EIS information requirements determination: Using a group support system to enhance the strategic business objectives method

Abstract Executive information systems (EIS) provide executives with easy access to high-level strategic information about a firm's current status. The potential of EIS is reflected in a growing list of success stories. Unfortunately, more EIS fail than succeed. Among the reasons for EIS failure is the inability to develop systems that meet executive needs. The strategic business objectives (SBO) method has previously been suggested to meet this challenge. The SBO method takes an organization-wide view of EIS information requirements by identifying and linking business objectives related to the strategic business objectives of the organization. The method relies on effective communication between EIS executive users and EIS developers. The SBO method can be enhanced by group support systems (GSS). GSS support a variety of group activities, including communication, planning, and decision making. Group activities within the SBO method that benefit from GSS support are identified and matched with GSS software tools and procedures. Advantages and disadvantages of this approach are discussed.

[1]  Jay F. Nunamaker,et al.  Information Technology to Support Electronic Meetings , 1988, MIS Q..

[2]  R. Kelly Rainer,et al.  Executive Information Systems: A Framework for Development and a Survey of Current Practices , 1991, MIS Q..

[3]  Hugh J. Watson,et al.  SIM Competition Paper: The Management Information and Decisin Support (MIDS) System at Lockheed-Georgia , 1987, MIS Q..

[4]  G. Houdeshel Selecting information for an EIS: experiences at Lockheed-Georgia , 1990, Twenty-Third Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences.

[5]  John R. Valusek,et al.  Information requirements determination: obstacles within, among and between participants , 1985, SIGCPR '85.

[6]  Surya B. Yadav,et al.  Determining an organization's information requirements: a state of the art survey , 1983, DATB.

[7]  Roger K. Mosvick,et al.  We'Ve Got to Start Meeting Like This!: A Guide to Successful Business Meeting Management , 1986 .

[8]  Hugh J. Watson,et al.  Executive information systems , 1992 .

[9]  Gordon B. Davis,et al.  Strategies for Information Requirements Determination , 1982, IBM Syst. J..

[10]  Hugh J. Watson,et al.  The Strategic Business Objectives Method for Guiding Executive Information Systems Development , 1990, J. Manag. Inf. Syst..

[11]  J. F. Rockart,et al.  The CEO goes on-line , 1989 .

[12]  John F. Rockart,et al.  Executive Support Systems: The Emergence of Top Management Computer Use , 1988 .

[13]  Hugh J. Watson,et al.  Determining Information Requirements for an EIS , 1993, MIS Q..

[14]  Jay F. Nunamaker,et al.  Electronic meeting systems , 1991, CACM.

[15]  Alan Paller,et al.  The Eis Book: Information Systems for Top Managers , 1990 .