Development and Evaluation of a Customer-Centered ERP Implementation Method

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems are widely implemented in companies’ operation management and there are already a number of commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) ERP products on the market. However, companies often have difficulty in identifying the requirements for selecting an ERP system, and also in specifying their objectives in an ERP implementation project. Despite the available information on ERP implementations, companies need a how-to method to support them in gathering and analyzing their ERP requirements. This qualitative empirical research deals with the development of a Customer-Centered ERP Implementation (C-CEI) method for the analysis of ERP system requirements. The development is conducted using an action research approach. The C-CEI method utilizes the principles and process of User-Centered Design (UCD) that aims at involving end users in the early stages of the product development. The results of this research are divided into four parts: (1) the C-CEI method itself, (2) the lessons learned from four companies that participated in the development of the C-CEI method, (3) content analysis of C-CEI documents produced in the companies, and (4) interviews of the companies’ personnel who had participated in the development of the C-CEI method. This research guides practitioners in how the ERP implementation can be approached employing a pre-defined method, and how the shared understanding of the ERP project objectives and activities are achieved within the organization. For academics, this study directs the research interest towards developing scientifically-based ERP implementation methodologies to complement those currently provided by ERP vendors and consultants

Toiminnanohjausjärjestelmä käyttäjän näkökulmasta: käytettävyyden kartoittamisen menetelmiä kohdeyrityksessä

Tutkielmassa tutkitaan toiminnanohjausjärjestelmien käytettävyyden kartoitus- ja analyysimetodeita perehtymällä niiden avulla keskisuuren logistiikkayrityksen toiminnanohjausjärjestelmään ja sen käyttäjiin. Lisäksi tutkielmassa etsitään vastausta siihen, miksi käytettävyysaspektit ja käyttäjän näkökulma ovat merkittäviä tekijöitä myös toiminnanohjausjärjestelmien kontekstissa. Kohdeyrityksen toiminnanohjausjärjestelmä tullaan päivittämään kuluvan vuoden aikana ja tehty tutkimus toimii esitutkimuksena toiminnanohjausjärjestelmän käyttöönottoprojektiin. Yritys toivoo saavansa apua uuden järjestelmän määrittelyyn, käyttöönottoon ja koulutukseen. Tutkielmassa paneudutaan nimenomaan käyttäjän näkökulmaan ja siihen, millaisena he kokevat nykyisen toiminnanohjausjärjestelmän käytön. Tutkielmassa kuvattu tutkimus on jaettu kolmeen erilliseen osaan: käytettävyyden asiantuntija-analyysiin suunnitteluohjeiden avulla, kyselylomakkeen avulla tehtävään tiedonkeruuseen sekä yrityksessä tehtävään tilannetutkimukseen. Käytettävyystutkimusten tuloksista pyritään selvittämään tällä hetkellä järjestelmää käyttävien käyttäjäryhmien tarpeet ja millä tavoin ne otetaan huomioon ohjelmiston toiminnassa. Tutkimustulosten avulla kuvataan yritykselle, millä tavoin käytettävyyttä, tukea sekä koulutusta voitaisiin parantaa tulevan toiminnanohjausjärjestelmän päivitysprojektin aikana sekä käyttöönoton jälkeen. Eri metodien sopivuutta käytettävyyden kartoittamiseen ja käyttäjän näkökulman ymmärtämiseen vertaillaan sekä tehdään lopuksi yhteenveto siitä, millä tavoin tutkimusmetodit ja niiden tarjoamat tutkimustulokset eroavat keskenään

An Assessment of Contextual Design and Its Applicability to the Design of Educational Technologies

Thesis (PhD) - Indiana University, School of Education, 2008Increased use of computing technology in support of learning necessitates the collaboration of instructional designers with technology designers. Yet the instructional designer portrayed in current instructional design textbooks does not participate in technology design but instead designs instructional strategies and materials that are implemented by others. For instructional systems design as a field to move towards the kinds of collaborative work required for the development of effective, innovative educational technologies, there is a need for methods that can integrate the concerns and activities of both instructional and technology designers. This research critically examines a human-computer interaction design method, contextual design (CD), assessing how practitioners employ and characterize it as a method and explores its potential utility in instructional systems design. CD is briefly described and available evaluative studies are summarized. Next, three studies are presented: a case study of CD usage in the design of a digital music library, a case study of CD integrating with another design approach called PRInCiPleS, and a learning-oriented analysis of CD work models. Based on the findings of the literature review and these three studies, a practitioner survey and interview guide were developed. Results from 106 survey respondents and 16 interviews characterized CD as a guiding framework and a collection of useful techniques. However, because of its resource requirements and other limitations, the method is rarely used in full or exclusively. Respondents reported valuing the ability of CD to uncover and communicate user needs but also suggested CD did not provide a means of resolving conflicts between user needs and organizational objectives. Implications of these results are explored for three constituencies: developer-designers of instructional places or interactive materials, educators of instructional designers who will work with software developers, and educational researchers and their graduate students

