University of Sunderland CIFM03 Information Systems StrategiesLecture 4 1 Methodology: Micro Level Personality Testing

University of Sunderland CIFM03 Information Systems StrategiesLecture 4 2 Psychological Testing ‘Psychological testing is an instrument for the quantitative assessment of some psychological attribute or attributes of an individual’. The British Psychological Society

University of Sunderland CIFM03 Information Systems StrategiesLecture 4 3 Designed to compare peoples’ characteristics Offers a selector Assigning a role according to the person’s Personality Trait Characteristics in Systems Development Projects Psychological Testing

University of Sunderland CIFM03 Information Systems StrategiesLecture 4 4 Psychological Testing Sir Francis Galton, 19th century. Assess people’s abilities that cannot be accurately identified through other means. Binet in France and Spearman in England termed Psychometrics.

University of Sunderland CIFM03 Information Systems StrategiesLecture 4 5 Psychological Testing Job analysis Organisational analysis Job description Selection criteria Job Analysis Job Description Selection Criteria Organisational Analysis Applicants Billsberry (1996) The organisational entry analysis process

University of Sunderland CIFM03 Information Systems StrategiesLecture 4 6 Psychological Tests Ability and Aptitude tests Motivational tests Personality tests

University of Sunderland CIFM03 Information Systems StrategiesLecture 4 7 Psychological Tests Specific underlying principles. Standardised to produce results that equate with the norm of the general population. Less subjective than other means of assessment.

University of Sunderland CIFM03 Information Systems StrategiesLecture 4 8 Psychological Tests Reduce bias in selection. Promote effective organisational communication and decision-making. Tool for strategising.

University of Sunderland CIFM03 Information Systems StrategiesLecture 4 9 Psychological Tests Perfect positive correlation Perfect negative correlation Accuracy of selection methods Perfect prediction Assessment centres (promotion) Work-sample tests Ability tests Assessment centres (performance) Personality Tests (combinations) Bio-data Structured interviews Typical interviews & references Astrology Graphology Chance prediction Smith, Gregg & Andrews (1989) Accuracy of selection tools

University of Sunderland CIFM03 Information Systems StrategiesLecture 4 10 Personality Test Allport and Odbert,1936 Designed to identify the unchanging personality of an individual Motivation for use must be justified.

University of Sunderland CIFM03 Information Systems StrategiesLecture 4 11 Personality Test Application is carried out in a non- discriminatory manner. Professional test application management team.

University of Sunderland CIFM03 Information Systems StrategiesLecture 4 12 Personality testing Strategy in SD Implementation according to user personalities. Training team members according to the personality types.

University of Sunderland CIFM03 Information Systems StrategiesLecture 4 13 Personalities in SD Emotional Intelligence is ‘the ability to monitor one's own or others' emotions’ Communication with understanding of others would is a requirement for accomplished collaboration.

University of Sunderland CIFM03 Information Systems StrategiesLecture 4 14 Personalities in SD Systems Development personnel have lower emotional intelligence (97.5) than the general public (100). Cloning syndrome: 60% vs. 20%. Global phenomenon.

University of Sunderland CIFM03 Information Systems StrategiesLecture 4 15 Personality Testing: Results DeMarco (1999) Psychological Testing

University of Sunderland CIFM03 Information Systems StrategiesLecture 4 16 Methodology: Micro Level Group Dynamics

University of Sunderland CIFM03 Information Systems StrategiesLecture 4 17 Group Dynamics Grouping people to work together towards a common goal Groups in Systems Development Group Dynamics Enable strategic positioning and selection of group stakeholders

University of Sunderland CIFM03 Information Systems StrategiesLecture 4 18 Group Dynamics Applies the process of Personality Testing. Ignores functional role attributes. Members complement each other and have a greater likelihood of project success.

University of Sunderland CIFM03 Information Systems StrategiesLecture 4 19 Group Development Synergy is the fusing of a team. A group will go through stages in its lifetime: –forming stage –storming stage –norming stage –performing stage and –adjourning stage

University of Sunderland CIFM03 Information Systems StrategiesLecture 4 20 Group Development A group that is considered successful both works together and accomplishes its tasks to a high quality and within resource and time constraints.

University of Sunderland CIFM03 Information Systems StrategiesLecture 4 21 Group Dynamics: Research Functional Role vs. Team Role. Slater (1955) made one of the first studies in Group Dynamics. MBTI found similar results.

University of Sunderland CIFM03 Information Systems StrategiesLecture 4 22 Group Dynamics: Belbin Belbin’s research Team Role Activities:

University of Sunderland CIFM03 Information Systems StrategiesLecture 4 23 Group Dynamics: Belbin cont. Team Roles: –Plant, Resource Investigator, Monitor Evaluator, Shaper, Co-ordinator, Implementer, Completer Finisher, Team Worker, Specialist Strengths and weaknesses for each team role. A group needs to be made up of the team members for stability.

University of Sunderland CIFM03 Information Systems StrategiesLecture 4 24 Conclusion Groups have an essential role to play in decision making within organisations. A group is made up of people with diverse knowledge, skills and personalities. Diversity and monoculture can result in unproductive decision-making.

University of Sunderland CIFM03 Information Systems StrategiesLecture 4 25 Conclusion Group Dynamics offers a strategic process that balances personalities. Each personality associated role brings individual benefits to the group.