ALLIANCE
*
11.16
© Prentice Hall 2002
COMMON SUPPORT SERVICES
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
TROUBLESHOOTING
CONSULTING
TRAINING & IS EDUCATION
PRODUCT RESEARCH & EVALUATION
INFORMATION SHARING
TOOL SELECTION & PURCHASING
TOOL INSTALLATION, MAINTENANCE &
UPGRADING
11.17
*
© Prentice Hall 2002
COMMON POLICIES & PROCEDURES
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
PRODUCT STANDARDS
ERGONOMICS
PRODUCT PURCHASES
INVENTORY CONTROL
UPGRADE PROCEDURES
QUALITY REVIEW
IDENTIFYING CRITICAL APPLICATIONS &
DATA
11.18
*
© Prentice Hall 2002
COMMON POLICIES & PROCEDURES
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
DATA ACCESS
BACKUP PROCEDURES
AUDIT TRAILS
DOCUMENTATION STANDARDS
UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS
UNAUTHORIZED SOFTWARE COPYING
VIRUS PROTECTION
*
11.19
© Prentice Hall 2002
CHAPTER 11
Facilitating
User Computing
11.20
© Prentice Hall 2002