Käytettävyys ohjelmistovalidoinnissa - Tapaus: Terveydenhuollon laitteiden valmistus

This master’s thesis follows a software project in a medical device company. The software is a manufacturing execution system (MES) which guides the production of medical devices and collects traceability data, including the device history files. Because the software is used in the manufacturing of medical devices and in the implementation of the company quality system, the software needs to be validated for its intended use. The validation process must comply with the guidance and regulations of the Food and Drug Administration. The software system is implemented by a software supplier but the customer organization is responsible for the validation process. In addition to fulfilling the regulatory requirements, the software is expected to increase productivity. In order to increase productivity, the software needs to be usable. This thesis uses previous research on medical device usability and on enterprise resource planning (ERP) system usability as guidance for improving the usability of the software system along with the human-centered design process and principles. The target of the research was to find out how usability considerations can be integrated to a medical device software validation process; and how the medical device validation process contributes to the usability of the system. The research is implemented as a single case study, with the software project as the case. The results suggest that managing use-related risks is an important part of the project. Sometimes regulatory requirements may over rule usability requirements, especially efficiency and flexibility. However, many of the principles of human-centered design turned out to be important success factors. Iterative process structure is a good choice. It is useful to have team members with different skills and backgrounds. End user involvement is needed throughout the project. Especially requirements gathering and design turned out to be critical activities for the project success. They are also activities which require input from end users.Tämä diplomityö seuraa erästä ohjelmistoprojektia terveyden huollon laitteita ja tarvikkeita valmistavassa yrityksessä. Ohjelmisto on tuotannonohjausjärjestelmä, joka ohjaa tuotannon työntekijöitä ja kerää jäljitettävyystietoja tuotannosta. Koska ohjelmistoa tullaan käyttämään terveyden huollon laitteiden valmistuksessa ja laatujärjestelmän toteutuksessa, se tarvitsee validoida käyttötarkoitukseensa. Validointiprosessin tarvitsee noudattaa regulatiivisia vaatimuksia. Ohjelmiston toteuttaa ohjelmistotoimittaja, mutta validointivastuu on asiakasorganisaatiolla. Regulatiivisten vaatimusten täyttämisen lisäksi ohjelmiston odotetaan parantavan tuottavuutta, mikä taas vaatii ohjelmistolta hyvää käytettävyyttä. Tässä diplomityössä hyödynnetään aikaisempaa tutkimusta terveyden huollon laitteiden ja toiminnanohjausjärjestelmien käytettävyydestä sekä käyttäjäkeskeisen suunnittelun prosessia ja periaatteita ohjenuorana ohjelmiston käytettävyyden arvioinnissa. Tutkimuksen tavoitteena oli selvittää miten käytettävyysnäkökulma voidaan yhdistää terveyden huollon laitteiden ohjelmistovalidointiprosessiin. Lisäksi tavoitteena oli selvittää miten edellä mainittu validointiprosessi vaikuttaa järjestelmän käytettävyyteen. Tutkimus toteutettiin tapaustutkimuksena, jossa ohjelmistoprojekti on tutkimuskohteena. Tulosten perusteella voidaan todeta, että käyttöön liittyvien riskien hallinta on tärkeä osa tällaista projektia. Toisinaan regulatiiviset vaatimukset yliajavat käytettävyysvaatimuksista, erityisesti tehokkuuteen ja joustavuuteen liittyvistä. Monet käyttäjäkeskeisen suunnittelun periaatteista osoittautuivat kuitenkin tärkeiksi menestystekijöiksi. Iteratiivinen prosessimalli on suositeltava valinta, samoin monialainen projektitiimi. Loppukäyttäjiä tarvitaan koko projektin ajan. Erityisesti vaatimusten määrittely ja suunnittelu osoittautuivat projektin onnistumisen kannalta kriittisiksi toiminnoiksi, joissa olisi tärkeää olla loppukäyttäjiä mukana

Creating a model information system for human resource management in businesssystems

Пословни процеси представљају компоненту хијерархије пословних модела савремених организација која се стално мења. Процесе треба добро разумети, поједноставити и аутоматизовати, а направити и адекватан одабир како би се посао обављао што ефикасније. Данас постоји широки спектар понуде информационих система за управљање људским ресурсима. Тежи се да такав један информациони систем буде што ефикаснији.Poslovni procesi predstavljaju komponentu hijerarhije poslovnih modela savremenih organizacija koja se stalno menja. Procese treba dobro razumeti, pojednostaviti i automatizovati, a napraviti i adekvatan odabir kako bi se posao obavljao što efikasnije. Danas postoji široki spektar ponude informacionih sistema za upravljanje ljudskim resursima. Teži se da takav jedan informacioni sistem bude što efikasniji.Business processes represent the business component hierarchy model modern organization that is constantly changing. The processes must be well understood, simplify and automate and make the appropriate selection in order to carry out work as efficiently as possible. Today there is a wide range of supply of information systems for human resources management. The goal is that such an information system is more efficient

Abordagem de selecção de software Commercial Off-The-Shelf suportada por um sistema de apoio à decisão

