Anja Mursu

Information Systems Development as an Activity

Information systems development (ISD) is analysed in this paper as asystemic work activity, using Activity Analysis and Development (ActAD)as the theoretical framework. ISD is regarded here as the process bywhich some collective work activity is facilitated by newinformation-technological means through analysis, design, implementation,introduction and sustained support, as well as process management. Itis a temporary, boundary-crossing activity which draws its actors,means, rules, etc. from two sides – typically a software companyand the IS user organization. ISD is analysed as a part of a networkof activities, too, around software development and a computer-supporteduse activity. A theoretical framework and a pragmatic checklist arepresented for studying ISD activities. It is argued that the activity-theoretical framework provides a theoretically foundedbut detailed and practicable procedure for studying ISD as a workactivity in context.

Identifying software project risks in Nigeria: an international comparative study

We report a study where software project risk factors were solicited in Nigeria. The study repeats a research design, which has been used in a Delphi study in the U.S., Finland, and Hong Kong to rank software development risks. The study produces a rank-order list of software risk factors and compares results with the earlier study, showing significant differences. Obtained rankings signal the importance of the infrastructure related and socio-economic software risks in developing countries like Nigeria. This demonstrates the importance of understanding the broader socio-economic context in identifying and managing software risks. The study also shows that some risks in Nigeria are located on a different scale. The choice of contingent mitigation strategies of project managers play a less important role, because the risks are so deeply engrained with the poor quality of basic infrastructure services.

Information Systems Research and Development by Activity Analysis and Development: Dead Horse or the Next Wave?

We argue that the currently dominant methods in Information Systems are not satisfactory for emancipatory research and development whose starting point is work. Activity theory was proposed as such an emancipatory research-cumdevelopment approach in IS a decade ago. However, the potential identified in the theory has not fully materialized. As our own contribution toward making activity theory more operational in IS, we present an elaborated framework, ActAD, and review our experience in applying it to descriptive research, practical analysis, and constructive research. We claim that in order to fully unleash the potential of activity theory, activity-based methods should be developed further for IS requirements analysis projects and IS implementation projects, as well as for facilitating software development. The most appropriate way of developing such applied methods is through collaborative action research in real-life information systems work—the information systems practitioners developing their own work through activity analysis and development, with researcher participation.

Information systems development in a developing country: theoretical analysis of special requirements in Nigeria and Africa

Research approaches on information systems development (ISD) are characterized by diversity, focusing on a wide area of objectives and methods. Nevertheless, the understanding of ISD as a universal phenomenon is less commonly questioned. We can ask if systems development really is the same in Africa as in industrialized countries, because of several differences in contextual factors. We suggest that there are special requirements that should be taken into consideration in systems development methodology in Africa-like sustainability, affordability, socio-economic justification and community participation. We have founded a research programme to develop such a methodology. We present a research framework for studying ISD as a phenomenon in Africa, and particularly in Nigeria. In addition to a literature review and an empirical survey, the research programme consists of descriptive case studies and an action research part experimenting on adjusted methods in the setting of real-life projects. The first results from the initial phase of the study are presented in a hypothetical rather than conclusive way, suggesting the special requirements of ISD in Africa.

ICT Barriers and Critical Success Factors in Developing Countries

Since the early 1990s, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has been perceived as a catalyst for development. However, the UNICEF State of the Worlds Children Report 2011 acknowledges that the poor in many developing countries remain largely excluded from ICT and its benefits. This paper aims to address three issues. Firstly, identify ICT barriers in the literature from 2000 to 2011. Secondly, identify ICT barriers through empirical findings and thirdly, categorize these barriers into critical success factors. These aims are achieved by comparing the findings in the literature to our recent empirical results. Two methodologies are used in this study, namely, a systematic literature review and a case study; the empirical data for our case study was collected from The Gambia in autumn of 2012. The systematic literature review covers 1107 studies (2000–2011) published in the top five ranked ICT4D journals in terms of journal citation ranking. The paper identifies a total of 43 ICT barriers. Forty of them are common to both studies while the remaining three were revealed in the case study, namely, lack of Internet exchange points, micromanaging and invisible hands. The barriers in both studies are grouped into eight possible critical success factors and their degrees of severity are then compared. This paper argues that lack of Internet exchange points is an important ICT barrier that is overlooked in our review pool.

