The Influence of Analyst Communication in IS Projects

Information system (IS) researchers have long noted that IS analysts need to understand users’ needs if they are to design better systems and improve project outcomes. While researchers agree that analyst communication activities are an important prerequisite for such an understanding, little is known about the nature of different communication behaviors IS analysts can undertake to learn about users’ system needs and the impact of such behaviors on IS projects. To address this gap, this paper draws from the learning literature to articulate the information transmission activities IS analysts can undertake and the content of the information they can transmit when learning about users’ organizational tasks and information needs. The influence of analyst communication activities on the generation of valid information regarding user needs, analyst learning, and IS project outcomes are then investigated via a case study of two IS projects. The analysis of the two cases suggests that analysts who encourage the use of concrete examples, testing, and validation, and who solicit feedback about users’ business processes are likely to better understand users’ tasks, and in turn design systems that better meet users’ task needs than analysts who do not

Older people as equal partners in the creative design of digital devices

This thesis describes research which explores the importance and feasibility of involving older people as equal partners in the creative design of digital devices for an ageing population. In exploring this topic, I have carried out two preliminary studies, a pilot study and a major empirical study. Firstly, I invited three groups of people, including very old people, active older people and postgraduate students, to evaluate a mock-­‐up model of an interactive device intended for older people that was designed using a standard design process. The results of this study suggested that products without an adequate contribution from older people would not always meet their needs. Secondly, I carried out observations of very old people, active older people, and young designers to identify factors that influence the way in which both older people and young designers can be involved in the creative design process. These factors included experiences with technology, processes and approaches currently applied with older people and designers, factors that stimulate or inhibit creativity, and practical constraints such as health issues. The results of these observations fed into the design of a pilot study, where I tested the content of a creative design process and a procedure for analysing data for the main empirical study. The main study involved three creative workshops where the same creative methods were employed with different sets of people: young designers, mixed groups (with older people and designers) and older people only. The results show that older people are able to participate in a creative design process; however, certain practical constraints have to be taken into account. Also, older people perform better when they work together with designers. Finally, the mixed groups with older people, who have relevant life experiences, and designers, who are familiar with the newest technology, may be more suitable for designing appropriate products for the older population

Gathering the Requirements for a Mobile Device Tutorial for Older Adults

The United States, as well as other nations, is experiencing an increase in the older adult population. As a result of older adults living longer, mobile devices can be a major component in improving older adults\u27 quality of life. However, older adults may encounter difficulties when using the mobile devices. This research examined the requirements in addressing the needs of older adults when using a mobile device. Specifically, the research focused on gathering the task and feature requirements for a mobile device tutorial for older adults. The approach was accomplished by the development of a mobile device questionnaire, which was first administered to a pilot group of older adults, to determine the questionnaire\u27s comprehensiveness, then to an adequate sample size of older adults at four senior activity centers, located in Prince George\u27s County, Maryland. Based on the responses to the specific research questions from the total population, two focus groups, consisting of a total of ten individuals, were selected. The focus groups, identified as focus group A and B, were created, based on how likely or unlikely the respondent would use a mobile device tutorial. Following the collection of the questionnaires from the total population and the two focus groups, the results of the data were analyzed. The quantitative findings for the total population for the task requirements found that e-mail had the highest mean (4.40%), followed by health, shopping, restaurant, and financial. The findings for the feature requirements found that photos had the highest mean (4.21%), followed by camera, contacts, reminders, and FaceTime. The researcher developed findings based on the qualitative analysis from the total sample population. The major qualitative findings consisted of the benefits, to include access, availability, accuracy and usefulness. The drawbacks consisted of ease of use, user concerns, and the inability to ask questions. In the analysis of the quantitative findings for the task requirements, focus group A was slightly different from the total population, with shopping having the highest mean (6.80%), followed by health, restaurants, e-mail and financial. The findings for the task requirements for focus group B, were similar to the total population, with e-mail and health having the highest means (1.60%), followed by restaurants and financial (equal), and shopping. The findings for the feature requirements for focus group A, were similar to the total population, with photos and reminders (6.80%), followed by camera, and FaceTime and contacts. The findings for the feature requirements for focus group B, were also similar to the total population and focus group A, with photos having the highest mean (1.80%), followed by reminders, and contacts, camera, and FaceTime (equal). In the analysis of the qualitative analysis for focus group A some of the benefits included availability and encouragement. For focus group B, some of the benefits included working at one\u27s own pace, and understandability of the device. The qualitative analysis for the total population findings for the benefits of a mobile device tutorial included access to a tutorial, availability, skill set for a tutorial, and usefulness. The main responses pertaining to why the respondent would use a mobile device include the device\u27s availability, ease to use, use at one\u27s leisure, and using the device at one\u27s own pace. In examining the qualitative findings for the two focus groups, the major areas for the benefits for focus group A, are similar to the total population. These areas include availability, encouragement, and listening to the tutorial several times. The major areas for focus group B, are similar to the total population and focus group A, to include listening to the tutorial several times. In exploring deeper into the focus groups\u27 responses, the participants addressed specific questions regarding the task and feature requirements. For the specific task or feature requirements for which a respondent would likely use a mobile device tutorial for assistance, focus group A\u27s responses were the features of FaceTime and the tasks of e-mail, photos, and contacts. Focus group B responses were the task requirement of health care and financial and feature requirements of camera and photos. The mixed method analysis supports the premise that older adults would desire instructions on the identified task and feature requirements for a mobile device tutorial. The recommendations of the research consisted of additional examination of collecting data across multiple senior activity centers, the Baby Boomer generation, and older adult computer classes. Designing a mock-up tutorial, using another mobile device, and the use of current Siri feature, are other possible research investigations. Lastly, the implications of the study, filled the gap regarding senior adults and mobile devices, by contributing to the research pertaining to mobile device tutorials that would accommodate older adults

