This document discusses end-user computing and strategies for facilitating it. It defines end-user computing as hands-on computer use by employees to enter data, make inquiries, prepare reports, and more. Key drivers are the availability of low-cost microcomputers and user frustration with new project backlogs. Users develop their own applications using tools without being IS specialists. The document provides guidelines for choosing a development process based on factors like the application, tools used, and developers. It also discusses how organizations can support end-user computing through services, policies, and an evolution of the information center.

1. 11.1
CHAPTER 11CHAPTER 11
FacilitatingFacilitating
UserComputingUserComputing

2. 11.2
END-USER COMPUTINGEND-USER COMPUTING
• HANDS-ON USE OF COMPUTERS BYHANDS-ON USE OF COMPUTERS BY
EMPLOYEESEMPLOYEES
• ENTERDATAENTERDATA
• MAKE INQUIRIESMAKE INQUIRIES
• PREPARE REPORTSPREPARE REPORTS
• PERFORMSTATISTICAL ANALYSISPERFORMSTATISTICAL ANALYSIS
• ANALYZE PROBLEMSANALYZE PROBLEMS
• DEVELOPWEBPAGESDEVELOPWEBPAGES
**

3. 11.3
PRIMARY DRIVERSPRIMARY DRIVERS
• AVAILABILITY OF LOW-COSTAVAILABILITY OF LOW-COST
MICROCOMPUTERS:MICROCOMPUTERS:
– HIGH-LEVEL LANGUAGES
– COMPUTER LITERACY AMONG
COLLEGE GRADUATES,
PROFESSIONALS
• INCREASEDUSERFRUSTRATIONSINCREASEDUSERFRUSTRATIONS
ABOUT NEWPROJECT BACKLOGSABOUT NEWPROJECT BACKLOGS
**

4. 11.4
USER APPLICATIONUSER APPLICATION
DEVELOPMENTDEVELOPMENT
• USE OF COMPUTERTOOLSUSE OF COMPUTERTOOLS
• DEVELOPBUSINESS APPLICATIONSDEVELOPBUSINESS APPLICATIONS
• USERS ARE NOTUSERS ARE NOT ISISSPECIALISTSSPECIALISTS
• INVOLVES APPLICATION, TOOL &INVOLVES APPLICATION, TOOL &
DEVELOPERDEVELOPER
**

5. 11.5
USER-DEVELOPED APPLICATIONSUSER-DEVELOPED APPLICATIONS
ADVANTAGESADVANTAGES
• INCREASEDUSERCONTROL OVERINCREASEDUSERCONTROL OVER
PROJECTPROJECT
• INCREASEDUSERACCEPTANCE OFINCREASEDUSERACCEPTANCE OF
SOLUTIONSOLUTION
• FREESFREES ISISRESOURCESRESOURCES
• INCREASES USERS’ KNOWLEDGE OFINCREASES USERS’ KNOWLEDGE OF
ITIT
**

6. 11.6
USER-DEVELOPED APPLICATIONSUSER-DEVELOPED APPLICATIONS
DISADVANTAGESDISADVANTAGES
• LOSS OF QUALITY CONTROLLOSS OF QUALITY CONTROL
• INCREASES OPERATIONAL RISKSINCREASES OPERATIONAL RISKS
DUE TODEVELOPEDTURNOVERDUE TODEVELOPEDTURNOVER
• POTENTIAL LABOR/TIMEPOTENTIAL LABOR/TIME
INEFFICIENCIESINEFFICIENCIES
• LOSS OF INTEGRATIONLOSS OF INTEGRATION
OPPORTUNITIES/CAPABILITIESOPPORTUNITIES/CAPABILITIES
**

7. 11.7
CHARACTERISTICSCHARACTERISTICS
• APPLICATION:APPLICATION:
– SCOPE: Personal, departmental,
organizational
– CRITICALITY/IMPACT: Risk exposure
– SIZE & USAGE: One-time, periodic,
ongoing
– PROBLEM COMPLEXITY: Structure,
how common is task?
**

