AN ALTERNATIVE DESIGN MODEL FOR BUILDING ELECTRONIC PERFORMANCE SUPPORT SYSTEMS

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AN ALTERNATIVE DESIGN MODEL FOR BUILDING
ELECTRONIC PERFORMANCE SUPPORT SYSTEMS

• Kursat Cagiltay
• Instructional Systems Technology and
• Cognitive Science
• Indiana University
• July 15, 2002

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What is EPSS?

• EPSS is
• a computer based (electronic),
• user controlled and easy to use system that
  provides support at the moment it is needed
  (right time),
• presents relevant (right type) and
• context-focused (right amount) information that
  the performer needs,
• in the real work environment (right place)
• Components of EPSS
• Database
• Tools
• Instructional component
• Expert system

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Why do we need a D/D model?

• EPSSs are significantly different from
  instructional systems.
• Main focus is performing rather than learning
• EPSS is used while doing the actual job, not
  beforehand
• No need to follow a predetermined sequence
• Especially the focus on the "work process" makes
  the design and development of an EPSS quite
  different than the traditional models of
  instructional design. (Witt Wager, 1994 Cole
  et al.,1997 Cote, 2000)
• There is a broad consensus that there is a lack
  of EPSS design and development models (Gustafson,
  1993 Gustafson, 2000 Milheim, 1997 Laffey,
  1995 Rosenberg, Coscarelli Hutchison, 1999)

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Research Questions

• Given that the traditional models of
  instructional development are inappropriate for
  EPSS development, what are the primary
  distinctive characteristics of an effective and
  efficient EPSS design and development process?
• What should an effective and efficient design
  model incorporate for the development of an
  effective and efficient EPSS?

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Methodology

• Multiple case studies
• Formative research methodology (Reigeluth
  Frick, 1999)
• Naturalistic case study
• Cases are not specifically designed according to
  the theory
• Cases are analyzed to see the failing points and
  valuable elements
• Two major types of naturalistic formative
  research procedures
• In vivo (during the process) and
• Post facto (after the process)
• Research process

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Methodology

• Cases
• A higher educational setting (in-vivo,
  post-facto)
• A car manufacturing company (post-facto and
  in-vivo)
• A telecommunications company (in-vivo)

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Methodology

• Data collection
• Observations
• In-vivo only
• Interviews
• D/D team members, end-users, managers
• Document Analysis
• Web-sites, reports, e-mail logs, proposals
• Data Analysis
• Continuous and iterative
• Explored similarities and differences among the
  cases
• Looked for social, political and technical
  aspects of the EPSS design/development, and
  process related issues

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Results The Underlying Principles of the Model

• Principles related to social issues
• Identify and develop awareness and need for EPSS
• Understand political/cultural characteristics and
  history of the organization and the stakeholders
• For active involvement establish good
  communication strategies
• Explore and create mechanisms to increase
  motivation for active involvement

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Results The Underlying Principles of the Model

• Principles related to technical issues
• Form a team with technically competent members
• Focus on compatibility, portability and
  standardization of the EPSS
• Make early decisions about the best technology
  needs
• Design a seamless Performer-EPSS-Interaction
  environment (Human-Computer-Interaction)
• Manage content and information overflow
• Get help from the Information Systems discipline

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Results The Underlying Principles of the Model

• Principles related to process issues
• Follow a dynamic EPSS design/development process
• Form a multi-skilled/multi-disciplined team
• Create shared vision and make sure everybody
  believes it
• Forecast risks in advance and develop a risk
  management mechanism

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Two general patterns were observed

• Cases were developed for complex socio-technical
  organizational environments, and the D/D
  processes have shown a dynamic nature.
• Throughout the entire D/D process, the team
  members had to make changes and revisions of
  their plans to overcome problems adaptive
• The proposed EPSS D/D model is based on the 14
  principles. It reflects these two patterns and
  received its name from them

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Adaptive Dynamic EPSS Model ADEM