Older people as equal partners in the creative design of digital devices

This thesis describes research which explores the importance and feasibility of involving older people as equal partners in the creative design of digital devices for an ageing population. In exploring this topic, I have carried out two preliminary studies, a pilot study and a major empirical study. Firstly, I invited three groups of people, including very old people, active older people and postgraduate students, to evaluate a mock-­‐up model of an interactive device intended for older people that was designed using a standard design process. The results of this study suggested that products without an adequate contribution from older people would not always meet their needs. Secondly, I carried out observations of very old people, active older people, and young designers to identify factors that influence the way in which both older people and young designers can be involved in the creative design process. These factors included experiences with technology, processes and approaches currently applied with older people and designers, factors that stimulate or inhibit creativity, and practical constraints such as health issues. The results of these observations fed into the design of a pilot study, where I tested the content of a creative design process and a procedure for analysing data for the main empirical study. The main study involved three creative workshops where the same creative methods were employed with different sets of people: young designers, mixed groups (with older people and designers) and older people only. The results show that older people are able to participate in a creative design process; however, certain practical constraints have to be taken into account. Also, older people perform better when they work together with designers. Finally, the mixed groups with older people, who have relevant life experiences, and designers, who are familiar with the newest technology, may be more suitable for designing appropriate products for the older population.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Konkreettisiin materiaaleihin perustuvat menetelmät palvelumuotoilutyöpajassa turvapaikanhakijoiden kanssa