8. 11.8
CHARACTERISTICSCHARACTERISTICS
• TOOL:TOOL:
– SOPHISTICATION, COMPLEXITY
– INTERCONNECTEDNESS
• DEVELOPER:DEVELOPER:
– USER SKILLS, EXPERIENCE,
AVAILABILITY
– IS SPECIALIST SKILLS, EXPERIENCE,
AVAILABILITY
**

9. 11.9
EXTENT OF INTERCONNECTEDNESS*EXTENT OF INTERCONNECTEDNESS*
STAGESTAGE EXTENT OF INTERCONNECTEDNESSEXTENT OF INTERCONNECTEDNESS
• ISOLATION:ISOLATION: Application does not use orApplication does not use or
create data foranotherapplicationcreate data foranotherapplication
• STAND-ALONE:STAND-ALONE: Application uses manuallyApplication uses manually
entered computer-generated data fromentered computer-generated data from
reports, printoutsreports, printouts
• MANUAL INTEGRATION:MANUAL INTEGRATION: DataData
electronically transferred fromanotherelectronically transferred fromanother
application, manually (e.g., file on disk)application, manually (e.g., file on disk)
**
* Adapted from Huff, Munro & Martin, 1988

10. 11.10
EXTENT OF INTERCONNECTEDNESS*EXTENT OF INTERCONNECTEDNESS*
STAGESTAGE EXTENT OF INTERCONNECTEDNESSEXTENT OF INTERCONNECTEDNESS
• AUTOMATEDINTEGRATION:AUTOMATEDINTEGRATION:
Application electronically connected withApplication electronically connected with
one ormore databases/applications usingone ormore databases/applications using
automated scriptsautomated scripts
• DISTRIBUTEDINTEGRATION:DISTRIBUTEDINTEGRATION:
Application uses data created, stored,Application uses data created, stored,
maintained by organization’s systems undermaintained by organization’s systems under
control of IS specialistscontrol of IS specialists
**
* Adapted from Huff, Munro & Martin, 1988

11. 11.11
GUIDELINES FOR CHOOSINGGUIDELINES FOR CHOOSING
DEVELOPMENT PROCESSDEVELOPMENT PROCESS
DEVELOPEDDEVELOPED
FOR OTHERFOR OTHER
USERSUSERS
DEVELOPEDDEVELOPED
FOR SELFFOR SELF
USER ONLYUSER ONLY
SMALL, SIMPLESMALL, SIMPLE LARGE,LARGE,
COMPLEXCOMPLEX
1 2
3 4
1. SDLC OR1. SDLC OR
PROTOTYPING,PROTOTYPING,
DISCIPLINEDDISCIPLINED
APPROACH TOAPPROACH TO
DEFINITION &DEFINITION &
IMPLEMENTATIONIMPLEMENTATION
2. SDLC, CLEAR2. SDLC, CLEAR
“HANDS-OFF”“HANDS-OFF”
BETWEEN PHASESBETWEEN PHASES
3. “COLLAPSED” LIFE3. “COLLAPSED” LIFE
CYCLECYCLE
4. DISCIPLINED,4. DISCIPLINED,
ITERATIVEITERATIVE
DEVELOPMENTDEVELOPMENT

12. 11.12
LEVERAGING END-USER COMPUTING*LEVERAGING END-USER COMPUTING*
CONTEXT:CONTEXT:
ORGANIZATIONALORGANIZATIONAL
LEVEL FACTORSLEVEL FACTORS
DEPARTMENTALDEPARTMENTAL
LEVEL FACTORSLEVEL FACTORS
STATUS OFSTATUS OF
IS/USERIS/USER
PARTNERSHIPPARTNERSHIP
ORGANIZATION LEVELORGANIZATION LEVEL
SUPPORT &SUPPORT &
CONTROLCONTROL
ACTIONSACTIONS
STRATEGYSTRATEGY
TECHNOLOGYTECHNOLOGY
INDIVIDUAL LEVELINDIVIDUAL LEVEL
DEVELOPMENTDEVELOPMENT
PROCESSPROCESSTASKTASK
TOOLTOOL
USERUSER
DEVELOPERDEVELOPER
*Based on Branceau &
Brown, 1993

