IS Professional and users frustrations

What are the two most frequently experienced causes of frustration of IS professionals and users while working on an IS plan?

In every organization or business transactions, one individual could never avoid the fact that any project it not always lead to achievement of the plan. Since, they are working with an Information System Plan, a strategic planning must be consider.

Strategic planning is an organization's process of defining its strategy, or direction, and making decisions on allocating its resources to pursue this strategy, including its capital and people. Various business analysis techniques can be used in strategic planning, including SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats ) and PEST analysis (Political, Economic, Social, and Technological analysis) or STEER analysis involving Socio-cultural, Technological, Economic, Ecological, and Regulatory factors. According to other source, strategic plan is a document used by an organization to align its organization and budget structure with organizational priorities, missions, and objectives. It is also a process of comprehensive, integrative program planning that considers, at a minimum, the future of current decisions, overall policy, organizational development, and links to operational plans. . A satisfactory strategic plan must be realistic and attainable so as to allow managers and entrepreneurs to think strategically and act operationally. In align with that, strategic plan must be reliable and suitable for the need of the company.

In doing a strategic plan, it is not really known to everyone that there are frustrations that may trigger. Frustrations in a way that it may cause depression and stress to the professionals and users that are doing it. In doing an Information Strategic plan, it is really a must that the user and the professionals doing it must first determine the company’s background and other facts and information that can help and then again be a useful tool for the planning.

Like in the situation of any IS professional, the Systems Analyst/Software Engineers which always consider their clients with systems that they are working on. Seldom it is being denied by the involve parties, that the systems they are developing, least on what they are expecting will lead to failure. Thus, giving frustrations to the Systems Analyst/ Software Engineers itself and especially to the users.

In today's increasingly competitive marketplace, an organization can't afford to fall short in strategic decision-making or execution. But, finding out where and why efforts are falling short can be tricky.

Organizational frustration has been defined by Paul Spector in a very similar fashion, and refers to an interference with goal attainment or maintenance that is caused by some stimulus condition within the organization (Spector, 1978). It has been further narrowed to be defined as the interference with an individual’s ability to carry out their day to day duties effectively (Keenan & Newton, 1984). The sources of organizationalfrustration put forth by Spector include the physical environment (both natural and man-made), the organizational structure and climate, the rules and procedures of the organization, and individuals both in and out of the organization. In addition, the concept of situational constraints (Peters & O'Connor, 1980) has been hypothesized to contribute to organizational frustration (Storms & Spector, 1987). Spector (1978) suggested four reactions to organizational frustration: 1) an emotional response of anger and increased physiological arousal, 2) trying alternative courses of action, 3) aggression, and 4) withdrawal. Of the behavioral reactions, only the second one – that of trying alternative courses of action to obtain the goal – is an adaptive response, while the other three are maladaptive. It is likely that the emotional reaction accompanies one of the three behavioral reactions, although the emotional reaction may be maladaptive by itself and become a further impediment to goal attainment. Clearly, should an individual become frustrated, it is in the best interests of the organization to have the individual respond in an adaptive way and attempt to find another solution to the problem in a clear decisive manner. Spector also put forth the idea that some mild forms of frustration may be seen as challenges rather than problems for some individuals, thus causing a motivational effect rather than a hindering effect and increasing the likelihood of an adaptive response rather than a maladaptive one.

Frustration with technology is a major reason why people cannot use computers to reach their goal, hesitate to use computers, or avoid computers altogether. A recent study from the Pew Internet and American Life study found that a large percentage of people never go online, because they find the technology to be too frustrating and overwhelming (Pew, 2003). Currently, 42% of Americans do not use the Internet, in large part because they find it to be frustrating and confusing. This is not surprising; previous research on user frustration found that users wasted nearly one-third to one-half of the time spent on the computer, due to frustrating experiences (Bessiere, 2002; Bessiere, Lazar, Ceaparu, Robinson, & Shneiderman, 2003).

Unfortunately, computer applications are often designed with interfaces that are hard to use, and features that are hard to find. Even government web sites, which are supposed to provide easy access to government information for all citizens, are frequently hard to use and produce high levels of user frustration (Ceaparu, 2003). Frustration with technology can lead to wasted time, changed mood, and affected interaction with colleagues. When users in a workplace are frustrated with their computers, it can lead to lower levels of job satisfaction (Murrell & Sprinkle, 1993). In some cases, user frustration with technology can even lead to increased blood volume pressure and muscle tension (Riseberg, Klein, Fernandez, & Picard, 1998)

Research on computer frustration has shown that that computer self-efficacy and attitudes play a significant role in reducing the frustration levels in computing. Level of comfort with the computer and the determination to fix a problem, which are associated with a high level of computer self efficacy, both appear as important factors in both the immediate experience of frustration as well as the overall frustration level after a session of computer use. In the previous study on computer frustration, computer attitude variables mediated the experience of frustration but experience did not. Simply using a computer, therefore, does not lessen user frustration; rather it is one’s attitude towards it and comfort with it.

