Aim: Working ideally in groups of three, students will compare and analyse three socio-technical systems of a similar genre, and make recommendations.
Scenario: Imagine you are part of an organization that wishes to adopt a new (for them) socio-technical product, and has to choose between available options, e.g. Massey University could be unhappy with its current WebCT system, and want to compare three online learning systems like WebCT, WebBoard or Moodle in order to adopt a new one. Clearly this will involve a considerable business investment, both of money and time, so it is very important to get it right. It is your job to recommend a system, with reasons.
Details: This
assignment involves:
1) Introduction. Choose three different products from an STS genre (20%) – possibilities could include information management systems, human expression systems, interpersonal relation systems (social networks), group interaction systems, trade and business systems, health support systems, learning support systems, online virtual worlds or even anti-social systems. Define the genre in general terms, e.g. by the need it aims to satisfy. Provide a long list of systems of this genre, giving name, link, and home page screen shot. Select your short list of three from these to be as different as possible within the same market.
2)
Define the
human/social processes/requirements (20%)– what are the human/social
need(s) relevant to this genre? Why
do people use such systems? Describe the human/social process(es) that express these needs. To illustrate, give comparable
non-computing examples. Reference previous research (use non-computing
sources like psychology or business). For example, email supports the human
need to converse. The process of conversing involves introductions, turn-based
interaction and mutual choice. Non-computer examples of conversations are
face-to-face, telephone and posted letters, with the latter most similar to
email (as it is asynchronous).
3) Review and compare technical functions/features (20%) – use the system's menus or toolbars to create a categorized list of the main functions and tools of each system. Compare differences and similarities between the systems in terms of technical features. Reference other published reviews that you use.
4) Socio-technical analysis (20%)
i) For each human/social process, list the user tasks that connect to it, i.e. the typical tasks users want to do when they use this system (e.g. an email task is to organize mail, find previous mail, send mail, etc).
ii) For each user task, name the system functions that enable it (e.g. people organize email using New Folder to create a new email folder). Summarize this analysis in a table for each system. Use these tables to analyse how well your think the technical functions of each system satisfy the social needs of its users (what people want) or not.
iii) Compare how the technology matches or differs from the non-computer examples you gave earlier. Note any socio-technical gaps (between what people want, or normally do, and what the technology does). Also note socio-technical gains (technology makes what people want to do easier), e.g. the email send function is easier than mailing a letter (a gain), but spam is an email problem (a gap). Another gain is easy addressing and another problem is email flaming.
iv) Based on the above analysis, compare the systems based on how their functions/features support the human or social process requirements of (i), like making friends, sharing experiences, trading, belonging to a group, having status, self-expression, helping others, keeping privacy, politeness, learning, etc. Rate the systems according to your estimate of their socio-technical performance (not just their technical performance).
5) Conclusions and Recommendations (15%). Provide a table that summarizes your main conclusions in comparing the systems. Based on this, recommend one of the systems, with reasons based upon your analysis. Also give some "suggestions for designers", of ideas of how the system could be improved, again with reasons (to be sent to the design company).
6) Well written. Final report must satisfy good writing quality requirements, with no spelling or grammar errors, logical argument, clear to understand, and has at least ten supporting references (documents referred to, not just links). Use the above structure. No abstract is needed. (up to 10% deduction)
Deliverables:
1. Submit a printed report at the beginning of the due class.
2. Also send as an email attachment to bwhitworth@acm.org WITH 729 ASG3 IN THE TITLE a cc copy to all group members.
3. Summarize and present your assessment using 3-8 slides in class, giving time for comments from the rest of the class. Print a copy of your slides, 6/page, for the instructor (5%).
Note that socio-technical systems combine social and technical features, so you should give reasons that combine social and technical concepts. Also note that you cannot use the email example.