ETHICS -

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IMS3230 - Information Systems Development
Practices

• ETHICS -
• Effective Technical and Human Implementation of
  Computer-based Systems
• Semester 2, 2005

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References

• Prescribed text
• Avison, D.E. Fitzgerald, G. (2003).
  Information Systems Development Methodologies,
  Techniques and Tools.
• (3rd ed), McGraw-Hill, London.
• Chapters 7.1, 23.1
• Mumford, E. (1985). Defining System Requirements
  to
• Meet Business Needs a Case Study Example. The
  Computer Journal, 28 (2), 97-104.
• Mumford, E. (1983). Designing Human Systems.
  Manchester Business School, Manchester
• See the class readings at the unit web page and
  prescribed text for additional references

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ETHICS

• Effective Technical and Human Implementation of
  Computer-based Systems
• Enid Mumford,
• Manchester Business School, 1979, 1983, 1985
• a structured design approach that covers
  organisational, administrative and
  quality-of-working-life factors and
• a participative problem solving
  methodology
• Mumford (1985)

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ETHICS

• developed through action research
• the socio-technical design view
• - technically efficient
• - social characteristics leading to high job
  satisfaction and improved quality of working
  life
• i.e. effective computer systems require the
  technology to fit closely with the social and
  organisational factors
• means of achieving this is the participation of
  users at all levels in the design of computer
  systems
• ETHICS embodies an ethical position and it has an
  explicitly stated philosophy

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ETHICS
good systems design
opportunities and constraints
Technology
People
Tasks
job satisfaction
organisation of work
Organisation
objectives and mission

• new technology provides the opportunity for
  change and improvement
• distinguish between easy and difficult to
  implement changes
• job redesign needs to be part of the design task

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ETHICS socio-technical design

• the socio-technical design approach acknowledges
  that
• different individuals and groups have specific
  needs, interests and values
• these must be met for the successful
  implementation of change
• job satisfaction
• a good fit between the employee's job needs,
  expectations and aspirations and the job
  requirements as defined by the organisation

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ETHICS

• a framework of factors for the description and
  measurement of job satisfaction
• individuals personality, background, education
• the knowledge fit
• the psychological fit
• competence, control and efficiency
• the efficiency fit
• the task structure fit
• employee values
• the ethical fit

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Job satisfaction

• a good knowledge fit
• the employee believes their personal skills and
  knowledge are being well used and developed
• a good psychological fit
• the employee believes their personal interests
  are being catered for
• (responsibility, recognition, sense of
  achievement, status, advancement)
• a good efficiency fit
• the employee believes their financial rewards
  are fair, supervisory systems are acceptable,
  adequate support services

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Job satisfaction

• a good task structure fit
• the employee believes their set of tasks and
  duties meets their task differentiation needs
• a good ethical fit
• the employee believes the philosophy and values
  of their employer do not contravene their
  personal values
• if there is a bad fit on any variable(s)
• psychological, efficiency, and ethical fit can be
  inproved through changed personnel policies and
  organisational design
• knowledge and task/structure fit can be improved
  through work redesign

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ETHICS and participation

• participation structure, content and process
• structure of participation
• the mechanisms enabling participation to take
  place
• e.g. representatives, voting, pressure groups,
  spontaneous, direct or indirect (through
  intermediaries)
• content of participation
• the nature of the issues about which decisions
  are taken
• e.g. managements jurisdiction, executive
  decisions
• process of participation
• the acquisition of knowledge for informed
  decision making
• e.g. learning/training, working relationships,
  goal setting, solutions etc.

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ETHICS and participation

• structure of participation
• three levels are identified by Mumford
• consultative
• all users are consulted about/contribute ideas
  to the design process but the design task is
  carried out by systems analysts
• representative
• design groups formed from elected or selected
  representatives take design decisions
• consensus
• design group members constantly discuss ideas
  and solutions with all users

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ETHICS and participation

• Recommended structure of participation for
  ETHICS
• a two tier structure of a Steering Committee
  and a Design Group for each department involved,
  and a facilitator
• Steering Committee (sets design group
  guidelines)
• senior managers from departments, management
  services and personnel, union representatives
• Design Group
• 8-10 members, all interests represented e.g. all
  functions, sections, ages, grades (constituents),
  and systems analysts (their role is teacher,
  adviser and learner)
• Facilitator
• an external or internal consultant who is
  neutral and has training in ETHICS and human
  relations skills

