Adapting soft systems methodology for strategic information systems planning: An action research study in a non-profit organisation in Australia

Non-profit organisations provide a large number of services of public interest and play an important role in the Australian society and economy. These organisations can very often improve or expand the services they provide to the public through the implementation of appropriate information systems...

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Main Authors: Bhattacharjya, Jyotirmoyee, Venable, John
Format: Conference Paper
Published: Australasian Association for Information Systems 2006
Subjects:
Online Access:http://aisel.aisnet.org/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1012&context=acis2006
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/38835
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author Bhattacharjya, Jyotirmoyee
Venable, John
author_facet Bhattacharjya, Jyotirmoyee
Venable, John
author_sort Bhattacharjya, Jyotirmoyee
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Non-profit organisations provide a large number of services of public interest and play an important role in the Australian society and economy. These organisations can very often improve or expand the services they provide to the public through the implementation of appropriate information systems and technologies. Effective choice and implementation of IS and IT benefits from undertaking strategic information systems planning (SISP). This study investigates the adaptation and use of Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) to conduct an SISP process in a non-profit organisation. SSM is a flexible methodology, based on systems thinking, which can be adapted to a particular organisational situation and is capable of taking into account the internal and external social and political contexts of an organisation. The study shows that SSM can be successfully adapted to suit the culture and situation of a non-profit organisation. Adaptations made included ways in which the IS planner interacted with organisational stakeholders and the addition of CSF, SWOT, problematiques, use cases, and a specialised form of CATWOE and Root Definitions. The study showed that the adapted form of the SSM for SISP process can be utilised effectively for SISP, was found to be valuable by organisational stakeholders, and provided help in renewing the focus on improving services to the community through the use of technology.
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institution Curtin University Malaysia
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publishDate 2006
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-388352017-01-30T14:26:32Z Adapting soft systems methodology for strategic information systems planning: An action research study in a non-profit organisation in Australia Bhattacharjya, Jyotirmoyee Venable, John Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) non-profit organisation (NPO) Strategic Information Systems Planning (SISP) Non-profit organisations provide a large number of services of public interest and play an important role in the Australian society and economy. These organisations can very often improve or expand the services they provide to the public through the implementation of appropriate information systems and technologies. Effective choice and implementation of IS and IT benefits from undertaking strategic information systems planning (SISP). This study investigates the adaptation and use of Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) to conduct an SISP process in a non-profit organisation. SSM is a flexible methodology, based on systems thinking, which can be adapted to a particular organisational situation and is capable of taking into account the internal and external social and political contexts of an organisation. The study shows that SSM can be successfully adapted to suit the culture and situation of a non-profit organisation. Adaptations made included ways in which the IS planner interacted with organisational stakeholders and the addition of CSF, SWOT, problematiques, use cases, and a specialised form of CATWOE and Root Definitions. The study showed that the adapted form of the SSM for SISP process can be utilised effectively for SISP, was found to be valuable by organisational stakeholders, and provided help in renewing the focus on improving services to the community through the use of technology. 2006 Conference Paper http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/38835 http://aisel.aisnet.org/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1012&context=acis2006 Australasian Association for Information Systems fulltext
spellingShingle Soft Systems Methodology (SSM)
non-profit organisation (NPO)
Strategic Information Systems Planning (SISP)
Bhattacharjya, Jyotirmoyee
Venable, John
Adapting soft systems methodology for strategic information systems planning: An action research study in a non-profit organisation in Australia
title Adapting soft systems methodology for strategic information systems planning: An action research study in a non-profit organisation in Australia
title_full Adapting soft systems methodology for strategic information systems planning: An action research study in a non-profit organisation in Australia
title_fullStr Adapting soft systems methodology for strategic information systems planning: An action research study in a non-profit organisation in Australia
title_full_unstemmed Adapting soft systems methodology for strategic information systems planning: An action research study in a non-profit organisation in Australia
title_short Adapting soft systems methodology for strategic information systems planning: An action research study in a non-profit organisation in Australia
title_sort adapting soft systems methodology for strategic information systems planning: an action research study in a non-profit organisation in australia
topic Soft Systems Methodology (SSM)
non-profit organisation (NPO)
Strategic Information Systems Planning (SISP)
url http://aisel.aisnet.org/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1012&context=acis2006
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/38835