Transcript ETHICS - De Montfort University

ETHICS
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Objectives:
 to explain the ETHICS methodology for
Information Systems Development
 to discuss some of the problems associated with a
participative approach
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ETHICS
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ETHICS is a methodology for participative systems
development
The methodology arose out of work begun by Enid
Mumford at Manchester Business School in 1969
Since then, much experience gained through its use
both in industry and the health service (see Mumford,
1995 and 1996)
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ETHICS
Effective
Technical and
Human
Implementation of
Computer-based
Systems
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The acronym implies that systems development is
itself (or should be) ethical
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A Changing World
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Computer systems design traditionally carried out by
technical-rational approach
 Humans expected to conform to the demands of
the machine
Computer Objective-setting traditionally done by
senior management and/or computer technologists
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A Changing World
continued
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Other groups need, and increasingly, want to be
involved
 User groups are no longer ignorant of IT
 All tend to have different interests
Hence systems design increasingly means a process
of negotiation and reconciliation of different interests
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Technology
(with requirements and constraints)
People
(with values
and needs)
Tasks
(which require
motivation &
competence)
Organisational Environment
(reflecting business objectives)
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Management of Change
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Mumford (1995) says there are 3 objectives related to
the management of change:
 People should be able to influence the design of
their own work situations
 Set specific job satisfaction objectives as well as
technical/operational objectives
Human impact of a new computer system is
unpredictable if it is not consciously planned for
 Ensure that the new technical system is
surrounded by a compatible, well-functioning
organisational system
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ICI Case Study
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Secretaries at ICI designed their own working system
for the use of a new word processing system
The reorganisation of the former ‘typing pool’
enriched jobs and so increased job satisfaction
However - note that there were some criticisms of
this as pay was also increased!
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Participation
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ETHICS is rooted in two concepts:
 Participation
 Socio-Technical Theory
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The Case for Participation
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Ethics: people’s moral right to control their work
situation
Expediency: non-participation increases resistance
to change
Expert knowledge: use the knowledge of workers on
the ground
Motivating force: participation will increase
commitment, improve productivity, hence improve
system efficiency
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Participation
continued
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There are 3 types of participation:
Consultative
 Senior management consult with groups lower
down the hierarchy
 Most appropriate for securing agreement on
strategic objectives
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Participation
continued
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Representative
 Design groups are formed, with representatives
from various interest groups
 Appropriate for systems definition stage, agreeing
system boundaries, making broad design
decisions
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Participation
continued
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Consensus
 User-driven: all staff involved
 Appropriate for decisions about work organisation,
task structure
 Brings conflicts into the open - conflict resolution
necessary - hence arrive at a consensus
ETHICS incorporates research on job satisfaction
from the Human Relations school of thought
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Social-Technical Theory
‘A socio-technical approach is one that recognises the
interaction of technology and people and produces work
systems which are both technically efficient, have social
characteristics which lead to high job satisfaction and
create high quality products.’ (Mumford, 1995)
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Essentially, encapsulates the view that that for a
technical system to be effective, it must fit in with the
existing social and organisational structures within
the work unit
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Social-Technical Theory
continued
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There will be some conflict between social (S) and
technical (T) systems
Need to prioritise elements of both S and T system
solutions, then go through a matching process where
compromises will be made
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ETHICS - Teams
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The process of systems design, implementation and
evaluation should be carried out by two types of
team:
Steering Committee
 Sets key objectives and constraints
 Includes senior staff of affected departments and
other major interest groups
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ETHICS - Teams
continued
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Design Group, led by a Facilitator
 Responsible for detailed systems design
 Includes representatives of the process, function
or department where the new computer system is
to be introduced
The Facilitator is a key role in the ETHICS
methodology
 Effectiveness of the methodology is dependent on
the Facilitator
 Should be somebody objective/neutral
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ETHICS - Teams
continued
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Systems analysts/designers become consultants to
the Design Group
 Shift of power
 Some may resent this change
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Problems With a Participative Approach
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Trust
 There may be suspicion of management motives
in using ETHICS
Election vs selection of Design Group
 Mumford believes that representatives must be
democratically elected by their colleagues
Conflicts of interest
 Consensus approach will quickly highlight these
 Key role of Facilitator in managing conflict
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Problems With a Participative Approach
continued
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Stress
 Design Group representatives consider to work
alongside colleagues
 Can cause stress, especially during times of
conflict
Communication and consultation
 Design group members need to have good
communication and consultation skills
 These skills found to be more difficult to acquire
than design skills
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The 15 Stages of ETHICS
1. Why change?
Look at current problems and opportunities; produce
a statement of the benefits of change
2. System boundaries
3. Description of existing system
Narrative models are produced
Imaginative use of techniques
‘Existing system’ includes social systems activity
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The 15 Stages of ETHICS
continued
4. 5. 6. Definition of key objectives and tasks
Identify the key objectives for the Design Groups, the
tasks required to achieve these objectives and the
information needed to carry out the tasks
7. Diagnosis of efficiency needs
A statement of performance objectives
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The 15 Stages of ETHICS
continued
8. Diagnosis of job satisfaction needs
Carried out by using a specially-designed job
satisfaction questionnaire that addresses:
 knowledge fit
 psychological fit
 efficiency fit
 task structure fit
 ethics fit
Identifies where ‘fit’ could be improved
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The 15 Stages of ETHICS
continued
9. Future analysis
Identifies both required and desirable changes
10. Specifying and weighting efficiency and job
satisfaction need and objectives
The socio-technical matching process: conflicts will
be aired and priorities set
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The 15 Stages of ETHICS
continued
11.
The organisational design of the new system
12. Technical options
Carried out in parallel
A number of social and technical systems options will
be generated; by comparing with outcome of stage
10, a compromise socio-technical system is defined
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The 15 Stages of ETHICS
continued
13. The preparation of a detailed work design
Any appropriate systems design techniques can be
used
14.
Implementation
15. Evaluation
Carried out by the Design Groups
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Differences From Other Methodologies
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Methodology driven by people as users of the system
Objectives are explicitly to achieve job satisfaction as
well as technical efficiency
Methodology has evolved from organisation theory
It recognises the process of change
Not prescriptive about techniques
Could require high level of resourcing
Can only work in an organisation with the appropriate
culture
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ETHICS in Practice
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ETHICS is currently being used in 3 ways:
For the task for which it was originally designed
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To assist managers define their information needs
prior to introducing a MIS: QUICKethics
QUality Information from Considered Knowledge
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As a general problem-solving tool
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References
Mumford, Enid. 1995. Effective Requirements
Analysis and Systems Design: the ETHICS Method.
Macmillan.
Mumford, Enid. 1996. Systems Design: Ethical
Tools for Ethical Change. Macmillan.
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