13. 11.13
ORGANIZATIONAL LEVELORGANIZATIONAL LEVEL
• STRATEGY:STRATEGY: Strategic objectives andStrategic objectives and
approach to end-usercomputingapproach to end-usercomputing
• TECHNOLOGY:TECHNOLOGY: Range & accessibility ofRange & accessibility of
end-usertoolsend-usertools
• SUPPORT & CONTROL ACTIONS:SUPPORT & CONTROL ACTIONS:
Support services, control policies &Support services, control policies &
proceduresprocedures
**

14. 11.14
EXPANSION/CONTROL MATRIX*EXPANSION/CONTROL MATRIX*
ACCELERATION
CONTROLLED
GROWTH
LAISSEZ-FAIRE CONTAINMENT
HIGHHIGH
LOWLOW
LOWLOW HIGHHIGH
CONTROLCONTROL
EXPANSIONEXPANSION
*Based on Monroe et al., 1987-1988; Brancheau & Amoroso, 1990

15. 11.15
EVOLUTION OF INFORMATIONEVOLUTION OF INFORMATION
CENTERCENTER
STAGE ONE:STAGE ONE:
• REACTIVE SERVICESREACTIVE SERVICES
• INDIVIDUAL SOLUTIONSINDIVIDUAL SOLUTIONS
• PRODUCT TRAININGPRODUCT TRAINING
• ALL NEEDS SUPPORTEDALL NEEDS SUPPORTED
• COMPUTERLITERACY TRAININGCOMPUTERLITERACY TRAINING
• ONE-WAY RELATIONSHIPSONE-WAY RELATIONSHIPS
**

16. 11.16
EVOLUTION OF INFORMATIONEVOLUTION OF INFORMATION
CENTERCENTER
STAGE TWO:STAGE TWO:
• PROACTIVE SERVICESPROACTIVE SERVICES
• DEPARTMENTAL SOLUTIONSDEPARTMENTAL SOLUTIONS
• BUSINESS PROBLEM-SOLVINGBUSINESS PROBLEM-SOLVING
• HIGH-PAYOFF NEEDS SUPPORTEDHIGH-PAYOFF NEEDS SUPPORTED
• INFORMATION LITERACYINFORMATION LITERACY
EDUCATIONEDUCATION
• ALLIANCE:ALLIANCE: ISIS/USERALLIANCE/USERALLIANCE
**

17. 11.17
COMMON SUPPORT SERVICESCOMMON SUPPORT SERVICES
• TROUBLESHOOTINGTROUBLESHOOTING
• CONSULTINGCONSULTING
• TRAINING&TRAINING& ISISEDUCATIONEDUCATION
• PRODUCT RESEARCH& EVALUATIONPRODUCT RESEARCH& EVALUATION
• INFORMATION SHARINGINFORMATION SHARING
• TOOL SELECTION & PURCHASINGTOOL SELECTION & PURCHASING
• TOOL INSTALLATION, MAINTENANCE &TOOL INSTALLATION, MAINTENANCE &
UPGRADINGUPGRADING
**

18. 11.18
COMMON POLICIES & PROCEDURESCOMMON POLICIES & PROCEDURES
• PRODUCT STANDARDSPRODUCT STANDARDS
• ERGONOMICSERGONOMICS
• PRODUCT PURCHASESPRODUCT PURCHASES
• INVENTORY CONTROLINVENTORY CONTROL
• UPGRADE PROCEDURESUPGRADE PROCEDURES
• QUALITY REVIEWQUALITY REVIEW
• IDENTIFYING CRITICAL APPLICATIONS &IDENTIFYING CRITICAL APPLICATIONS &
DATADATA
**

19. 11.19
COMMON POLICIES & PROCEDURESCOMMON POLICIES & PROCEDURES
• DATA ACCESSDATA ACCESS
• BACKUPPROCEDURESBACKUPPROCEDURES
• AUDIT TRAILSAUDIT TRAILS
• DOCUMENTATION STANDARDSDOCUMENTATION STANDARDS
• UNAUTHORIZEDACCESSUNAUTHORIZEDACCESS
• UNAUTHORIZEDSOFTWARE COPYINGUNAUTHORIZEDSOFTWARE COPYING
• VIRUS PROTECTIONVIRUS PROTECTION
**

20. 11.20
CHAPTER 11CHAPTER 11
FacilitatingFacilitating
UserComputingUserComputing