Exploring the Rhetoric on Representing the User: Discourses on User Involvement in Software Development

It is widely accepted that users should be involved in interactive systems development. However, involving users is often difficult and quite rare in software development organizations, especially in the context of product development, referring to the development of commercial software products or systems. This paper critically examines the position of user involvement in three software development organizations that operate in the product development context. Through analysis of the empirical, qualitative material gathered from the case organizations, five distinct discourses on user involvement are identified. The discourses are (1) user centered- ness as a tradition, (2) user involvement as imago factor and selling argument, (3) user involvement as a waste of time and money, (4) user involvement as a controllable and measurable quality improvement effort, and (5) user involvement achievable through persuading, marketing and manipulating. These discourses construct user involvement in different ways in these organizational settings. Furthermore, the discourses can be related to the wider discursive field in which the human-computer interaction community participates and contributes. Some of these discourses can be criticized from the Scandinavian tradition of systems design of being forms of technological colonialism and in some cases merely silencing the users instead of giving them a voice

The Role of Organizational Culture in Organizational Change - Identifying a Realistic Position for Prospective IS Research

Organizational culture – a popular but also a very complex concept – has been identified as an influential factor affecting the successes and failures of organizational change efforts. Many empirical organizational culture studies have been carried out in information systems (IS) research. However, culture is a very versatile concept, and there are many controversies in both defining and applying it. Therefore, this paper reviews different conceptions of organizational culture in the existing literature – in anthropology, organizational studies and in IS research. Also recent criticism on the existing conceptions is presented. Furthermore, organizational change is also a complex concept, due to which this paper discusses also differing conceptions of organizational change and conceptions of change employed in the empirical IS literature. Finally, a framework for the analysis of organizational culture and change is developed. The framework identifies three positions on organizational culture and change: optimist, pessimist and relativist, and discusses their implications. The optimist position is criticized of relying on very naïve notions of culture and change. The pessimist position can be criticized of lacking relevance to practice. Finally, the relativist position is recommended as the most realistic position for the prospective IS research on organizational culture and change

Discursive Construction of Usability Work in the Cultural Context of Software Product Development

Users should be involved in the interactive systems development. However, involving users is often difficult and rare, especially in the product development context, referring to the development of commercial software products or systems. This paper critically examines user involvement in the cultural context of three software product development organizations. User involvement is indirect and labeled as usability work. Empirical, qualitative material has been gathered from the organizations during three years time. A set of discourses constructing usability work and its cultural context are identified by following a poststructuralist, Foucauldian approach. Both theoretical and practical implications are discussed

INFRASTRUCTURING IN THE FUTURE SCHOOL CASE - INVOLVING BOTH ADULTS AND CHILDREN

Information infrastructure building efforts have entered both research literature and the practice of utilizing information and communication technology (ICT) in organizations as well as in our everyday life. The concept of infrastructuring has also challenged the traditional, project-based assumptions of information systems (IS) development. This study will explore infrastructuring within the educational network of a Finnish city. The study examines infrastructuring in-depth in a novel context, and includes an unusual group of participants: children that have so far been almost entirely neglected in IS research. A research framework of nexus analysis, combining both qualitative and participatory research approaches, was utilized for exploring infrastructuring in this Future School case. The study characterizes a multitude of actors, both adults and children, their various activities, and the versatility of outcomes involved. This study addresses both ˜design for use before use´ and ˜design in use´ carried out by teachers and pupils. In addition, the existence of certain kinds of resonance and design-for-design-in-use activities is revealed. The study expands infrastructuring to concern both pedagogical, architectural, and interior design, as well as enabling issus; the study reveals that when creating novel learning environments, all these aspects may play a role together with ICT. \ \ Keywords: Infrastructuring, Information Infrastructure, Participation, Children

Introducing Usability Activities into Open Source Software Development Projects – Searching for a Suitable Approach

Usability is an important quality characteristic of software products and systems. Different approaches for introducing usability activities into SW development have not yet been evaluated with respect to open source software (OSS). This paper tests the introduction of usability activities through four empirical case studies in the OSS development context. Case studies were carried out using four OSS projects that were not commercially supported. Empirical analysis suggests that usability specialists should become members of the OSS community, but, at the same time, should keep an objective view. The usability activities had substantially more impact when specialists introduced and carried them out as fellow members of the OSS community than as usability consultants from outside the community. The importance of management commitment for usability activities is discussed in the OSS context. The challenge of adapting usability and OSS development philosophies together should be researched further

Towards unfolding CRM implementation challenges in Pakistan: A case study

This interpretive grounded theory study describes and analyses major power issues in a Scandinavian inter-organisational IS project which spanned four organisations, two suppliers, one national organisation and a research organisation. The paper explores different dimensions of power that emerged during the project – sources of power, power as resistance, reasons for the power struggle, and power as exercised, We conclude that, while power issues in ISD projects are by no means a new phenomenon, these power issues were exacerbated in this IOIS project due to the project governance structures necessary to coordinate several organisation

Drivers and Barriers to the Adoption of Smart Home Energy Management Systems – Users’ Perspective

Smart home energy management system (SHEMS) is a technology, through which households can decrease and manage energy consumption and avoid demand peaks. For a significant sustainable impact, SHEMS should be adopted on a large scale. Based on semi-structured interviews with three user groups (new, prospective and experienced users) from 28 households we identify drivers and barriers to the adoption of SHEMS. The key drivers to adopt SHEMS are saving energy for economic and environmental reasons, increased comfort of living, safety and curiosity. Yet, there is lack of knowledge on SHEMS and how it relates to the larger energy system and use of renewable energy. Price of SHEMS and estimated low ROI, too complicated systems, and retrofitting problems also slow down the adoption. The results inform Information Systems research on sustainable and smart home technologies, including implications on the design of future home energy management technologies and policy planning

Information technology and the first-line manager\u27s dilemma: Lessons from an ethnographic study

This interpretive grounded theory study describes and analyses major power issues in a Scandinavian inter-organisational IS project which spanned four organisations, two suppliers, one national organisation and a research organisation. The paper explores different dimensions of power that emerged during the project – sources of power, power as resistance, reasons for the power struggle, and power as exercised, We conclude that, while power issues in ISD projects are by no means a new phenomenon, these power issues were exacerbated in this IOIS project due to the project governance structures necessary to coordinate several organisations.