Participant Values in System Development

Abstract

<p>A value is the concept of the desirable. If those who develop information systems and those who use information systems have different values, the value gap can lead to serious consequences. Two methods are developed and tested in this thesis to measure the value systems of developers, users and other participants in the information system development process: one based on a personal value questionaire (PVQ) and the other based on multi-attribute value theory (MAVT).</p> <p>A framework for information systems (IS) relevant values was developed to enumerate and organize the values to be measured into three groups: economic, technical and socio-political-psychological.</p> <p>There were 86 values enumerated, which were used in the PVQ method to survey 132 system developers and 47 47 system users in 13 firms. Developers and users were found to have similar values with respect to economic and technological items but sharply differing values in the socio-political-psychological group.</p> <p>A condensed set of items consisting of two economic, five technological and four socio-political items, were organized in a hierarchical struture, for the MAVT method. Preference conditions were assessed and values were measured using the rating scale approach. Three subjects were interviewed in depth; two produced additive multi-attribute value functions, while one produced a multiplicative function</p>