Knowledge that Transforms

Many of the problems and failures of Management Information Systems (MIS) and Management Science/Operations Research (MS/OR) projects have been attributed to organizational behavioral problems. The millions of dollars organizations spend on MIS and MS/OR development are of little benefit because systems continue to fail. Steps can be taken to understand and solve these behavioral problems. This article argues that in most cases these behavioral problems are the result of inadequate designs. These bad designs are attributed to the way MIS systems designers view organizations, their members, and the function of an MIS within them, i.e., systems designers' frames of reference. These frames of reference cause faulty design choices and failures to perceive better design alternatives. Seven conditions are discussed which reflect current systems designers' points of view. The discussion of these conditions demonstrates the need to reframe MIS design methodology within the Socio-Technical Systems (STS) design approach and change systems designers' perspectives. The STS approach is introduced as a realistic view of organizations and a way to change them. This article is the first of two to appear in consecutive issues of the MIS Quarterly. The purpose of this first article is to demonstrate the need for the STS approach. The second will present the basic concepts and principles of the STS methodology and how it can be utilized in the design of an MIS.

Many computer programs that are technically well designed fail to meet the human or organizational purposes they were expected to serve. Prevailing design methodologies stress either special technical devices or policies of involving people in the design of software they will use. Several user- oriented design strategies and their limitations are discussed. An expanded conceptual framework which includes both the personal characteristics of designers and features of the organizational settings in which they work is presented. The framework is used to develop a set of policies for practitioners to help foster the development of user-centered systems.

This article provides, by means of a hypothetical example, the procedures to be followed in applying the Socio-Technical-Systems Approach to information systems design. The need for this approach was presented in the first part of this article which appeared in the September Issue of the MIS Quarterly. Here the authors provide an overview of the Socio-Technical-Systems procedure and show how it could be used in redesigning an information system used by the circulation department of a large newspaper. The step by step approach is intended to illustrate the process to those practitioners feeling that more needs to be done in the area of using computer-based systems to improve the quality of working life of the system users.