The side effects of war and turmoil in Syria, Iraq, the Middle East and North Africa have recently reached Europe and Finland. Many kinds of actions have been taken on various societal levels to process the case of each asylum seeker with dignity. Accommodating thousands of people in reception centres throughout Finland has not been a simple task. The practice of service design has a promising theoretical basis for making sustainable and impactful interventions to solve the complex problems generated by the crisis. A human-centred and holistic approach enables it to address the dynamic, interlinked networks of value co-creation. By including stakeholder representatives in design activities, such as workshops, service designers can better understand the context they are designing for and the people they are designing with. It has been argued that using tangible materials in those workshops helps sharing of knowledge, engages everyone to participate, and mitigates communication problems. This thesis aims at testing the assumptions about tangibility in a challenging context, a service co-design workshop with students and asylum seekers. The thesis begins with a literature review, describing the theoretical roots of service design, discussing aspects of stakeholder inclusion, and presenting tangible service design methods. Based on the literature review, the thesis asks, how tangible materials contribute to the work of a cross-cultural service co-design team with inherent power imbalance. The research question is considered from three perspectives, democracy & inclusion, communication & shared understanding, and perceived quality of the result. The second main part of the thesis, the explorative case study, seeks to answer the research question by investigating a service co-design workshop, Fjord X Fablab Makeshop: Asylum Seekers in Finland. The workshop was arranged by the author together with design consultancy Fjord, Aalto Media Factory, and a local asylum seeker reception centre, operated by Finnish Red Cross. Observations and interviews provide some evidence for the positive contribution of tangible materials to communication within the team and perceived quality of their work, whereas findings related to inclusiveness remain limited. Other factors, such as facilitation, work environment, and personal qualities of the participants, have at least as big influence on the work of such team as the use of tangible materials. The results of the case study for the most part align with the existing literature. Based on the experience, the thesis gives a set of recommendations for practitioners who wish to employ tangible materials to service co-design workshops with marginalised people groups.Sodat ja levottomuudet Lähi-idässä ja Pohjois-Afrikassa ovat näkyneet viime aikoina myös Euroopassa ja Suomessa. Saapuvien turvapaikanhakijoiden ihmisarvoinen käsittely ja majoittaminen vastaanottokeskuksiin ympäri Suomea ei ole ollut helppo tehtävä. Palvelumuotoilulla on lupaava teoreettinen perusta kestävien ja vaikuttavien toimenpiteiden toteuttamiseksi ja kriisistä aiheutuvien kompleksisten ongelmien ratkaisemiseksi. Käyttäjäkeskeisen ja holistisen otteen ansiosta palvelumuotoilijat kykenevät hahmottamaan dynaamisia verkostoja joissa eri toimijat liittyvät toisiinsa luoden arvoa yhteistyössä. Osallistamalla sidosryhmien edustajia esimerkiksi työpajoissa palvelumuotoilijat voivat paremmin ymmärtää muotoilun kontekstia ja ihmisiä, joiden kanssa palvelua kehitetään. Väitetään, että konkreettisiin materiaaleihin liittyvät menetelmät, joissa osallistujat käyttävät monipuolisesti käsiään ja kehoaan pelkän kynän ja paperin sijaan, helpottavat tiedon yhteisluontia, jokaisen osallistumista työhön, sekä vähentävät kommunikaatio-ongelmia. Tämän diplomityön tarkoituksena on kokeilla konkreettisia materiaaleja haastavassa kontekstissa: palvelumuotoilun työpajassa opiskelijoiden ja turvapaikanhakijoiden kanssa. Diplomityö alkaa kirjallisuuskatsauksella, joka käy läpi palvelumuotoilun teoreettisen taustan, käsittelee sidosryhmien osallistamista ja esittelee konkreettisiin materiaaleihin liittyviä menetelmiä palvelumuotoilussa. Katsauksen perusteella kysytään, miten konkreettiset materiaalit tukevat sellaisen monikulttuurisen palvelumuotoilutiimin työtä, jonka jäsenet eivät ole keskenään yhdenvertaisessa asemassa. Tutkimuskysymystä tarkastellaan kolmesta näkökulmasta: demokratia ja osallistaminen, kommunikaatio ja jaettu ymmärrys, sekä koettu lopputuloksen laatu. Työn toisen pääosan muodostava tapaustutkimus käsittelee palvelumuotoilun työpajaa, Fjord X Fablab Makeshop: Asylum Seekers in Finland. Kirjoittaja järjesti työpajan yhteistyössä muotoilutoimisto Fjordin, Aalto Media Factoryn ja paikallisen, Suomen Punaisen Ristin ylläpitämän vastaanottokeskuksen kanssa. Havainnot ja haastattelut antavat tukea väitteille konkreettisten materiaalien positiivisesta vaikutuksesta tiimin kommunikaatioon ja koettuun lopputuloksen laatuun, mutta osallistamiseen liittyvät löydöt ovat heikompia. Muut tekijät, kuten fasilitointi, työskentely-ympäristö sekä henkilötason ominaisuudet vaikuttivat vähintään yhtä paljon tiimien työskentelyyn kuin konkreettisten materiaalien käyttö. Tulokset ovat pääosin linjassa kirjallisuuden kanssa. Lopuksi esitetään joukko suosituksia palvelumuotoilusta kiinnostuneille. Kohdeyleisönä ovat erityisesti palvelumuotoilijat, jotka suunnittelevat vastaavien menetelmien käyttöä työpaljoissa turvapaikanhakijoiden tai muiden heikommassa sosiaalisessa asemassa olevien henkilöiden kanssa