A Coevolutionary View of Information Services Development: Lessons from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

2014 | Journal of the Association for Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Montealegre, Ramiro; Hovorka, Dirk; Germonprez, Matt

Abstract: This study investigates the process of information services development based on ... Expand

Abstract: This study investigates the process of information services development based on a case study of the experience of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). In this study, we develop theoretical constructs that can inform researchers and practitioners on (1) what the critical domains and interactions associated with the emerging process of information service development at these organizations were, and (2) how information services at NOAA evolved over time? Adopting a coevolutionary view, we identified distinct yet interdependent domains that affected, and were affected by, the information services development process; these were: (1) services choreography, through which service interactions and collaborations are managed; (2) services orchestration, through which service processes are selected and interact; and (3) services instrumentation, by which services are developed and architected. Using the coevolutionary view, we uncovered three adaptive principles that explain the interplay among domains and interactions over time: adaptive tensions, requisite variety, and modular design. We discuss our findings' implications for research and practice and offer propositions for future research. Collapse

Topics: information services development blog wiki IT supported collaboration enterprise architecture

Methods: qualitative interview case study qualitative coding field study longitudinal research

Theories: co-evolution theory

End User as Application Developer for Decision Support

2009 | Americas Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Miah, Shah Jahan

Abstract: This paper discusses a new generation end-user centred information service view, ... Expand

Abstract: This paper discusses a new generation end-user centred information service view, for developing decision support applications. The tailorable solution allows specific applications to be designed by end-users, where integrity is assured by the architecture’s control in knowledge-based systems. In the development approach, the end-users at different level engage in interaction for secondary application creation. This initiative reinforces a shift from the traditional IS development process to a new provision where end-users can actively participate for a secondary application design. A secondary application design can be seen as a secondary activity for tailoring applications by the end users so that it fits within their context. However, the achievable boundaries of the architecture and the interplaying roles of end-users for the secondary design are still emergent and increasingly of interest to researchers. This paper describes a process by which 'end-users-as-designers' engage in the secondary design or redesign processes of decision support applications in a rural industry context. Collapse

Topics: systems development systems design decision support system decision making end user development

Methods: design process

Toward an Information Service View of an Enterprise

2008 | International Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Montealegre, Ramiro; Hovorka, Dirk; Germonprez, Matt

Abstract: An information service view engenders a conceptual shift from the provision of d ... Expand

Abstract: An information service view engenders a conceptual shift from the provision of defined and preset services or applications, to an environment that enables users to select and integrate pre-built technology services in the ongoing creation and re-creation of unique information systems. This paper presents the findings of an empirical study into one organization’s experience in implementing information services. Using grounded theory research, the study characterizes information services not as information technology artifacts, but as relationships between heterogeneous actors interacting with technology services for business purposes. The findings are used to propose an information services view of an enterprise. The view presents three clusters of concepts that are distinct yet interdependent: enabled (choreographed) by enterprise-wide directives and structures, driven (orchestrated) by information services management, and founded (instrumentalized) on information service IT architecture. The paper ends identifying implications not only for the completion of this study but also for research and practice. Collapse

Topics: database system internet technology extensible markup language user requirement organizational context

Methods: qualitative interview grounded theory design artifact case study

Theories: organizational theory

The Application Approach Worksheet: An Evaluative Tool for Matching New Development Methods with Appropriate Applications

1983 | Management Information Systems Quarterly | Citations: 2

Authors: Shomenta, Jack; Kamp, Gary

Abstract: A bstractThis article presents a method used by the Hennepin County Information ... Expand

Abstract: A bstractThis article presents a method used by the Hennepin County Information Services development staff to help determine how best to use new development methods. The tool described and the method for using it were designed to help both data processing personnel and user personnel make the transition from using one development approach only, to a variety of approaches using new technologies and methods.In brief, the "Application Approach Worksheet" is a document used by mid-level and senior user management to identify, in data processing terms, the characteristics of a proposed application. Once the application's characteristics are defined, the user utilizes the worksheet's matrix to determine which development method might be most appropriate for the application.The completed worksheet and a work request then becomes the basis to propose development of the new application. At that point, an Information Services Department (ISD) project manager discusses the application with the user. Together, they agree on the new project's priority relative to other projects, and work out how the project will be handled in general.This article first describes the environment in which the "Application Approach Worksheet" was developed and the circumstances that led to its development. The article goes on to discuss how the worksheet was created and describes the criteria that form the heart of the document. Finally, the article describes how the worksheet is used and discusses the results of its use since it became a part of the work request process in January of 1983.Our first attempt took the form of an "Information Center," which provided end users with the opportunity to get information from county databases using reporting formats that they developed themselves. For about a year, a small Collapse

Topics: system development method mainframe personal computer user development high level language

Methods: literature study