The Work System Model As A Tool For Understanding The Problem

The work system method (WSM) is a systems analysis method for thinking about systems in organizations whether or not complete data and technical expertise are available. WSM's goal is to help business professionals understand and communicate about a system at whatever level of detail is appropriate. WSM treats systems as sociotechnical work systems with human participants rather than technical systems with users. It applies a static view of systems, the work system framework, and a dynamic view, the work system life cycle model. It combines those frameworks with conventional problem solving by defining the system in relation to problems and opportunities, drilling down to understand the situation in more detail, and producing a justified recommendation. Over 600 employed MBA and Executive MBA students have used various versions of WSM to produce management briefings including recommendations about IT-reliant work systems in their own organizations. While WSM can stand alone to help business professionals, it also can be used in conjunction with tools and methods from Six Sigma and software development wherever sufficient data can be collected and where technical expertise is available.

This paper presents a current, accessible, and overarching view of work system theory. WST is the core of an integrated body of theory that emerged from a long-term research project to develop a systems analysis and design method for business professionals called the work system method (WSM). After discussing WST's basic premises and its two central frameworks, this paper summarizes the relationship between WST and WSM. It shows how experience with early versions of WSM led to three extensions of WST that addressed limitations-inuse in one of the central frameworks in WST. After comparisons with related theories, this paper closes with an evaluation of progress to date, new directions for research related to WST, and implications for the IS discipline. The two appendices summarize the long term research from which WST emerged and use a positioning map to show how WST is related to other topics in the IS discipline.

2008

The Work System Method by Steven Alter has a significant potential for improving requirements definition in information systems development. Previous publications on the Work System Method and also on Design Science concepts and their relevance for Systems Analysis and Design are reviewed. We suggest some directions for further work on the diffusion of work system method ideas in systems analysis and design organized along the conceptual framework for IS research by Hevner, March, Park and Ram.

Handbook of research on …, 2009

In this chapter, the authors analyze recent developments linking design science to systems analysis and design research and the growing area of the work system method proposed by Steven Alter. As a result, possible directions in a research agenda related to the incorporation of work system method ideas in systems analysis and design are provided. These follow the conceptual framework for IS research developed in 2004 by Hevner, March, Park and Ram.

1999

Proceedings of the Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, 2021

This essay presents a new approach for visualizing and organizing IS-related knowledge and expanding that knowledge. It mentions several approaches that might seem relevant before proposing a new approach that combines ideas from two sources, a taxonomy of "knowledge objects" (KOs) and the work system perspective (WSP), including several new extensions of work system theory (WST). Its contribution is the rationale and structure of a work system knowledge model (WSKM) that is potentially useful for organizing a significant fraction of knowledge related to IS.

2013

Information and communication technology (ICT) is essential to the operation of business, and create many employment opportunities. High volumes of students graduate in ICT however students struggle to find job placement. A discrepancy exists between graduate skills and industry skill requirements. To address the need for ICT skills required, universities must create programs to meet the demands of a changing ICT industry. This requires a partnership between industry, universities and other stakeholders. This situation may be viewed as a critical systems thinking problem situation as there are various role players each with their own needs and requirements. Jackson states a typical critical systems methods has a pluralistic nature. This paper explores the applicability and suitability of Maslow and Dooyeweerd to guide understanding and make recommendations for change in ICT WIL, to foster an all-inclusive understanding of the situation by stakeholders. The above methods provide tools for understanding softer issues beyond the skills required. The study findings suggest that besides skills requirements, a deeper understanding and empowering students from being a student to a professional need to be understood and addressed.

Scandinavian Journal of Information Systems, 1989

The historical development of work is analyzed using the division into conception and execution aspects proposed by Braverman. The result is compared with the historical development of information systems. It is found that although the support of group conception is needed in the developing work organization, no information systems yet exist for this purpose. Some features needed in such systems are presented.

politics

Computer-based systems (CBS) are usually adopted to support structural aspects of the organization, such as mission, strategy, objectives, tasks, processes, responsibilities, coordination and control of the activities, resources allocation, authority, decision making, etc. These are assumed as objectively identifiable aspects of work and, therefore, they can be analyzed and measured. For this reason, they are object of preferential study when the goal is to adopt tools to solve organizational problems. However, the complexity of the organizational processes, and the importance of individual experiences and human interaction in shaping perceptions has come to enhance the necessity to consider a wider diversity of organizational aspects as well as the process of adoption of a CBS, in order to facilitate the proper dynamics of the organizational transformation processes. In this paper, we present and analyze two cases of work reality transformation. Each transformation process was supported by the adoption of a specific CBS. In one of the cases, this adoption was implemented explicitly and was sanctioned by senior management. In the other, the transformation was implemented without the formal support of senior management. The paper ends by emphasizing the importance of considering the multi-dimensionality of the work realities when defining CBSs to assist work practices. It is also emphasized that work realities are continually being reshaped by the combined action of social processes that lead to transformation. Often these processes occur at an implicit level and without the actors that sustain them having full awareness of the effects of their own action.

Communications of the Association for Information Systems , 2021

This conceptual contribution introduces the idea of “facets of work” and explains how it can be applied to challenges in today’s IS discipline. The notion of facets of work emerged from earlier attempts to bring more knowledge and richer, more evocative ideas to SA&D. Focusing on facets of work during initial discussions of requirements could provide guidance without jumping prematurely to details, precision, and formal notation needed for producing testable software. The introduction explains the paper’s goal and organization. The next section defines facet of work, identifies underlying assumptions and criteria, and explains how 18 facets of work were identified. Three examples amplify the initial understanding of facets of work by showing how all 18 facets could be applied to specific situations. The next two sections discuss consolidating basic knowledge about facets of work, making that knowledge more accessible, and applying it in SA&D and in future research. The Appendix explains the disconnected steps that led to the current facets of work. It also presents six lengthy tables that each cover one aspect or another of the 18 facets. Some of those tables form the basis of the tools, methods, and future research mentioned in earlier in the paper.