Using Responsibility Modeling To Match Organizational Change To Changes In The Systems Development Process

M.R.Strens J. Chudge Centre for Software Reliability HUSAT Research Institute Bedson Building Loughborough University University of Newcastle Loughborough, LE11 3TU, UK Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, UK Now at: [email protected] chudge%[email protected]

process modeling methods which are largely Abstract concerned, not unexpectedly, with process Changes to an established software system issues using models of data, activities, roles and development process are made for many their interactions. We propose that an reasons. We describe the use of responsibility approach based on responsibilities is modeling as an aid to identifying the particularly suited to this problem since it can organizational changes needed if changes to provide an understanding of organizational the software systems development process are structures when the structure of the human to be implemented successfully within the system is complex and not well understood organizational context. even by the people operating within it. Responsibility Modeling Introduction Responsibility modeling has been used to The problem of changing requirements in analyze various aspects of a socio-technical the development of large-scale, embedded system where the ‘technical’ part of the safety-critical systems was addressed by the system is an Information System that is placed Proteus project (a UK DTI/EPSRC SafeIT in a social setting [2-6]. It was developed as project) by attempting to understand the the basis of its modeling language by the nature of requirements and change within the ORDIT project [2,3,4], which aimed to develop specific organizational context of two large a methodology that would enable systems aerospace companies [1]. designers to reason about organizational goals, The project identified a broad range of policies and structures, and the work roles of strategies and tactics that are successful for intended end users in a way that would managing requirements change, but facilitate the identification and expression of recognized that their introduction to an organizational requirements for IT systems. established development process in terms of Models based on responsibilities are used to new systems development processes, methods discuss human requirements of socio-technical and tools would entail making changes to the systems, and to demonstrate how these are established development process. It was linked to the technical features of the system acknowledged that any attempt to make these design. Use of the ORDIT modeling method changes without taking full account of the has however been extended beyond the organizational context would be likely to fail. bounds of requirements definition, and has Furthermore it was evident that organizational been used to construct and evaluate future changes would usually be needed to socio-technical scenarios that demonstrate new accommodate the changes to the technical and forms of work organization and new socio- business processes if these changes were to be technical opportunities [5]. introduced successfully. (The term Responsibility models have also been ‘organizational’ is being used here as a developed as a technique that designers can blanket term for organizational and social use to make more reliable predictions about concerns.) the likely acceptance or rejection of systems The problem of defining the organizational [6]. This approach makes the assumption that changes needed and matching them to the users will accept a system that supports their proposed changes in the technical system is perceived responsibilities. unlikely to be facilitated by standard business Responsibility modeling has several describe the responsibilities that agents advantages over other enterprise modeling (individuals or groups) have to each other. techniques for our particular purpose. Firstly it These responsibility relationships thus describe provides a high level of abstraction. The duties the structure of an organization, while the that the responsibility holder must perform function of the organization is manifest in the (called ‘obligations’ in the ORDIT responsibilities held by each agent which terminology) describe what needs to be done define their work roles. to fulfill the responsibilities, but do not specify how this should be done in terms of specific Examples of use activities. This means that the model We have now extended the use of represents the underlying work structure rather responsibility modeling, as defined in the than the current way of working. The model ORDIT methodology, by applying it to the also has the property of combining the systems development process. This is another organizational structure with the business type of socio-technical system, where the process as it is in reality. technical part of the system (requirements and The key ORDIT modeling concepts are design processes) is enmeshed with an agents and their responsibilities [4]. The immediate human system (the workers) and a relationships that exist between agents embody wider organizational context. authorization and power structures and The following examples illustrate how

Project Boundary Client Supplier

Project Manager Project Manager Resp. for: Resp. for: - liaise with Supplier - liaise with Client - managing project - managing project

Technical Managers Technical Managers Resp. for: Resp. for: - e.g. all hardware - e.g. all hardware - impact analyses - impact analyses - project management team - managing teams

Senior S/W Engineers Resp. for: - co-ordinating team - allocating work - reporting to Tech. Man.

Programmers Resp. for: - programming

Figure 1. Responsibility diagram of the change management process. responsibility modeling can be used for However more stakeholders than are analyzing: a) a complex business process, b) immediately apparent may be involved in how changes to that process would impact on process improvement each with a different work roles and c) who are the stakeholders in viewpoint. For example, there are those who the change process and what are their main have responsibility for recommending concerns. improvements such as senior managers or Process analysis those with a special responsibility for process Responsibility modeling was used in several review. There are those whose primary of the case studies undertaken by the Proteus objective is getting the work done, not project within two large aerospace companies managing changing requirements, and there in order to analyze the change management are contract managers and change control process [7]. This process is complex and managers whose specific responsibility does permeates the whole systems development life- involve dealing with change but often by cycle in contrast to the clearly defined change trying to suppress it. A stakeholder analysis, control process. The change management based on responsibilities, provides an process was first represented as conversation awareness of the specific responsibilities on diagrams from which a generic responsibility which viewpoints depend, and helps to ensure diagram (figure 1) was produced showing the that decisions are made from the ‘right’ responsibilities of the people involved (the role viewpoint or on the basis of a consensus of all holders). This diagram highlights the the concerns suitably weighted according to traditional way in which the client-supplier the responsibilities involved in each. relationship is structured within each organizational hierarchy with all the Conclusions information being channeled through the Because responsibility modeling provides project managers making the change process the means of viewing an organization as a slow, inflexible and laborious. Further network of responsibilities that embodies responsibility diagrams were then used to organizational structure as well as function, an illustrate alternative ways of structuring client- integrated view of a socio-technical system can supplier relationships and communication be constructed. It is this integrated view that procedures such as a cross-organization provides the means of co-optimising network or project team structure. organizational and technical change during Impact analysis the process of changing the systems For a process improvement to be effective, development process. whether technical or organizational, it is vital that it is accepted and operated by the Acknowledgments employees who have to put it into practice. Any change in the way of working is usually The authors thank their colleagues at seen by role holders from a very personal Newcastle University and HUSAT Research view, i.e. what does it mean for them, how will Institute (Loughborough University) for their it affect their job, does it mean a higher contributions and acknowledge the support of workload, is training going to be required? Newcastle and Loughborough Universities and Responsibility models can be used to show of the DTI and EPSRC for the Proteus project. how new responsibilities may be added to some roles, how some existing responsibilities References may become redundant, or how entirely new 1. Sugden R.C. & Strens M.R., “Strategies, roles may be created. Tactics and Methods for Handling Stakeholder analysis Change”, Proceedings of the IEEE The need that was recognized by the Proteus International Symposium on Systems project for a means of evaluating and selecting Engineering and Computer Based Systems, new processes, methods and tools from the (ECBS) Friedrichshafen, Germany, 1996. viewpoint of their ability to handle unstable 2. Dobson J.E. & Strens M.R., "Organisational requirements was met by the development of Requirements Definition for Information sets of criteria on which to base decisions Technology Systems", Proceedings of the regarding changes to the systems development IEEE International Conference on process [1]. But these decisions regarding the Requirements Engineering (ICRE94), proposed changes must also be based on many Colorado Springs, April 1994. other relevant viewpoints and it is important 3. Dobson J.E., Blyth A.J.C., Chudge J. &. that they are made by the ‘right’ people. Strens M.R, "The ORDIT Approach to Organisational Requirements", in of Work and Organizational Psychology, Requirements Engineering: Social and 5(3), 1996. Technical Issues, ed M. Jirotka & J. A. 6. Harper R. & Newman W., “The Use of Goguen, Academic Press, London, 1994. Responsibility Models in System Design”, 4. 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