Joline Morrison

Using a structured design approach to reduce risks in end user spreadsheet development

Abstract Computations performed using end-user developed spreadsheets have resulted in serious errors and represent a major control risk to organizations. Literature suggests that factors contributing to spreadsheet errors include developer inexperience, poor design approaches, application types, problem complexity, time pressure, and presence or absence of review procedures. We explore the impact of using a structured design approach for spreadsheet development. We used two field experiments and found that subjects using the design approach showed a significant reduction in the number of ‘linking errors,’ i.e., mistakes in creating links between values that must connect one area of the spreadsheet to another or from one worksheet to another in a common workbook. Our results provide evidence that design approaches that explicitly identify potential error factors may improve end-user application reliability. We also observed that factors such as gender, application expertise, and workgroup configuration also influenced spreadsheet error rates.

Factors influencing risks and outcomes in end-user development

End-user developed applications introduce many control risks into organizations. Literature suggests that influencing factors include developer experience, design approach, application type, problem complexity, time pressure, and presence or absence of review procedures. The research explores the impacts of different design approaches through two field experiments evaluating the use versus non-use of a structured design methodology when developing complex spreadsheets. Our results indicated that subjects using the methodology showed a significant reduction in the number of linking errors, i.e., mistakes in creating links between values that must flow from one area of the spreadsheet to another or from one worksheet to another in a common workbook. We also observed that factors such as gender, application expertise, and workgroup configuration influenced spreadsheet error rates as well.

The impacts of presentation visuals on persuasion

Todays microcomputer applications enable users to create and display elaborate presentation visuals that include color, clip art, and special effects such as animation and dynamic transitions. Does this impact the persuasiveness of a presentation? To explore this question, we performed two experimental studies to investigate the effect of use versus non-use, as well as the persuasive impact of visuals with different characteristics. The study provides practical guidelines for creating and using modern presentation graphics.

Integrating web sites and databases

Web site developers creating data-based Web pages that interact with organizational databases need to know server- and client-side processing.

A query simulation system to illustrate database query execution

The underlying processes that enable database query execution are fundamental to understanding database management systems. However, these processes are complex and can be difficult to explain and illustrate. To address this problem, we have developed a Java-based query simulation system that enables students to visualize the steps involved in processing DML queries. We performed a field experiment to evaluate the system, and the results suggest that the system improves student comprehension of the query execution process.