Unit 4 University of Sunderland CSEM04 ROSCO Unit 4: Understanding the Problem (Concept of Ideality) CSEM04: Risk and Opportunities of Systems Change in Organisations Prof. Helen M Edwards

Unit 4 University of Sunderland CSEM04 ROSCO Overview Understanding the Problem The Concept Of Ideality Student Activity

Unit 4 University of Sunderland CSEM04 ROSCO Understanding the Problem In this context –understanding the impact of the systems change project. –Need clear understanding of what the system is to achieve (in terms of business value) what exists currently (IT, organisationally, culturally) what needs to change How proposed systems change fits with this

Unit 4 University of Sunderland CSEM04 ROSCO Understanding the Problem Elements required at start of project: –(Contextual) systems analysis –Requirements analysis [these outside the scope of the module: expected that concepts understood] –Cost-benefit analysis –Risk identification and analysis –Opportunity identification and analysis [these covered within the module]

Unit 4 University of Sunderland CSEM04 ROSCO Understanding the Problem Elements required during project: –Project management –Active risk/opportunity management [covered within the module] Elements required after project: –Project post-mortem. [covered within the module]

Unit 4 University of Sunderland CSEM04 ROSCO The Concept Of Ideality Defined as the end point, the purpose, the main function we are seeking –All functionality / benefits –Everything we want (must haves / nice to haves) –Everything we don’t want –Where & when we want our functionality. The real functionality - Why do we want this? –Ideal Outcome –Everyone’s Ideal Outcome –Identify conflicts in Time and Space

Unit 4 University of Sunderland CSEM04 ROSCO The Concept Of Ideality Ideal Outcome –a vision of the perfect end result –no constraints –no “we can’t have this because…” –Think like Leonardo da Vinci who said “Think of the end before the beginning.” –Thinking about what you want rather than what you currently have. –Deliver more for less, finding solutions to problems for a minimum of cost and harm. –The concept of an Ideal Outcome frees thinking away from constraints and why something can’t be done, to what might be possible and how to achieve it.

Unit 4 University of Sunderland CSEM04 ROSCO The Concept Of Ideality Everyone’s Ideal Outcome –makes you look at the problem from everyone else’s point of view (whoever is relevant, customer, manufacturing engineer, designer, shareholder etc.) –Understanding the conflicts between all stakeholders and resolving conflicts / contradictions is one of the great powers of TRIZ. Altshuller said “Every great invention is the result of resolving one or more contradictions”. –once everyone’s input is considered we can then look at how to reduce conflicts between stakeholders for the company’s problems.

Unit 4 University of Sunderland CSEM04 ROSCO The Concept Of Ideality The best solution to a problem –increases the benefits of your system –while simultaneously reducing both the disadvantages and costs. Part of achieving the ideal is using all the resources available to you, e.g. –using very inexpensive resources, In this context: resources includes hardware, software, organisational knowledge, consultants, staff, etc. In this context: an example would be a systems change project that achieves its objectives without additional external investment (by improving internal workflow, business practices) –See Clay, M, Edwards, H.M., and Maguire, J. (2003). Establishing the Strategic Context of IT Projects - A Case Study from the Automotive Industry. Electronic Journal of Information Systems Evaluation, turning anything harmful in the system into something useful. –In this context: an example would be converting someone who is resistant to the project (but influential) into a systems champion.

Unit 4 University of Sunderland CSEM04 ROSCO Student Activity Self study: read about some of the basic checklists for systems failure/success starting point: –Moynihan, T. (2002) Coping with IS/IT risk management : the recipes of experienced project managers. Practitioner series, Springer, London. –Sauer,C and Cuthbertson, C (2005) The State of IT Project Management in the UK Computer Weekly Report. –Risk module (COMM80)website: