A framework for the explicit use of specific systems thinking methodologies in data-driven decision support system development

Data-driven decision support systems, such as data warehouses, are extremely costly to develop. Forty one per cent of data warehouse development practitioners have experienced project failures. These projects were either completed after exceeding budget and time limits, or not at all. Some influential data warehousing authors advocate user involvement as a solution, while others focus on technical factors to improve data warehouse success. This study proposes a framework for data warehousing success based on systems thinking methodology. Systems thinking implies a holistic approach to problem solving. A system is a set of interrelated elements. A systems approach represents a broad view, taking all aspects into account and concentrating on interactions between different parts of the problem. This study investigates the practices of data warehousing professionals from a systems thinking point of view, before proposing a framework for the explicit use of specific systems thinking methodologies in data warehouse development. Interpretive case study research is used to investigate practices of data warehousing professionals in three different organisations. Pattern matching is used to analyse collected data. This is done by mapping practices to different systems thinking perspectives. However, the theory component of the thesis is not a description of current data warehousing practices from a systems thinking point of view, as in typical interpretive research. The theory component relates more to critical research in that it is meant to change data warehousing practices towards specific systems thinking methodologies. The proposed framework incorporates three sources of information. These are a literature study on systems thinking philosophy, methodology and practice; a literature study on data warehousing and data warehousing success factors; and the results of case studies on current practices of data warehousing professionals analysed from a systems thinking perspective. The framework gives a methodological foundation for a holistic approach to data warehousing with maximum user involvement. It views a data warehouse as a system with typical systems characteristics, such as specified objectives relating to the organisation’s objectives, an environment, available resources, specified components and effective management.Thesis (PhD (Information Technology))--University of Pretoria, 2006.Informaticsunrestricte

A model for improving knowledge generation in Design Science Research through reflective practice

Abstract : Epistemology refers to the philosophy of knowledge and aims to address central questions of how we create new knowledge. All research paradigms can be distinguished in terms of epistemological assumptions, that is, assumptions of how knowledge is produced in the respective paradigms. Design science research (DSR) is a research paradigm often used in technical disciplines for the creation of artefacts. DSR has roots in pragmatism, where beliefs and theories are evaluated based on the success of its practical application. New knowledge is produced in DSR when original artefacts are created to solve a problem. The epistemological assumption of D“‘ can then shortly be defined as 'knowledge through making'. At its core, DSR is goal-orientated and its practical approaches are focused on delivering the product according to straight- forward processes - without being affected by human factors. This process of acquiring new knowledge is efficient but not necessarily effective in terms of capturing all aspects of the experience of the practitioner. Frameworks exist for the creation of artefacts in DSR, but the process of knowledge generation is not explicit. The aim of the paper is to guide explicit knowledge generation in D“‘. The research question is "How can we make the process of obtaining knowledge in D“‘ more explicit?" DSR Frameworks are iterative in nature and focus on the creation and evaluation of artefacts. There is an implicit assumption that reflection takes place in these iterations. Schön, author of The Reflective Practitioner, writes that new knowledge is produced through reflection during and after an event has occurred. He also states that you can only have a complete understanding of a problem through the dual process of reflection-in-action and reflection-on-action. We argue that this also holds true for artefact design and development in DSR. A reflective DSR practitioner can explicitly indicate how knowledge is produced in the design science research cycle. The effective use of reflective practice changes each individual phase of a DSR framework from goal-orientated to problem-orientated. Epistemologically, knowledge is then produced through 'learning by doing', which gives D“‘ a worldview that supports reflective practice. The paper promotes the incorporation of reflective practice in DSR and provides a demonstration thereof in an example on the preparation of IT students for their chosen career

Systems Practice for Professions: Book of Abstracts

The ISSS is providing a unique annual meeting experience in June 2023. The main conference takes place from June 19 -23 in the Kruger National Park in South Africa.  The conference will provide an opportunity for networking and scholarship for systems practitioners and academics in the midst of a complex social and natural ecosystem.  &nbsp

A critical systems perspective on research methodology for research in e-learning in information systems classes

The aim of this paper is to provide a critical systems thinking perspective on e-learning research in information systems classrooms. Many higher education practitioners are under pressure from their institutions to do research and to publish their findings. Higher education institutions spend large amounts of money on freeing up lecturers’ time for research by incorporating better technology in teaching. Many also believe that the so called generation-Y students can learn only when they are using technology. This leads to three problems: firstly, the class-room becomes a research centre; secondly, average quality research papers are written; and thirdly, technology drives teaching practices and not the other way round. Although these are often viewed as three independent problems they can be addressed as symptoms of one single problem: We struggle to find a method to reflect on and design our teaching practices in a way that truly benefits our students, the information technology industry and the scholarly community we are part of. Overall the motivation for teaching and the motivation for research about teaching become blurred and move away from most lecturers’ original motivation for entering academia. This paper uses critical systems thinking to motivate critical social theory as an appropriate research paradigm and action research as research methodology for research projects in e-learning in information systems classrooms. It reflects on teaching of information systems and using e-learning from a critical systems perspective. Doing research in e-learning in an information systems classroom is viewed as a pluralist complex problem with some coercive characteristics according to the Flood and Jackson categorisation. Critical social heuristics is used to better understand the different worldviews and associated objectives in the problem situation. Action research is viewed from the perspective of critical social research therefore the guidelines for critical social research in information systems developed by Myers and Klein are applicable. Key to such an application of action research is the use of a critical theoretical framework or theory to guide intervention as illustrated by the depiction of action research of Peter Checkland. This paper explores suitable educational theories to guide intervention in information systems classrooms what will be beneficial to different groups of interest as identified in the application of critical social heuristics. It aims to address the problems stated above by providing guidelines for good research in the e-learning discipline.http://journals.isss.org/index.php/proceedings58th/inde

Making data structures and algorithms more understandable by programming sudoku the human way

World academy of science, engineering and technology 76, Venice, Italy, 14-15 April 2013Data Structures and Algorithms is a module in most Computer Science or Information Technology curricula. It is one of the modules most students identify as being difficult. This paper demonstrates how programming a solution for Sudoku can make abstract concepts more concrete. The paper relates concepts of a typical Data Structures and Algorithms module to a step by step solution for Sudoku in a human type as opposed to a computer oriented solution.https://www.waset.org/http://www.waset.org/Publications/?path=Publications&p=7

The descriptive properties of prescriptive theories: an application of systems thinking in data warehousing

Information systems and in particular data warehouses are very expensive systems to develop. It is therefore not advisable to experiment with ideas too different from current practices. This makes it difficult to apply prescriptive theories in an existing field. From theoretical considerations one might want to develop a data warehouse according to another method such as critical systems thinking methodology. It is however very difficult to persuade data warehouse practitioners to attempt such an experiment. This might be because they would rather adhere to known practices or that they are not sufficiently knowledgeable on critical systems thinking (or any other prescriptive theory) to apply it to such an expensive project. This paper describes a method in which prescriptive theories may be used descriptively to analyse their applicability in a specific field of application. The proposed method is used to understand the practices of the data warehouse discipline from the perspectives of the systems thinking discipline. It is also indicated how this method could be used in other studies where the behaviour of participants is viewed from a point of view of which the detail are unknown to the participants. Keywords: Data warehousing, Systems thinking, Prescriptive theory, Descriptive theory, Interpretative research. Disciplines: Information technology, systems theory, data warehousing, hermeneutic