Background
In this discussion, your group will continue to analyze “Implementation of OpChart in West Medical Building.”
Your analysis process will include, at a minimum, the development of a model of the organization’s work system in the case using one of the theories, exploration of the goals and objectives of the technology and for the organization, identification of the issues/problems, and exploration of how the interactions between attributes of the model are related to socio-technical issues/problems. This forum has three threads, one for each line of inquiry.
Socio-technical Model
For your analysis, analyze the OpChart case using Task-Technology Fit Model, Technology Acceptance Model, or Fit between Individuals, Task and Technology Framework (FITT).
Analysis
In module 1, you learned how to state a problem, how many issues can be related to a problem, and how social and technical attributes can interact to cause those issues. In module 2, we explore some models/frameworks related to specific problems. Understanding these models/frameworks can help us understand these problems better.
Your goal for this discussion should NOT be to summarize the readings in your discussion posts. You should demonstrate your ability to identify and address specific problems using TTF, TAM, or FITT. You should be able to conceptualize the work system using socio-technical attributes of the models/frameworks, identify goals and objectives of technology and organizational initiatives, conceptualize socio-technical issues/problems, and explore how interactions between the constructs promote or impede the achievement of the goals and objectives.
Initial Posts
Each group member is expected to post an initial post in each thread; therefore, you should have three initial posts. There are no minimum or maximum word requirements. Your posts will be evaluated on the completeness and strength of your argument. Your posts should demonstrate that you understand how to conduct the different steps of the analysis.
The initial post for the problem statement should be posted on Day 1 of the discussion. The remaining initial posts should be posted by the end of Day 3 of the discussion. Dates are provided in the course calendar.
Discussion
In addition to the initial posts, you should also critically review the other initial posts. Clarify any confusion. Include an additional point to consider or correct a mistake or misunderstanding. Your response should not be dominated by summarizing any initial post, including your own. Each response post should be a fully supported argument. Posts that are not substantive or incomplete arguments will not be counted as a reply post.
Explore these issues with your groups. Try to develop as much context as you can about the problems.
You must post at least two replies in each thread, for a total of 6 reply posts.
Grading
Engagement
The minimum level of engagement is 3 initial posts (one for each thread) and 6 reply posts (2 for each thread) for a total of 9 posts in this discussion. Because it is a discussion, the expectation is that you participate regularly while the discussion is open. Regular participation means posting reply posts on days 2-5 of the discussion. If the vast majority of your replies occur on days 4 and 5 of the discussion, your engagement will be considered low.
Analysis
The quality of your analysis will be the bulk of your grade. Through your 3 initial posts and 6 reply posts, you should demonstrate that you understand how to frame socio-technical problem, conceptualize a complex work system using socio-technical model, and recognize how issues related to social and technical factors. The initial posts show that your own analysis skills and your replies show the depth of your understanding by evaluating and improving others’ analyses.
Practice Case Study
Hoot, N. R., & Sanders, D. L. (2005). Implementation of OpChart in West Medical Building. In N. M. Lorenzi, J. S. Ash, J. Einbinder, W.McPhee, L. Einbinder (Eds.), Transforming Health Care through Information (pp. 81-91). New York: Springer. Download Hoot & Sanders Case
DISCUSSION A
1. UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM
After reading the case, what problem needs to be addressed? You should show that you can define a specific problem relevant to one of the models and understand the problem from a socio-technical perspective. As a group, you should edit each other’s problems and contribute comments to refine the problem statement to reflect socio-technical systems thinking. You do not need to reach a consensus and agree on a single problem statement because there are many ways to see the problem, but if you all agree on the same problem at the end of the discussion, that is fine, too.
Graphic 1: Fit between individuals, task, technology and environment (FITTE) Framework
Graphic 2: Technology Acceptance Model
Graphic 3: Task-Technology Fit Theory
Initial Post: Choose TTF, TAM, or FITT to analyze the case. Write a problem statement describing the case’s problem per your chosen model/framework. Be as specific as possible; define the problem. For instance. if you want to use TTF, your problem statement must be more than stating “poor performance.” A stronger problem statement will explain what performance is sub-standard and explain what performance is expected. You do NOT need to summarize the case or any of the readings. By the end of the discussion, each student should edit their original problem statement to reflect what he/she thinks the final problem statement should be.
Reply Posts: Contribute at LEAST two replies to this thread.
DISCUSSION B
2. Conceptualize the Work System
In this step, you, as a group, will build a socio-technical model of the organization in the case per your chosen model/framework. You are identifying data you will use for the analysis in the next step.
Graphic 1: Fit between individuals, task, technology and environment (FITTE) Framework
Graphic 2: Technology Acceptance Model
Graphic 3: Task-Technology Fit Theory
Initial Post: Each student should contribute two attributes for each construct (every box in the model). The case may not have all the attributes you want. If that is the case, list it as an attribute you want to know more about. Explain why each attribute is important data to have for this analysis. Describe the work environment. Do not classify the issues using the models.
Reply Posts: Contribute at LEAST two replies. Would you reframe an attribute and express it differently? Would you move an attribute to another construct? Why do you think an attribute belongs in a construct?
DISCUSSION C
3. Explore the Interactions
In step 1, you defined the problem. In step 2, you conceptualized the work system. In this step, look at the data you collected in step 2. Discuss how interactions (between two specific attributes that you defined in the 2nd step) in the work system promote or impede achieving the goals and objectives. Be specific. For example, your discussion should be more specific than talking about how clinicians need to fit with the user interface because….. Explore specific attributes of a specific clinician (which you find in the case) and how they do not match.
Graphic 1: Fit between individuals, task, technology and environment (FITTE) Framework
Graphic 2: Technology Acceptance Model
Graphic 3: Task-Technology Fit Theory
Initial Post: Discuss how interactions (between two specific attributes that you defined in the 2nd step) in the work system impede the achievement of the goals and objectives. You should discuss 2 interactions and explain how the interaction is related to your problem. Be specific. For example, your discussion should be more specific than exploring how Clinicians need to fit with the user interface because….. Explore specific attributes of a specific clinician (which you find in the case) and how they do not match. It is also insufficient to say that the problem was that the developers did not engage the end user, so it did not meet the users’ needs. 1) Which users and what were their attributes? What were the technology’s attributes? 2) That problem is why users are not adopting the technology, performing at the required level, or accepting the technology. You should look at larger issues related to the organization’s project goals.
Reply Posts: Post at least 2 replies to your group mate’s initial posts.