Towards Controlling the Acceptance Factors for a Collaborative Platform in Engineering Design

International audienceThis paper might serve as a guide to take step towards a better acceptance of computer-based Knowledge management (KM) tools in institutional setting. At first time, it investigates a set of factors with different origins which are proved to have an effect on usage decision. Secondly, we set a list of candidate factor which are supposed to influence future users of a collaborative KM platform (Dimocode). At the end, we develop a methodology to take into account the selected factors and master their positive or negative impacts. The contents of this paper would be an appropriate framework in the way of Knowledge management systems (KMS) deployment

An empirical study of spreadsheet error-finding performance

Several well-founded concerns exist about the integrity and validity of electronic spreadsheets. Thirty CPAs and 30 MBA students volunteered to seek up to two errors planted in each of six spread-sheets to discover if expertise in the domain of accounting and the spreadsheet program would facilitate error-finding performance. Subjects only found, on average, about 55% of the simple, conspicuous errors on the small spreadsheets. As expected, both accounting and spreadsheeting expertise contributed to the subjects' error-finding rate, and those who performed this task with both types of expertise found the largest number of errors in the shortest time. Interestingly, while CPAs were more accurate than non-CPAs in finding accounting-related errors, spreadsheet experts did not outperform novices in finding spreadsheet formula errors. Also, while spreadsheet expertise contributed to greater speed, accounting expertise did not. Future research would further investigate the contribution of spreadsheet expertise to the error-finding task. Practitioners should be aware of the difficulties in finding even simple errors, and develop training programs to facilitate spreadsheet auditors' performance. © 1993

An Empirical Validation of a Contingency Model for Information Requirements Determination

A contingency model for system development was subjected to several conceptual and operational adjustments and empirical tests. According to the model, there should be a degree of fit between development project uncertainty and the strategy for determining information requirements, ranging from accepting initial requirements statements to experi menting with prototypes to discover requirements. This study introduced a new IRD strategy construct that focused on the extent of interaction between users and developers. The study also differentiated between perceptual and evidential outcomes, between process and product outcomes, and between users’and developers’ points of view. The hypotheses predicted that the degree of fit between project uncertainty and the IRD strategy would account for perceptual and evidential project outcomes from both the user's and developer's points of view. Results indicated that only by relying on the new extent of interaction construct, was support found. From the developers'standpoint, the degree of fit appeared to be related to perceptual assessments of the process and product. From the user's standpoint, the degree of fit was only related to perceptual assessments of the process. There was no support for the hypothesized impact of fit on evidential outcomes. © 1998, Authors. All rights reserved