Two Times Four Integrative Levels of Analysis: A Framework

Walsham (2000) urged Information Systems researchers to truly cover all levels of analysis from the individual to the societal in their research agenda. In this paper, we accept his challenge by proposing a research framework offour integrative levels of analysis: individual, group/activity, organizational, and societal. Each level is divided into two viewpoints: intra (single case) and inter (multiple cases, relational, comparative). In addition, the temporal/historical dimension should be applied on all levels and viewpoints. We argue that although all of the levels and viewpoints of the “2 × 4 + history” framework cannot be thoroughly covered in any single study, researchers should always identify their specific research scope and context on all four levels, allowing other researchers to assess the peculiarity or wider applicability of the study. All of the levels and viewpoints are relevant to practical IS development in certain situations.

Information Systems Development in Nigerian Software Companies: Research Methodology and Assessment from the Healthcare Sector's Perspective

The requirements for software and information systems for healthcare institutions in Africa differ from those in the industrialised countries in many ways. Local software development, adaptation and organisational implementation is thus highly important. However, very little empirical research has been conducted on the work practice of software engineers and information systems developers in developing countries. In this paper we discuss the methodology for studying the practice of information systems development (ISD) in Nigerian software companies from the healthcare sectors perspective. We argue that such a study must be divided into two parts, one aiming at a “landscape view” using a survey, and the other at “in‐depth portraits” using case studies in different companies. An Activity‐Theoretical research framework is introduced for the latter. The emphasis of the paper is on the theoretical framework and the research methodology, which are proposed for other researchers with similar objectives. However, some main results of the on‐going study in Nigeria are also presented. Finally we discuss first Nigerian software industrys capability to respond to the needs of the countrys healthcare institutions, and then the applicability of the proposed research methodology to other contexts.

From Software Risks to Sustainable Information Systems: Setting the Stage for a Delphi Study in Nigeria

AbstractIn this paper, we argue that the research framework used in western software risk research - software projects - must be expanded to include information system implementation and use contexts, particularly in developing countries.The literature of software risk management indicates that the risk of failure in information system development (ISD) can be mitigated by identifying and analyzing the threats to success. In Africa the understanding of success or failure in ISD has a broader meaning than in industrialized countries. The magnitude of constraints in Africa makes the sustainability of information technology (IT) a major issue. The question of how ISD is practiced in Africa is very little studied.We are in the process of conducting a Delphi study in Nigeria to produce a rank-order list of the most common risk factors in software projects. However, the goals when implementing new technology in Africa, taking socio-economic develop-ment into consideration, are manifold. IT is anticipated to pro...

Information Systems Practice for Development in Africa: Results from Indehela

In this paper we search for answers to the question: Can information systems development (ISD) in Africa by African IS practitioners contribute to human development in Africa? More specifically, we ask if everyday ISD practice in Nigeria can contribute to people’s health in Nigeria. We summarize the results of European-African research collaboration spanning more than 15 years. A spectrum of research methods was used from 1998 through 2001, including a survey on software industry (N = 103), a survey on IS education in universities (N = 26), five case studies in industry, and reflection on action in a university-based project. An industry profile of software companies and their ISD practice is presented and contrasted with the education available. Implications are drawn for ISD practitioners and methodological lessons identified for IS research in general. In the discussion, the view is expanded from Nigeria to other African and developing countries.

Information System Development Methodologies

This paper provides preliminary results of INDEHELA-M, a joint Finnish-Nigerian project undertaken by a prominent Nigerian software development company. The main objectives of the project are to produce empirical information and understanding of the practice and problems of information systems development (ISD) in Nigeria, and to facilitate Nigerian ISD practitioners by improved methods, techniques, practices, and education, according to their needs. Gender participation in ISD was also introduced to study the methodologies employed in ISD projects and the effect (if any) on gender participation and/or access to information technology and create gender balance awareness in Software Development Companies in Nigeria. This was to take stock and understand the factors that lead to gender segregation within information technology (IT). Despite the remarkable increase in the percentage of girls’ access to education, we found that women are not present or have been assigned a marginal role in ISD projects. This paper highlights gender trends in IT education in Nigeria and identifies gender disparity in the Information System Development methodologies employed. We also documented female access to IT. The paper concludes by proposing that the way forward for women is active participation in IT in Nigeria as a proxy for other countries given the same socio-economic environment.