Local information management: The end-user revolution Jean Graef The Montague Institute Jean.graef at montague.com (413) 367-0245

Agenda What is “end-user development” Examples Why do it? How to do it Tools & techniques Implications for info pros

What is “end-user development”

Examples

Why do it?

How to do it

Tools & techniques

Implications for info pros

What is it? Amateur computing in a business setting Alternative, not replacement, for other strategies

It’s not new 1979 1985 1990 1994 2001

Mashups

Public APIs

Database: Three sources 1 2 3

Blogs

Plugins/Extensions

Who does it? University staff Field scientists Telecommuters Anyone with aptitude, desire, lack of access to IT resources

University staff

Field scientists

Telecommuters

Anyone with aptitude, desire, lack of access to IT resources

Why do they do it? They can More knowledgeable Instant help on the Internet Free or low cost downloadable “widgets” Tools are easier to use, more sophisticated

They can

More knowledgeable

Instant help on the Internet

Free or low cost downloadable “widgets”

Tools are easier to use, more sophisticated

Why do they do it? Users more assertive and vocal There are more like me My time is valuable My needs are unique IT has no time for me

Users more assertive and vocal

There are more like me

My time is valuable

My needs are unique

IT has no time for me

Why do they do it? Limitations of current approaches Lack of user involvement causes IT failures User requirements hard to define in advance Too much spent on “change management” % of adopters is too small

Limitations of current approaches

Lack of user involvement causes IT failures

User requirements hard to define in advance

Too much spent on “change management”

% of adopters is too small

Why do they do it? Proprietary solutions decay over time Lost features Incompatibilities No support

Proprietary solutions decay over time

Lost features

Incompatibilities

No support

How to do it End user development vs. “waterfall method” User-initiated vs. usability studies Prototyping vs. functional specs “Cheat sheets” vs. user manuals One-on-one training vs. formal courses Definition > Analysis > Design > Coding > Deployment > Maintenance

End user development vs. “waterfall method”

User-initiated vs. usability studies

Prototyping vs. functional specs

“Cheat sheets” vs. user manuals

One-on-one training vs. formal courses

Tools & techniques Databases Plugins, extensions, macros Freeware, shareware Commercial services

Databases

Plugins, extensions, macros

Freeware, shareware

Commercial services

Databases Search engine thesaurus (XML) Search engine search from thesaurus (calculation) Site contents (text processing/import)

Search engine thesaurus (XML)

Search engine search from thesaurus (calculation)

Site contents (text processing/import)

Search engine thesaurus

<set> <show>indexes</show> <show>linguistic tools</show> </set> Thesaurus.xml Search engine thesaurus

http://www.montague.com:8765/query.html?col=public&qt=indexes&charset=iso-8859-1&image.x=0&image.y=0&image=+search+ Thesaurus search

Web site contents

Plugins, extensions, macros Text processing (Word) Custom metadata (Word)

Text processing (Word)

Custom metadata (Word)

Text processing

Custom metadata

Freeware, shareware

Commercial services ProQuest (import metadata) Factiva (Sharepoint Web part) Amazon (Federated search)

ProQuest (import metadata)

Factiva (Sharepoint Web part)

Amazon (Federated search)

Import metadata

Sharepoint Web part

Federated search

Commercial application iRise Studio Application simulator Starts at $250,000 Reduce rework costs Reduce time-to-market Customers: Agilent, Wachovia, Watson-Wyatt

iRise Studio

Application simulator

Starts at $250,000

Reduce rework costs

Reduce time-to-market

Customers: Agilent, Wachovia, Watson-Wyatt

iRise Studio

iRise Studio

iRise business case

More savings What if Web application saves $20 per user, but only 28% use it? 100,000 x .28 = 28,000 x $20 = $560,000 savings 100,000 x .80 = 80,000 x $20 = $1,600,000 savings

What if Web application saves $20 per user, but only 28% use it?

Mentored development Montague Institute courses Project-oriented Theory + Lab Interdisciplinary teams See how your data behaves Information modeling with custom Lab Written specifications Implementation

Montague Institute courses

Project-oriented

Theory + Lab

Interdisciplinary teams

See how your data behaves

Information modeling with custom Lab

Written specifications

Implementation

On the other hand Users lack the tools Users lack training & help Code & data can’t easily be reused Lack of quality assurance & data standards

Users lack the tools

Users lack training & help

Code & data can’t easily be reused

Lack of quality assurance & data standards

How to support them New business model Communities of practice Standards Interfaces

New business model

Communities of practice

Standards

Interfaces

materials architect land financing craftsmen schedule Contractor model

Marketplace model

Marketplace model Project ideas Special interests (wood projects for gardens) Buying guide How-to guides Interactive planners “Green” & healthy tips

Project ideas

Special interests (wood projects for gardens)

Buying guide

How-to guides

Interactive planners

“Green” & healthy tips

Tips Communities of practice + written reference tools Allow time for development activities Recognition & incentives Segment the “market” Professional vs. amateur “ Agile” programming http://agilemanifesto.org

Communities of practice

+ written reference tools

Allow time for development activities

Recognition & incentives

Segment the “market”

Professional vs. amateur

“ Agile” programming

http://agilemanifesto.org

More tips Cultivate “boundary spanners” Focus on the gaps Data normalization & transformation Application integration Inter-departmental workflows Target the business unit manager Speak business, not technology

Cultivate “boundary spanners”

Focus on the gaps

Data normalization & transformation

Application integration

Inter-departmental workflows

Target the business unit manager

Speak business, not technology

“ Lite” support practices Software versions, embedded comments, non-technical “cheat sheet” Searchable support KB for each developer Data cleanup services Use cross-platform development tools Make test files and computer available

Software versions, embedded comments, non-technical “cheat sheet”

Searchable support KB for each developer

Data cleanup services

Use cross-platform development tools

Make test files and computer available

More info Montague Institute Review http://www.montague.com/review/review.html