COMP3470 IS33 People-Centred Information Systems Development

1. School of Computing FACULTY OF Engineering COMP3470 IS33 People-Centred Information Systems Development Week 3 : Lecture 2 Social-Technical Approaches in ISD IS33 ISD - theories, methods & techniques

2. The Socio-Technical Philosophy • Introduced in 1940’s by the Tavistock Institute (London), http://www.tavinstitute.org/ • Acknowledged 2 things: • The significance of the social system (i.e. people) • The difference between the social system and the technical system • Key principles for design • Joint optimisation of technical & social system • Semi-autonomous work groups • Participation • Quality of work life IS33 ISD - theories, methods & techniques

3. A recent report by the Tavistock Institute on impact of IT • “Our purpose is to contribute to human wellbeing and development by advancing the theory, methodology and evaluation of change within and between groups, communities, organisations and wider society.” Tavistock Institute web site. • EVALUATION OF THE PEOPLE'S NETWORK AND ICT TRAINING FOR PUBLIC LIBRARY STAFF (2002-2004) http://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/er_eval_peoples_network_evaluation_book_bytes.pdf(look at the Evaluation Methodology, ch 2 pp.37-44 of the pdf file; esp. - p.38, 3rd para - p.39 section 2.2 - p.42 table 2.3 ) IS33 ISD - theories, methods & techniques

4. 9 S-T principles for good design – by Tavistock Institute of Human Relations • Compatibility • Minimal critical specification • The sociotechnical criterion • Multi-function • Boundary location • Information flow • Support congruence • Design and human values • Incompletion Source: Mumford, E (1987) IS33 ISD - theories, methods & techniques

5. Critiques of S-T IS33 ISD - theories, methods & techniques

6. ETHICS • One of best known methodologies in S-T • = Effective Technical and Human Implementation of Computer-based Systems • Enid Mumford has put her book on Designing Human Systems – the ETHICS Approach (1983) online at http://www.enid.u-net.com/C1book1.htm IS33 ISD - theories, methods & techniques

7. Main strands in ETHICS • Job satisfaction – good ‘fit’ between employee’s needs and what the job offers (in terms of knowledge, psychological, efficiency, task-structure, ethical) • Development of IS is a change process and will involve a process of negotiation between the affected and interested parties. Hence participation is vital, users can make decisions on how the use of technology might improve their job satisfaction – use of ‘steering committee’ and ‘design group(s)’ Source: Avison and Fitzgerald IS33 ISD - theories, methods & techniques

8. 1. Why change 2. System boundaries 3. Description of existing system 4.5.6. Definition of key objectives and tasks 7. Diagnosis of efficiency needs 8. Diagnosis of job satisfaction needs 9. Future analysis 10. Specifying and weighting efficiency and job satisfaction needs and objectives 11. Organisational design of new system 12. Technical options 13. Preparation of detailed work design 14. Implementation 15. Evaluation 15 Steps in ETHICS IS33 ISD - theories, methods & techniques