Organizational Issues

1
Organizational Issues

• Centralization, Decentralization, and Control
• Interdependence Coordination
• Conflict Power
• Managing change
• in the business, environment, workforce,
  technology

2
For your prototype. . .

• Identify 3 examples of typical tasks or
  transactions
• Who might be involved (or interested)? What
  functions/roles do they represent?
• What is the data flow (in out)?
• What issues might arise in development and
  on-going operations?

3
Information Flows in HR
4
Systems Interfaces Troubletown!

• Interfaces are potential trouble spots
• Human error (input, interpretation)
• Political battles (That data is ours!)
• Data definitions (Is that dollars or yen?)
• Hardware/software incompatibility
• HRIS interfaces with payroll, accounting, human
  users external organizations (union, government)

5
Human interfaces

• On-going trouble here has spawned huge field of
  human-computer interaction (HCI)
• Design of menus, forms, pointing devices, display
  technology, etc.
• Reports are also an interface
• Display of data (e.g., color, graphics)
• Interpretation of data

6
Some human interface issues

• Need to control access/security
• Who is allowed to see the data?
• Who is allowed to enter/update?
• What kind of interface is needed?
• Who are the users? How much training will they
  have? How often will they use it?
• What kind of interface can you afford?
• Paper pencil? Dumb terminal? PCs with Windows?
  Voice activation? Touch-screen?

7
Example Menus

• Functions should be grouped logically
• User should be able to move freely and always
  tell where they are
• Consider pop-up menus
• Menus that attach to objects on the screen,
  rather than a menu bar
• Consider tool bars -- special menu items that
  bring up small applications

8
System interfaces

• What other files/systems supply data?
• What other applications need to use your data?
• Enduser applications, such as word processing
  spreadsheets
• Enterprise applications, such as payroll
• This is where a dataflow diagram becomes
  essential!

9
Interfaces Often Cross Organizational Boundaries

• Boundaries require formal management
• Direct deposit paychecks --gt banks
• Tax payments reporting --gt IRS
• Benefits info --gt insurance companies
• Payroll data --gt service bureau
• Dues --gt unions
• These kinds of interfaces represent
  legal/contractual obligations

10
Some system interface issues

• Will data be compatible in format meaning?
  (common data dictionary)
• Who will maintain the data?
• Processing cycles when does data become
  available? Is it current?
• What media (disk, tape, network) can be used to
  transfer it? Manually or automatically?

11
HR Payroll Data Overlap
12
Payroll HR Differences
13
Integrate or interface?

• Standardize data definitions/formats
• Agree on data sources maintenance
  responsibilities
• Consider differing processing cycles
  transaction volumes
• Is system capacity as much of an issue as
  indicated in text?
• Considerations are similar for any internal
  interface

14
Your process diagrams

• Problems?
• Can we identify interface issues?
• IS support possibilities?
• What are your plans for the next project?