Facilitating User Computing

END-USER COMPUTING
HANDS-ON USE OF COMPUTERS BY EMPLOYEES ENTER DATA MAKE INQUIRIES PREPARE REPORTS PERFORM STATISTICAL ANALYSIS ANALYZE PROBLEMS DEVELOP WEB PAGES

PRIMARY DRIVERS
AVAILABILITY OF LOW-COST MICROCOMPUTERS:
HIGH-LEVEL LANGUAGES COMPUTER LITERACY AMONG COLLEGE GRADUATES, PROFESSIONALS

INCREASED USER FRUSTRATIONS ABOUT NEW PROJECT BACKLOGS *

USER APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT

USE OF COMPUTER TOOLS DEVELOP BUSINESS APPLICATIONS USERS ARE NOT IS SPECIALISTS INVOLVES APPLICATION, TOOL & DEVELOPER *

USER-DEVELOPED APPLICATIONS ADVANTAGES

INCREASED USER CONTROL OVER PROJECT INCREASED USER ACCEPTANCE OF SOLUTION FREES IS RESOURCES INCREASES USERS KNOWLEDGE OF IT *

USER-DEVELOPED APPLICATIONS DISADVANTAGES

LOSS OF QUALITY CONTROL INCREASES OPERATIONAL RISKS DUE TO DEVELOPED TURNOVER POTENTIAL LABOR/TIME INEFFICIENCIES LOSS OF INTEGRATION OPPORTUNITIES/CAPABILITIES *

CHARACTERISTICS
APPLICATION:
SCOPE: Personal, departmental, organizational CRITICALITY/IMPACT: Risk exposure SIZE & USAGE: One-time, periodic, ongoing PROBLEM COMPLEXITY: Structure, how common is task?

CHARACTERISTICS
TOOL:
SOPHISTICATION, COMPLEXITY INTERCONNECTEDNESS

DEVELOPER:
USER SKILLS, EXPERIENCE, AVAILABILITY IS SPECIALIST SKILLS, EXPERIENCE, AVAILABILITY

EXTENT OF INTERCONNECTEDNESS*
STAGE EXTENT OF INTERCONNECTEDNESS

ISOLATION: Application does not use or

create data for another application

STAND-ALONE: Application uses MANUAL INTEGRATION: Data *

* Adapted from Huff, Munro & Martin, 1988

manually entered computer-generated data from reports, printouts electronically transferred from another application, manually (e.g., file on disk)

EXTENT OF INTERCONNECTEDNESS*
STAGE EXTENT OF INTERCONNECTEDNESS

AUTOMATED INTEGRATION: Application

electronically connected with one or more databases/applications using automated scripts

DISTRIBUTED INTEGRATION: Application

uses data created, stored, maintained by organizations systems under control of IS specialists

* Adapted from Huff, Munro & Martin, 1988

GUIDELINES FOR CHOOSING DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

DEVELOPED FOR OTHER USERS DEVELOPED FOR SELF USER ONLY

1 3
SMALL, SIMPLE

2 4
LARGE, COMPLEX

1. SDLC OR PROTOTYPING, DISCIPLINED APPROACH TO DEFINITION & IMPLEMENTATION 2. SDLC, CLEAR HANDS-OFF BETWEEN PHASES 3. COLLAPSED LIFE CYCLE 4. DISCIPLINED, ITERATIVE DEVELOPMENT

LEVERAGING END-USER COMPUTING*

ORGANIZATION LEVEL STRATEGY CONTEXT: ORGANIZATIONAL LEVEL FACTORS DEPARTMENTAL LEVEL FACTORS STATUS OF IS/USER PARTNERSHIP *Based on Branceau & Brown, 1993 TECHNOLOGY

SUPPORT & CONTROL ACTIONS

INDIVIDUAL LEVEL USER DEVELOPER TASK TOOL

DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

ORGANIZATIONAL LEVEL
STRATEGY: Strategic objectives and
approach to end-user computing of end-user tools

TECHNOLOGY: Range & accessibility SUPPORT & CONTROL ACTIONS:

Support services, control policies & procedures

EXPANSION/CONTROL MATRIX*
EXPANSION
HIGH

ACCELERATION

CONTROLLED GROWTH

LOW

LAISSEZ-FAIRE CONTAINMENT

LOW

HIGH

*Based on Monroe et al., 1987-1988; Brancheau & Amoroso, 1990

CONTROL

EVOLUTION OF INFORMATION CENTER

STAGE ONE: REACTIVE SERVICES INDIVIDUAL SOLUTIONS PRODUCT TRAINING ALL NEEDS SUPPORTED COMPUTER LITERACY TRAINING ONE-WAY RELATIONSHIPS *

EVOLUTION OF INFORMATION CENTER

STAGE TWO:
PROACTIVE SERVICES DEPARTMENTAL SOLUTIONS BUSINESS PROBLEM-SOLVING HIGH-PAYOFF NEEDS SUPPORTED INFORMATION LITERACY EDUCATION ALLIANCE: IS/USER ALLIANCE *

COMMON SUPPORT SERVICES

TROUBLESHOOTING CONSULTING TRAINING & IS EDUCATION PRODUCT RESEARCH & EVALUATION INFORMATION SHARING TOOL SELECTION & PURCHASING TOOL INSTALLATION, MAINTENANCE & UPGRADING

COMMON POLICIES & PROCEDURES

PRODUCT STANDARDS ERGONOMICS PRODUCT PURCHASES INVENTORY CONTROL UPGRADE PROCEDURES QUALITY REVIEW IDENTIFYING CRITICAL APPLICATIONS & DATA

COMMON POLICIES & PROCEDURES

DATA ACCESS BACKUP PROCEDURES AUDIT TRAILS DOCUMENTATION STANDARDS UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS UNAUTHORIZED SOFTWARE COPYING VIRUS PROTECTION