Jussi Koskinen , Jarmo J. Ahonen, Irja Kankaanpää, Heikki Lintinen, Henna Sivula & Tero Tilus

Checklist-based information system change decision making support method

Proceedings of the 13th European Conference on Information Technology Evaluation (ECITE 2006), Academic Conferences Ltd.

Abstract

Decisions regarding large-scale changes and selection of evolution strategies of information systems (IS) are economically very important. There is a clear need to support the quality of these decisions. This requires supporting verification of the completeness of issues considered relevant to well-grounded decisions. Enabling systematic decision process and recording of the central issues also supports evaluation of the decisions. This paper represents a method called VERDE (Verified Decision) for addressing these issues. It includes an extensive, hierarchical checklist for supporting the decision making at the desired level of details. The method has been developed based on software engineering literature and empirical data. Empirical observations within software industry have clearly suggested that such relatively easy-to-use method is needed. Empirical data has been gathered from software industry regarding modernizations of large-scale legacy systems. The paper describes the basis of the method, presents its structure, and its testing based on multiple inspections and an industrial case study. The method and the case study cover issues regarding identification of the IS change background factors, evaluation of the current system, objectives of the change, IS change as such, evaluation of the target system, argumentation, recording and follow-up. It is concluded that VERDE provides a way to heed many of the issues to be addressed during evaluation and improvement of industrial decision making concerning IS changes.

Keywords: evaluation methods, industrial decision making, software evolution

Updated: Sept. 17, 2011 by Jussi Koskinen.