Knowledge Retention Challenges in Information Systems Development Teams

Information systems development (ISD) is an integral part of organizational agility in today’s competitive business environment. High turnover, agile ways of working, and fluid work environments pose challenges for ISD. This paper explores the erosion of knowledge retention (KR) arising from ISD staff churn in a New Zealand-based financial organization in the aftermath of a major earthquake. In this exploratory study, the authors develop a causal model of KR in the ISD context, which articulates the challenges to and consequences of ineffective KR at the routine and exiting stages of KR. The model identifies four challenges—coordination complexity, insufficient resources for knowledge retention, insufficient attention to knowledge retention, and slow staff replacement and handover processes—that can affect the loss of ISD knowledge when routine and exiting KR fall into disarray. This study also reveals that role stress and reduced ISD agility reinforce the cycle of knowledge loss.

Critical Thinking in Research and Analysis

This chapter reviews the need for critical thinking and analysis and the art of reasoning and looks at quantitative and qualitative research methodologies and the situations where they are appropriate. The chapter reviews the question of why the analysis required for business development is so critical. Why is gathering the information needed for business development more difficult than gathering information for information systems development? To understand these questions, it is necessary to review the range and complexity of the information required for business research and analysis. The internal performance data must be evaluated and the actual economic position of the organisation established. The critical value elements of the organisation's resources need to be identified and the competencies established. The competitive environment must be researched together with the external factors that impact the organization, and all the interactions that result must be evaluated.

Dealing with unpredictable risk - The influence of external factors on information systems development and implementations

<p>Organisations and especially Government departments develop information systems for their own specific needs, due to this Government departments invests a great deal in information systems development and implementation projects. The intention is to save on cost and develop information systems according to their needs and requirements. Unfortunately such projects are vulnerable and subject to a range of risks. This case study identifies the risk factors involved in information systems development and implementation projects and the risk processes that are in place to mitigate against those risk factors. Furthermore the case study investigates an information systems development and implementation project where four legacy systems were to be merged into one newly developed system. The project was interrupted when an organisational merger resulted in the loss of key members of the governance board and the project team, either through redundancy or being allocated other responsibilities within the organisation. This exposed the project to unpredictable risk which caused the project to head down the path of possible failure. The case study outlines the project plan, what actually happened and what according to the interviewed participants happened during the project. It is clear that the risk management processes wasn't followed and that wrongful decisions were made during the organisational merger. Unpredictable risks as a result of the merger and the decision to continue the project required a strong governance board, proper project management, proper risk management and the execution of the risk management processes. The lack of governance and project management had a huge impact on the project while the loss of expertise and knowledge added to the risk profile which resulted in further complications to the project. It’s during these situation that a strong governance board and proper project management is needed to make those critical decisions and steer the project towards success.</p>

Dealing with unpredictable risk - The influence of external factors on information systems development and implementations

<p>Organisations and especially Government departments develop information systems for their own specific needs, due to this Government departments invests a great deal in information systems development and implementation projects. The intention is to save on cost and develop information systems according to their needs and requirements. Unfortunately such projects are vulnerable and subject to a range of risks. This case study identifies the risk factors involved in information systems development and implementation projects and the risk processes that are in place to mitigate against those risk factors. Furthermore the case study investigates an information systems development and implementation project where four legacy systems were to be merged into one newly developed system. The project was interrupted when an organisational merger resulted in the loss of key members of the governance board and the project team, either through redundancy or being allocated other responsibilities within the organisation. This exposed the project to unpredictable risk which caused the project to head down the path of possible failure. The case study outlines the project plan, what actually happened and what according to the interviewed participants happened during the project. It is clear that the risk management processes wasn't followed and that wrongful decisions were made during the organisational merger. Unpredictable risks as a result of the merger and the decision to continue the project required a strong governance board, proper project management, proper risk management and the execution of the risk management processes. The lack of governance and project management had a huge impact on the project while the loss of expertise and knowledge added to the risk profile which resulted in further complications to the project. It’s during these situation that a strong governance board and proper project management is needed to make those critical decisions and steer the project towards success.</p>

Sprint Zeal or Sprint Fatigue? The Benefits and Burdens of Agile ISD Practices Use for Developer Well-Being

Are agile information systems development practices (AISDPs), such as pair programming or daily stand-ups, universally beneficial to developer well-being? Given that agile information systems development project success is only as good as its developers’ productiveness, taking care of developer well-being is of utmost importance to organizations. Using daily survey responses of 131 agile developers spread over two workweeks, we show that the daily use of AISDP is a double-edged sword rather than a silver bullet. Although AISDPs can be motivating and activate energy resources on some days, they can be disturbing and deplete energy on others—two stress responses with opposing effects on developer well-being. As a potential antidote to the detrimental effects of AISDP, we investigate the moderating role of information technology (IT) mindfulness, a dynamic trait that captures the mindful usage of IT. We find that IT mindfulness can serve as a facilitator of positive stress responses and as a buffer against negative stress responses. A key takeaway of this study is in finding ways to influence developers (via awareness programs, time-sensitive recovery interventions, or mindfulness practices) to increase the functional and decrease the dysfunctional stress responses from daily AISDP use.

Implement, Document, and Maintain

This section covers the final section of the machine learning life cycle. Consider these the most important steps of the entire process. This is the point at which we have the greatest potential to help our organization reap the benefits of machine learning. In traditional information systems development, 60–80% of the cost of a system comes during the maintenance phase, so these steps are important. This section covers how to deploy a machine learning model, as well as documenting and maintaining this model. A chapter covers the seven types of target leakage followed by time-aware validation and time-series analysis.

IMPLEMENTATION OF WATERFALL METHOD IN PD INVENTORY INFORMATION SYSTEMADIWANGI KARAWANG

In the era of Information Systems, development changes, especially in the field of sales, have changed very rapidly. AdiWangi Trading Company is one of the companies engaged in the sale of staple goods. In providing services to customers and the general public, PD Adiwangi has not been able to fulfill information needs optimally. The process of data collection is still done manually, so it takes a long time to complete it. With the current process, customers often feel that they have been served a long time and for the company itself there are often differences between the items in the data recorded and the items stored in PD Adiwangi, so that why this research uses waterfall method. The design stages used include program planning, program design, database, and program development. Inventory Information System with manual record by inputting into excel and record incoming goods. Whereas, outcoming goods recorded rarely, employees are not taken for placement on shelves. It has become a habit until now so that inventory of goods also not observed. From the results of the study, it can be concluded that the program design made named Inventory program design at PD AdiWangi. It is expected to facilitate the process of data collection, as well as making reports quickly and accurately compared to systems manually.