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Socio-technical systems design
set social objectives
set technical objectives
specify social alternatives
specify technical alternatives
match as socio-technical alternatives
rank according to ability to meet social and
technical objectives
consider costs / resources / constraints
select best socio-technical solution
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Step 1 Why change? Step 2 System
boundaries Step 3 Description of existing
system Step 4 Definition of key objectives Step
5 Definition of key tasks Step 6 Definition
of key information needs Step 7 Diagnosis of
efficiency needs Step 8 Diagnosis of job
satisfaction needs Step 9 Future analysis Step
10 Specifying and weighting efficiency and job
satisfaction needs and objectives Step 11 The
organisational design of the new system Step
12 Technical options Step 13 Preparation of a
detailed work design Step 14 Implementation Step
15 Evaluation fifteen step version described in
Mumford (1983) the prescribed text
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ETHICS - 15 step version

• Step 1 Why change?
• discuss existing problems, future demands,
  opportunities provided by improved organisation
  and new technology
• Step 2 System boundaries
• business activities, existing technology,
  departments/sections, organisational environment
• Step 3 Description of existing system
• a complete view of how the existing system works
• horizontal input/output analysis (inputs /
  activities / outputs)
• vertical analysis of activities at five levels

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ETHICS - 15 step version

• vertical analysis of activities at five levels
  from lowest to highest
• 1. operating activities
• what are the most important day-to-day tasks?
• 2. problem prevention/solution activities
• what are the key problems that must be prevented
  or quickly solved?
• 3. co-ordination activities
• what activities must be co-ordinated within the
  system or with other systems?
• 4. development activities
• what activities, products, services need to be
  developed and improved?
• 5. control activities
• how is the system controlled now/ (targets,
  progress monitored etc.)
• (see pp. 70-71 Mumford 1983 for an example)

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ETHICS - 15 step version

• Step 4 Definition of key objectives
• ignore existing system and focus on the design
  areas
• - what is their primary role and purpose?
• - what should then be their responsibilities and
  functions?
• produce a list of key objectives
• - how far do their present activities match what
  they should be doing?
• Step 5 Definition of key tasks
• what are the key tasks that must be carried out
  to achieve the key objectives?

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ETHICS - 15 step version

• Step 6 Definition of key information needs
• what are the key information requirements
  associated with the key tasks?
• Step 7 Diagnosis of efficiency needs
• efficiency needs can be identified by looking for
  variances
• a tendency for a system or part of a system to
  deviate from some expected or desired standard or
  norm

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Efficiency needs and variances

• key variances (systemic)
• deep seated problems that cannot be eliminated as
  they arise from the nature of the key objectives
  and key tasks,
• they often occur at system boundaries, e.g. sales
  and production departments have conflicting
  objectives in terms of quantity stock on hand
• operating variances
• not as deeply embedded, designed into the system
  through the way procedures, machines and
  activities have been organised, can be eliminated
• all staff identify and document variances they
  encounter (informal discussions and opportunity
  for all constituents to participate)

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Step 8 Diagnosis of job satisfaction needs

• ETHICS gives efficiency and job satisfaction
  equal weight
• job satisfaction needs to be defined and measured
• ETHICS standard questionnaire is the basis for
  job satisfaction diagnosis
• the facilitator administers and analyses the
  questionnaire
• all potential users complete the questionnaire
  and are given a copy of the results for
  discussion with their Design Group
• small group discussions to explore reasons for
  results (each member of the Design Group meets
  with their constituents)
• the Design Group completes an Analysis of Social
  Needs form to document satisfactory and
  unsatisfactory aspects of jobs and identify
  preliminary suggestions for improvement
• Design Group must not rush into design though

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Step 9 Future analysis

• a new system must have enough built-in
  flexibility to cope with future change
• identify and analyse future changes likely to
  affect the system within the next five years
• kinds of changes
• technological, legal, economic (e.g. product and
  labour markets), employee or customer attitudes,
  company organisation (e.g. merging of
  departments)
• potential impacts on the system of these changes
• e.g. Design Groups may need to consult both
  external and internal experts

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Step 10 Specifying and weighting efficiency and
job satisfaction needs and objectives

• the key step in ETHICS
• objectives are derived from careful diagnosis by
  the Design Group of efficiency, job satisfaction
  and future needs identified by the Group
• these objectives are the basis of the new system
  design
• interests of Design Group members, their
  constituents, the Design Group as a whole and
  other groups within the organisation need to be
  reconciled
• external groups (e.g. customers, suppliers) need
  to be considered
• each Design group member ranks the objectives
• meet with Steering Committee, constituents etc.
  discussion and evaluation - facilitator has a key
  role

