Creating “informating” systems using Agile development practices: an action research study

ABSTRACT We use action research to understand the concepts of automating and informating, and study whether agile development practices could be an enabler of informating functionalities. Two questions based on these contrasts and connections motivate this research. Our first research question is: What are the characteristics of an informating functionality and how does an informating functionality differ from an automating functionality? Our second research question is: What role could agile practices play in the development of informating functionalities? In this paper, we discuss the actions, reflections and lessons learned from three action research iterations while developing an admissions application for a business college.

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