Computers can be valuable tools, and networked resources via the Internet can be beneficial to many different populations and communities. Unfortunately, when people are unable to reach their task goals due to frustrating experiences, this can hinder the effectiveness of technology.

Computing systems this era raises high in a short period of time. Though our country is a 5 year behind than those countries abroad, still using internet is a common tool for someone like in communications. And more likely in a business, it is also a trend of using internet and intranet in their operations since it can help progress their company. Now a day, an even small scale business also acquires using internet and computers for their daily routine. That is because it can help them improve their skills and at the same time it can lessen the work load since using computers doesn’t requires much time.

Some organizations, are simply better than most at producing results. Likely, they have learned to address frustrations, any one of which is capable of stymieing the effectiveness of the organization. It maybe they are not performing their duties well. Besides, the execution of their strategic plan may be lacking. There could also be business results that are not optimal.

Strategic execution is a difficult discipline for any organization. They might say that "We don't need more knowing; we need more doing." This usually leads to frustration; a feeling that your annual strategic planning process is ineffective. And in the end resulting to disappointment with the lack of action, traction, and results from your strategic planning efforts.

Improving business results is the primary reason for engaging in strategic planning, yet in many organizations, this common exercise feels like an exercise in futility. Initially, holding a strategic planning session brings the executive team together by stimulating a lot of good conversation and new ideas. This feels good at the time, but unfortunately, it's usually nothing more than a temporary "sugar buzz." Once the session is over and the enthusiasm begins to fade, each team member returns to the status quo. They quickly get pulled back into tactical fire fighting, focusing their attention on their own department needs rather than the organizational plans agreed to in the planning session. Without clear, consistent action on shared initiatives, the entire organization struggles to establish any kind of momentum.

Basically, we could never say or predict what will happen in every system that will be developing by any Systems Analyst/Software Engineers and so on throughout their job. To have a touch of reality here, we have interviewed an IS professional on what did he thinks the two most frequently experienced causes of frustration of IS professionals and users while working on an IS plan.

According to him the following could be considered as the usual frustrations any IS professional and users may encounter during an IS Plan.

· Budget

A budget is one of those pivotal tools that is used across many departments within a company. For the developers, it dictates how much time to spend on specific areas of the application. For the project manager, it's a baseline used to determine whether the project is on track. For sales or the client, it correlates directly to the success of the effort. It's no surprise that one of the biggest issues in creating a budget is interpretation.

Based on their organization, there are certain situation that the budget for a particular project is not properly allocated. Thus, giving a perspective for them on not continuing the project since they have given limited resources and eventually could make the project fail. This is really a frustration to the Software developer’s side especially if the system is already in the process of User Acceptance Test. It is already hard for them to continue for they have insufficient funds.

Regardless of how close you come to reality, a client will be much happier if your project comes in below budget than over it; however, too high a risk value can create sticker shock, revealing inexperience and creating misgivings about your management abilities. By following the guidelines we've suggested and applying some common sense, you can be assured that your team, project drivers, and client will enjoy the benefits of a well-estimated project.

At the same time the user will be more frustrated because the deliverables are not being given to them properly and on time. The time problem could also be included in this frustration for if less budget is allocated to a certain project, there will be a tendency for the developer to cram if it already in the period of presenting it to its client. As I have said, the users are expecting for the said project to be deliver on that time then because of some delays, the developers tend to commit mistakes and in the end, ensuing to a project failure. And another big cost is at stake for this letdown.

· Well-Structured design

Another would be this one, according to him, the design of a certain system should be in a manner of a well-structured design so that in a middle of any software development the client would not always complain. Because for them, the users have the tendency of adding up enhancements to their system. Suggesting new additional features, hence, the system will be prone to bugs. It would be a great frustration for the developers because they could not easily perfect the system for the complaints of the client can give to them. Also, in the user’s side, it would be a frustration for the slow productivity the developer could have give to them.

Both on the users and developers are the frustrations could been experiences. Since they are both involved in the Information System Plan, they cannot avoid these certain things. For the developers, it is very frustrating for not giving the proper service to their clients and not offering the satisfaction the users should also accept. It is just so sad to hear that these frustration are being encountered also because of the developer or the user either. For the reason that every success of a system comes from the cooperation of the involve people. Not to play as the worsening effect to any developer or a user instead.

References:

http://www.allbusiness.com/human-resources/workforce-management-hiring-consulting/872033-1.html

http://www.stanford.edu/group/siqss/itandsociety/v01i03/v01i03a02.pdf

to our interviewee from Davao Light and Power Company