ExTEND

Engineering of service systems for user-generated services

Current software implementation projects often fail. They do so due to low levels of actual system use, due to not reaching intended use scenarios and effects, due to user frustration or due to lacking awareness of overall software implementation project necessity and change management, which ultimately result in organizational change.

These issues can be traced back to the “over-technical” orientation of software implementation projects. Since information systems are socio-technical artifacts, the imbalanced orientation leads to losing potential key users, who are essential for the entire implementation success.

Furthermore, there is a high risk of mismatching top-down defined goals and bottom-up needs and requirements. Additionally, unsuccessful projects are plagued by low user involvement during the actual implementation phase, which in turn leads to less motivated users and not tapping into the potentially vast pool of knowledge of its user base. 

Therefore, interactive co-creation of value is key if one needs to ensure that bottom-up needs are covered by top-down approaches, as well as to increase the likelihood of actual user acceptance and increased benefit potentials.

The joint research project ExTEND aims to create a holistic implementation and change management for software implementation projects. Hence, projects that follow the ExTEND approach interactively co-create organizational change and aim to continuously involve intended behavioral changes with their operations. Through incorporating both a piloting method, as well as a modular service architecture, the results gained from ExTEND facilitate transferability into different organizational contexts and processes. 

The research focus of Kassel University within ExTEND lies on analyzing and testing new forms of problem-oriented solutions in the context of software implementation and service systems. Therefore, we emphasize both creating an incentive system, while referring to respective activation elements and designing a motivationally structured service system. 

From a design and development perspective, we focus on creating two reusable service building blocks: The first service is a “Crowd-Support” that actively integrates domain and work specific knowledge into implementation support. The second service is to create “Learning-Nuggets”, which are bundled packages of learning materials, such as tutorials or advanced vocational training units that address highly contextual processes. Through involving users early on, the risk of economic loss is greatly reduced, while increasing user acceptance.

Our method uses two main piloting phases in a real world scenario with our corporate project partners. This warrants deep contextual and domain specific insights, as well as highly relevant development and evaluation results. Moreover, this contributes to a more personalized development of our piloting method and modular service architecture.

The ExTEND project (http://projekt-extend.de/) is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research and supported by the Project Management Agency PTKA (Projektträger Karlsruhe am Karlsruher Institut für Technologie/KIT).

Promotional Reference: 02K14A172

• Christoph Peters