A selecção de produtos de software Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) tem vindo a adquirir uma importância crescente na engenharia de software. No processo de desenvolvimento de sistemas baseados em COTS é essencial seleccionar os produtos COTS mais adequados, pois uma boa selecção é crucial para o sucesso do sistema final. Existem muitas propostas para modelar o processo de selecção de COTS, no entanto, ainda há espaço para a optimização de processos e de soluções. A principal contribuição desta dissertação é uma abordagem genérica de selecção de COTS e um Sistema de Apoio à Decisão (SAD) para suportá-la, denominado COTS-3S (COTS Selection Support System). Esta abordagem distingue-se das restantes pela sua capacidade de agilizar e simplificar o processo de selecção, sobretudo através da sua utilização em conjunto com o COTS-3S, ajudando a seleccionar produtos COTS com base na sua adequabilidade. A abordagem proposta integra vários conceitos e técnicas, incluindo o suporte à decisão no âmbito da engenharia de software, a tomada de decisão multicritério e a optimização de resolução de problemas. Para validar a aplicabilidade da abordagem proposta em conjunto com o COTS-3S, é apresentado um caso prático no domínio dos sistemas Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP). Os seus resultados são utilizados para demonstrar as potenciais vantagens, desvantagens, benefícios e limitações da utilização da abordagem proposta com o COTS-3S. Para finalizar, são apresentados os objectivos concretizados, realizada uma comparação entre a abordagem proposta e as restantes, descritas as limitações encontradas durante a realização deste trabalho e propostos possíveis trabalhos futuros.Selection of Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) software products has a growing importance in software engineering. In the process of developing COTS-based systems it is essential to select the most suitable COTS products, as a good selection is crucial for the final system’s success. Many proposals are made to model the COTS selection process, however it is still possible to optimize processes and solutions. The main contribution of this dissertation is a generic COTS selection approach and a Decision Support System (DSS) to support it, called COTS-3S (COTS Selection Support System). This approach is distinguished from others by its capability to streamline and simplify the selection process through its use with COTS-3S, helping to select COTS products based on their fitness. The proposed approach integrates several concepts and techniques, including software engineering decision support, multi-criteria decision making, and optimization problem solving. In order to validate the applicability of the proposed approach along with COTS-3S, a practical case in the domain of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems is presented. Thus, its results are used to show the potential advantages, disadvantages, benefits and limitations of using the proposed approach with COTS-3S. Finally, the pursued objectives are presented, a comparison between the proposed approach and the others is made, the constraints found during the elaboration of this work are described and possible future work is proposed

Managing sociotechnical risks in infrastructure projects : Sociotechnical Systems (STS) perspectives on systems

As systems become larger, more complex and integrated, the cost of failure increases rapidly, leading to a need for effective risk management tools. However, conventional risk management tools such as the ones based on hazard analysis or accident causation analysis have a narrow focus on either human or technical actors and on single causal chains at one organisational level. This led researchers to introduce the concept of Sociotechnical Systems (STS), involving the interaction of human and non-human technical components. The present study was conducted with the aim of developing ways of applying STS principles and STS-based methods to improve the risk management in large infrastructure projects. Initially, the sets of STS principles for the system design, which had been developed so far, were identified and then integrated and synthesised to produce a list of 20 core STS principles for applying them further in the current study. A comprehensive literature review of the work done in this field since its inception in the 1950s was then conducted, producing a unified list of 103 STS-based methods. These methods were then evaluated for their validity and visibility (occurrence). To identify and analyse major risks in complex infrastructure projects from an STS perspective, an observational case study of a large-scale collaborative design project at Heriot-Watt University was conducted, including running the surveys and interviews with the project participants. The aim was to find out if the presence or absence of the 20 STS principles and 18 associated risk factors affected the performance of the teams. It was found that the team performance was strongly related to the presence or absence of STS principles that was supported by statistically meaningful results of a quantitative analysis. The same STS principles were then applied retrospectively to a second case study, which was the construction of the Edinburgh Tram Network, based on documentary sources and employing the AcciMap and Abstraction Hierarchy (AH) methods. It was concluded that failure to apply these principles and the resulting risks could play a major role in the failure to deliver the project on time and within budget. Finally, a five-phase framework was constructed for STS-based risk management framework of infrastructure projects, with the guideline principles aligning the existing risk management framework with STS theory

Multikonferenz Wirtschaftsinformatik (MKWI) 2016: Technische Universität Ilmenau, 09. - 11. März 2016; Band III

Übersicht der Teilkonferenzen Band III • Service Systems Engineering • Sicherheit, Compliance und Verfügbarkeit von Geschäftsprozessen • Smart Services: Kundeninduzierte Kombination komplexer Dienstleistungen • Strategisches IT-Management • Student Track • Telekommunikations- und Internetwirtschaft • Unternehmenssoftware – quo vadis? • Von der Digitalen Fabrik zu Industrie 4.0 – Methoden und Werkzeuge für die Planung und Steuerung von intelligenten Produktions- und Logistiksystemen • Wissensmanagemen