• ADEM includes
• people/organization,
• the technology that supports them, and
• the processes that tie them all together with an
  emphasis on peopleware (soft) issues
• The focus was more on the generic design process,
  with the major components that reflect the
  patterns of design activities carried out by EPSS
  designers in the field.
• The ADEM is a framework for portraying overall
  EPSS design and development. Shows more
  descriptive model characteristics than a
  step-by-step, prescriptive one

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Two Foundations of the ADEM

• The development of the ADEM was helped by Chaos
  Theory.
• Kellert (1993) defines Chaos Theory as,
  qualitative study of unstable aperiodic behavior
  in deterministic nonlinear dynamical systems (p.
  2)
• Information System (IS) development and EPSS
  development have many similarities, so if one
  side of the ADEM stands on Chaos Theory, the
  other side is based on the IS discipline

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Conceptual Elements of Chaos

• Sensitive dependence on initial conditions
• Fractals Fractal implies recursion, patterns
  inside of patterns (feedback between parts or
  levels of the system )
• Strange Attractors (choices of behavior)
• It (and ADEM) originates from nature
• How?

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Visual representation of the ADEM inspired from
fractal geometry
Mandelbrot-Julia set fractal
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Recursion Patterns inside patterns
Mandelbrot-Julia set fractal
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ADEM General Process Layout
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ADEM Feedback Mechanism

• Classical negative feedback mechanisms makes the
  system resistant to change
• ADEM has a positive feedback mechanism or the
  learning loop approach
• Such loops make a system open to change
• The growth of knowledge during the overall
  process makes learning loops or positive feedback
  possible

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The Process of the ADEM

• Through increments of several iterations
• Increments occur concurrently
• Change is seen to be normal
• Time or schedule-based phases
• time-boxing

Adapted form Highsmith (2000)
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Time-Boxes

• ADEM approaches the D/D process with a timeline
  lifecycle policy (time-boxing).
• Major time-boxes are
• Pre-project time-box Feasibility, speculation
• Take-off time-box Planning Design
• Rising time-box Development
• Destination time-box Implementation maintenance

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Pre-project time-box

• Feasibility Mindset study Speculation
• Methodological decisions
• Is EPSS the right solution? Go, no-go.
• Major Outcomes
• Vision statement
• Risk management plan
• Major issues
• Organization type, support, motivation
  mechanisms, communication, vision, risks,
  technology, information resources

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Take-off time-box

• Analysis Design
• Functional structural requirements of the EPSS
  are determined
• Analysis framework uses Checklands SSM CATWOE
  analysis
• Based on the analysis, activities and time-boxes
  are determined. Time mgmt. policy!
• Major issues
• Organizational environment, iterative process,
  participatory design, technical decisions,
  multiple perspectives, positive feedback

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Rising time-box

• Development
• Based on the blueprint of the previous stage
• Concurrent component engineering
• Incorporates multiple perspectives (social,
  technical, organizational)
• Results driving approach (goal quality products)
• Development is not finished - it evolves
• Major issues
• Multidisciplinary collaboration, short cycles,
  learning from mistakes, active participation

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Destination time-box

• Implementation Moving to real-life environment
• Input from more and more users
• Analysis and design still continue
• As soon as the design is implemented, its
  consequences indicate the need for redesign
  Cherns (1976)
• Weakest part of the ADEM No cases reached it
• Major issues
• Political and cultural issues, communication,
  reward mechanisms

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Model Summary
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Discussion

• Is it safe to use the ADEM?
• Answer is Yes Needs good planning and careful
  work
• Does it need more work?
• Answer is Yes Needs to be critically evaluated
  and improved
• Hard to use it?
• Yes, but simple solutions work for simple
  problems
• The model itself needs to be improved in dynamic
  and adaptive way

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Limitations

• Three cases were investigated
• Identifying the underlying detailed steps of the
  ADEM was beyond the scope of this study. They can
  be addressed in future studies
• The principles are tentative, guidelines are not
  widely tested, and the model has not been applied
  in any real case

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Future Research

• Further research on Chaos Theory is needed for
  EPSS D/D.
• A strong bridge definitely should be established
  between IS and EPSS research.
• Detailed guidelines need to be developed for the
  phases and the implementation phase needs to be
  made clearer

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Questions?