Article Preview
TopThe EMIS field has extensively incorporated the perspective of final users in both, the design and evaluation of their tools (Hiltz et al., 2009). This can be observed on the considerable inclusion of qualitative approaches for the analysis of workflows and information requirements for specific work and organizational contexts. Socio-technical context analysis (Harnesk, Lindström, & Samuelsson, 2009), case-based analysis (Pau & Simonsen, 2009), and action-research (Raman, Ryan, Jennex, & Olfman, 2009) are examples of some of the specific qualitative approaches that have been used for the design of EMIS. Qualitative methods have also been used to assess the effectiveness of new information systems once incorporated in daily work practices, determining whether expectations about the EMIS were fulfilled or not. Evaluation of prototypes in participatory design (Büscher, Mogensen, & Kristensen, 2009), participant observations of the system-in-use during simulations with real users (Trnka, Kemper, & Schneiderbauer, 2009), field reports on the use of existing information technologies (Howe, Jennex, Bressler, & Frost, 2009), and interviews with users on the use of tools (Gryszkiewicz, 2009) are all examples of uses of these methodologies for EMIS evaluation.