Vivienne Waller - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Vivienne Waller

Research paper thumbnail of Investigating the epistemological stances implicit in ISAD approaches

Journal of Enterprise Information Management, 2008

Purpose – This paper aims to examine the differences in epistemological underpinnings of conventi... more Purpose – This paper aims to examine the differences in epistemological underpinnings of conventional information systems analysis and design (ISAD) approaches (such as structured system and analysis design methodologies) and a recently developed situated ISAD approach. Design/methodology/approach – This empirical investigation involved constructing a simulated field situation to allow a conventionally trained IS analyst to analyse the same case as

Research paper thumbnail of Developing a methodology for designing routine information systems based on the situational theory of action

Information systems are part of purposeful socio-technical systems and consequently theories of a... more Information systems are part of purposeful socio-technical systems and consequently theories of action may help in understanding them. Current systems analysis and design methodologies seem to have been influenced only by one particular theory of action, which asserts that action results from deliberation upon an abstract representation of the world. Many disciplines have discussed an alternative 'situational' theory of action. There is no design methodology that fully supports designing systems reflecting the situational theory of action. The aim of this paper is to describe the motivation for, and progress to date of research-in-progress developing a design methodology based on concepts from the situational theory of action. This methodology for designing situational information systems is being iteratively refined using a combination of case studies and action research. This project is significant because many information systems fail in pressured routine environments where we would argue that the situational theory of action provides a better description of purposeful activity.

Research paper thumbnail of An empirical investigation of the epistemological assumptions underlying two ISD approaches

A situated information systems design (ISD) methodology for supporting routine work is being iter... more A situated information systems design (ISD) methodology for supporting routine work is being iteratively developed and refined. Driven from a different theory of action from conventional ISD methodologies we have reason to believe that the new methodology assumes a different epistemological stance. As pointed out by there has been very little examination of epistemological assumptions implicit in ISD methodologies. Consequently, in this paper we address the differences in epistemological assumptions of the conventional ISD approaches (such as Structured System and Analysis Design Methodologies) and the situated ISD approach by constructing a simulated field situation to allow a conventionally-trained IS analyst to analyse the same case as had been previously analysed by applying the situated ISD methodology. We find that while the conventional approach focuses on articulated knowledge and observes the system under study with a detached stance, the situated approach includes tacit knowledge and recognises the importance of the environment. This is achieved through immersion in the system such that the situated analyst attempts to take the subject position of an actor in the system, while also maintaining some analytical distance.

Research paper thumbnail of An action-centred approach to conceptualising information support for routine work

In this paper, we continue our long-term project of developing a situated information systems ana... more In this paper, we continue our long-term project of developing a situated information systems analysis and design methodology, and present it as a radical alternative to conventional information systems analysis and design. Taking a situated approach entails focusing on action and a situated analysis and design methodology aims to increase efficiency and effectiveness through supporting routine action. We suggest that, as well as improving effectiveness and temporal efficiency, applying the situated methodology will result in less wasted human effort expended in search of information. We discuss the implications of an action focus for our conception of what an information system should be, and illustrate the application of the methodology with examples from a case study.

Research paper thumbnail of Analysing the Challenges for Large Public Libraries in the Twenty-first Century: A Case Study of the State Library of Victoria in Australia

First Monday, 2008

HOME ABOUT LOG IN REGISTER SEARCH CURRENT ARCHIVES SUBMISSIONS Home > Volume 13, Number 12 -1 Dec... more HOME ABOUT LOG IN REGISTER SEARCH CURRENT ARCHIVES SUBMISSIONS Home > Volume 13, Number 12 -1 December 2008 > Waller For large public libraries, the development of digital technologies poses challenges that have yet to be fully explored. While library sector rhetoric rightly imagines that digital technologies bring change to all aspects of library operations, it is not enough to focus on the technologies.

Research paper thumbnail of Investigating the epistemological stances implicit in ISAD approaches

Journal of Enterprise Information Management, 2008

Purpose – This paper aims to examine the differences in epistemological underpinnings of conventi... more Purpose – This paper aims to examine the differences in epistemological underpinnings of conventional information systems analysis and design (ISAD) approaches (such as structured system and analysis design methodologies) and a recently developed situated ISAD approach. Design/methodology/approach – This empirical investigation involved constructing a simulated field situation to allow a conventionally trained IS analyst to analyse the same case as

Research paper thumbnail of Developing a methodology for designing routine information systems based on the situational theory of action

Information systems are part of purposeful socio-technical systems and consequently theories of a... more Information systems are part of purposeful socio-technical systems and consequently theories of action may help in understanding them. Current systems analysis and design methodologies seem to have been influenced only by one particular theory of action, which asserts that action results from deliberation upon an abstract representation of the world. Many disciplines have discussed an alternative 'situational' theory of action. There is no design methodology that fully supports designing systems reflecting the situational theory of action. The aim of this paper is to describe the motivation for, and progress to date of research-in-progress developing a design methodology based on concepts from the situational theory of action. This methodology for designing situational information systems is being iteratively refined using a combination of case studies and action research. This project is significant because many information systems fail in pressured routine environments where we would argue that the situational theory of action provides a better description of purposeful activity.

Research paper thumbnail of An empirical investigation of the epistemological assumptions underlying two ISD approaches

A situated information systems design (ISD) methodology for supporting routine work is being iter... more A situated information systems design (ISD) methodology for supporting routine work is being iteratively developed and refined. Driven from a different theory of action from conventional ISD methodologies we have reason to believe that the new methodology assumes a different epistemological stance. As pointed out by there has been very little examination of epistemological assumptions implicit in ISD methodologies. Consequently, in this paper we address the differences in epistemological assumptions of the conventional ISD approaches (such as Structured System and Analysis Design Methodologies) and the situated ISD approach by constructing a simulated field situation to allow a conventionally-trained IS analyst to analyse the same case as had been previously analysed by applying the situated ISD methodology. We find that while the conventional approach focuses on articulated knowledge and observes the system under study with a detached stance, the situated approach includes tacit knowledge and recognises the importance of the environment. This is achieved through immersion in the system such that the situated analyst attempts to take the subject position of an actor in the system, while also maintaining some analytical distance.

Research paper thumbnail of An action-centred approach to conceptualising information support for routine work

In this paper, we continue our long-term project of developing a situated information systems ana... more In this paper, we continue our long-term project of developing a situated information systems analysis and design methodology, and present it as a radical alternative to conventional information systems analysis and design. Taking a situated approach entails focusing on action and a situated analysis and design methodology aims to increase efficiency and effectiveness through supporting routine action. We suggest that, as well as improving effectiveness and temporal efficiency, applying the situated methodology will result in less wasted human effort expended in search of information. We discuss the implications of an action focus for our conception of what an information system should be, and illustrate the application of the methodology with examples from a case study.

Research paper thumbnail of Analysing the Challenges for Large Public Libraries in the Twenty-first Century: A Case Study of the State Library of Victoria in Australia

First Monday, 2008

HOME ABOUT LOG IN REGISTER SEARCH CURRENT ARCHIVES SUBMISSIONS Home > Volume 13, Number 12 -1 Dec... more HOME ABOUT LOG IN REGISTER SEARCH CURRENT ARCHIVES SUBMISSIONS Home > Volume 13, Number 12 -1 December 2008 > Waller For large public libraries, the development of digital technologies poses challenges that have yet to be fully explored. While library sector rhetoric rightly imagines that digital technologies bring change to all aspects of library operations, it is not enough to focus on the technologies.