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Step 11 organisational design of the new system

• (this step should occur with Step 12 Technical
  Options)
• identify organisational options
• ways of organising departments to achieve job
  satisfaction and efficiency objectives
• 3 to 6 options should be identified
• the key objectives and key tasks of Steps 4 and 5
  guide this process
• - use vertical analysis to identify activities
  for the key tasks as well as key skills and
  roles and relationships necessary
• - oganisational options are different ways of
  arranging the five types of activities, the
  skills and roles taking into account
  technologies as part of Step 12

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Step 11 organisational design of the new system

• each organisational option specifies
• organisation of design area as work groups,
  sections, and responsibilities
• detailed description of sub-groups and
  responsibilities and tasks
• description of how these are distributed amongst
  individuals and teams
• each option is evaluated against the objectives
  identified in Step 10

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Job design

• different ways in which work can be organised
• job enlargement one person does a number of
  tasks
• job enrichment one person does a number of tasks
  and uses different skills
• task variety, job rotation, developmental aspects
  of tasks
• Mumford suggests multi-skilled, self-managing
  work groups as the ideal
• all members carry out multiple tasks, diverse
  skills, groups organise and control themselves,
  including setting performance and quality
  objectives,
• scope for multi-skilled work must exist,
• responsible, well-trained employees are
  necessary,
• there are implications for salary levels and
  grading schemes

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Step 12 Technical options

• hardware, software and the human/computer
  interface
• technical options are evaluated against the
  efficiency, job satisfaction and future change
  objectives of Step 10
• can create experimental examples (e.g.
  prototypes) of different options
• a shortlist of technical options and
  organisational options
• check compatibility of each with the others
• the combined option that best meets the
  objectives is selected after discussions between
  the Steering Committee, the Design Group(s) and
  their constituents
• the final choice reflects the careful diagnosis,
  objective setting, and evaluation of options by
  the Design Group, the broad company view via the
  Steering Committee, and the views of the users

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Step 13 Preparation of a detailed work design

• detailed design of information flows, tasks, work
  groups, and procedures check for good job design
  principles
• 1. clear work group/unit boundaries (identity)
• 2. each groups set of tasks is a good mix of
  simple, intermediate and complex activities
• 3. the work group can solve the majority of its
  problems itself
• 4. the group is responsible for its work
  organisation and co-ordination
• 5. the work group is responsible for developing
  improved methods and practices for its area of
  activities
• 6. the work group can set many of its targets and
  monitor its performance
• 7. the work group can easily identify targets it
  has to achieve

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ETHICS steps 14 and 15

• Step 14 Implementation
• the Design group has the role of implementation
  group
• selection of implementation strategy, e.g. total
  change or phased change
• planning for the change process activities,
  problems, training
• discussions with Steering Committee and
  constituents
• Step 15 Evaluation
• this occurs when the system has been fully
  operational for a time
• evaluate its ability to meet the objectives use
  variance analysis and job satisfaction analysis
  tools

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ETHICS good systems design

• Mumford (1985)
• the aim of good systems design is to introduce a
  mix of technical and organisational change that
  will assist the department, and the individuals
  working there, to achieve group and personal
  missions
• provide the information to carry out key tasks
  and assist better control of key
  variances
• key tasks and key variances are stable
• improvement in efficiency, effectiveness and
  job satisfaction requires elimination or
  reinforcement of factors that are more easily
  changed
• the involvement of users in the design process
  is the most effective way of achieving a clear
  and comprehensive knowledge of the needs and
  behaviour of the user department

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Characteristics of ETHICS

• flexible
• socio-technical design is an iterative process
• consensus problem solving approach
• importance of subjective, qualitative knowledge
• is it practical?
• lack of tools, techniques for technical analysis
  and design emphasis on examination of values and
  ethical concerns
• useful for individual systems level only
• does high QWL mean automatic technical quality
  and efficiency?
• solves implementation problems but less emphasis
  on problem exploration?

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Use of ETHICS

• impractical
• - unskilled users cant do the design
• - management wont accept it
• Mumford has used a version for requirements
  definition (QUICKETHICS)
• ETHICS is flexible and has evolved over time as
  experience in its use in different situations has
  developed (action research)
• Mumford has published many case studies of its
  successful use in practice