Requirements analysis gamification in legacy system replacement projects

The replacement of legacy systems in the public sector is fraught with project delays, budgetary overruns, technological and business process complexities. Moreover, the software implemented to replace legacy systems is developed or configured to largely mimic their features and functionality in order to minimize the disruption to organizational operations that accompanies the introduction of new technology. When the requirements for legacy replacement primarily replicate existing applications and processes, opportunities for business process improvement are bypassed. However, it is difficult for practitioners to transcend the business and systems models prevalent in their organizations for many years. The challenge is to support them to overcome such a difficulty, and be creative and engaged during requirements discussions. Our research aims to evaluate the utility of gamifying the requirements activities during legacy replacement projects for scoping replacement systems efforts in a way that takes advantage of opportunities for innovation while minimizing unnecessary changes to the status quo. The supplementation of the requirements process with game elements is explored in our research through the development of a requirements discussion game (RE-PROVO) and its evaluation by practitioners in two government agencies. Our findings reveal that key elements of RE-PROVO, including competition, anonymity and roleplay, encourage a more critical evaluation of business requirements in legacy replacement projects, but that the success of requirements gamification is contingent on a proper incentivization model which takes organizational culture and values into account

Efeitos negativos e limitações da gamificação no período entre 2005 e 2020: uma revisão sistemática da literatura

A gamificação tem sido definida como a aplicação de elementos de jogo a contextos que não são de jogo (Deterding et al, 2011), de forma a promover comportamentos nos indivíduos (Hamari & Koivisto, 2015). A investigação acerca da gamificação tem sido desenvolvida numa perspetiva de procura de benefícios em áreas como o marketing, a gestão e a educação (Rodrigues, Oliveira & Rodrigues, 2019). Porém, constata-se uma lacuna na literatura relativamente a uma investigação que contemple o lado negativo da gamificação e as suas potenciais limitações. O objetivo geral deste estudo consistiu em compreender os efeitos negativos e limitações da implementação da gamificação ou de elementos de jogo mencionados na literatura científica de diversas áreas. Para tal, elaborou-se uma revisão sistemática da literatura cobrindo 86 textos científicos publicados entre 2005 e 2020 em revistas científicas de ranking maior ou igual a Q2. Utilizou-se o Leximancer para extrair os principais temas e conceitos abordados. Constatou-se que os temas “gamification”, “aprendizagem”, “desempenho”, “comportamento” e “marca” foram os mais explorados pelos investigadores no período analisado. Os conceitos “marca”, “efeitos”, “contexto” e “comportamento” são aqueles que mais se relacionam com o conceito “negativo”, que se associa também com os conceitos “controlo” e “desempenho”. Detetou-se que a gamificação tem, sim, um lado negativo, que está dependente do contexto e que se manifesta principalmente no âmbito de situações de aprendizagem. A base teórica construída neste estudo permitirá a investigação sobre os fatores contextuais que limitam a eficácia da aplicação da gamificação em situação de aprendizagem.Gamification has been defined as the usage of game elements in non-game contexts (Deterding et al, 2011), to promote certain behaviours in individuals (Hamari & Koivisto, 2015). Since it is a recent, gamification has been research from a benefit search point of view in areas like marketing, management and education concept (Rodrigues, Oliveira & Rodrigues, 2019). However, there is a lack of transversal studies about the negative side of gamification and its potential limitations. The main purpose of this study was to understand the negative effects and limitations of the implementation of gamification or gamified elements, mentioned throughout scientific literature of several areas. We have thus performed a systematic review of literature covering 84 scientific texts published between 2005 and 2020 in scientific journals of Q2 or higher. We then used Leximancer to extract the main themes and concepts considered. We concluded that “gamification”, “learning”, “performance”, “behaviour” and “brand were the main themes underlying the investigation conducted in the analysed period. Moreover, “brand”, “effects”, “context” and “behaviour” are the closest concepts to “negative”, which is also associated with “control” and “performance”. We confirmed gamification does have a negative side, which depends on the context and is mainly present in learning situations. The theoretical basis brought by our study allows for future investigation on the context factors that hinder the efficacy of gamification in learning situations

Revealing the project and asset management divide:Why infrastructure agencies struggle with IT transformation

Amid aging infrastructures, rapid urbanization, and the impacts of climate change, infrastructure agencies are under pressure to modernize their asset information management to enhance the future provision of infrastructure services. However, transforming the current information technology (IT) landscape presents significant challenges. Drawing from three comprehensive, practice-oriented case studies, this PhD dissertation illuminates what these challenges are and why they arise. It reveals the divide between organizing work in infrastructure projects, on the one hand, and executing asset management, on the other hand. Ultimately, findings from this dissertation can guide infrastructure agencies in designing strategies that fully consider the complexities and magnitude of transforming from project-based organizations to data-driven asset managers

Modernization of Legacy Information Technology Systems

Large enterprises spend a large portion of their Information Technology (IT) budget on maintaining their legacy systems. Legacy systems modernization projects are a catalyst for IT architects to save cost, provide new and efficient systems that increase profitability, and create value for their organization. Grounded in sociotechnical systems theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies IT architects use to modernize their legacy systems. The population included IT architects in large enterprises involved in legacy systems modernization projects, one in healthcare, and one in the financial services industry in the San Antonio-New Braunfels, Texas metropolitan area in the United States. The data collection included interviews with eight IT architects, reviewing 12 organizational documents and pertinent artifacts. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Prominent themes included collaboration in modernization projects, systems and process documentation, and resources upskilling and technical training. A key recommendation is for IT architects in large enterprises to ensure that team collaboration, system documentation, and resource technical training are built into all aspects of the legacy systems modernization projects. The implications for positive social change include the potential to bring together individuals with diverse backgrounds and different perspectives and skills to develop trust and build positive relationships during legacy systems modernization projects