Week 4 (1) 2008 IS33 ISD - theories, methods & techniques 1 COMP3470 IS33 People-Centred Information Systems Development Week 3 : Lecture 2 Social-Technical Approaches in ISD School of Computing FACULTY OF Engineering

IS33 ISD - theories, methods & techniques2 Week 4 (1) 2008 The Socio-Technical Philosophy Introduced in 1940s by the Tavistock Institute (London), 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 & techniques3 Week 4 (1) 2008 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 ( ) s_network_evaluation_book_bytes.pdfhttp:// s_network_evaluation_book_bytes.pdf (look at the Evaluation Methodology, ch 2 pp of the pdf file; esp. - p.38, 3 rd para - p.39 section p.42 table 2.3 )

IS33 ISD - theories, methods & techniques4 Week 4 (1) S-T principles for good design – by Tavistock Institute of Human Relations 1. Compatibility 2. Minimal critical specification 3. The sociotechnical criterion 4. Multi-function 5. Boundary location 6. Information flow 7. Support congruence 8. Design and human values 9. Incompletion Source: Mumford, E (1987)

IS33 ISD - theories, methods & techniques5 Week 4 (1) 2008 Critiques of S-T

IS33 ISD - theories, methods & techniques6 Week 4 (1) 2008 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

IS33 ISD - theories, methods & techniques7 Week 4 (1) 2008 Main strands in ETHICS Job satisfaction – good fit between employees 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 & techniques8 Week 4 (1) Steps in ETHICS 1. Why change 2. System boundaries 3. Description of existing system 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