Define Maintenance and End User Resistance and Involvement

Maintenance

Once a system is fully implemented and being operated by end users, the maintenance function begins. System maintenance is and the monitoring, evaluating, modifying of operational information systems to make desirable or necessary improvements. The maintenance function includes

A post implementation review process to ensure that newly implemented systems meet the systems development requirements established earlier.

Correcting errors in the development or use of a system. This includes a periodic review or audit of a system to ensure that it is operating properly and meeting its objectives.

Making modifications to a system due to changes in the business organization or the business environment.

End User Resistance and Involvement

In information technology, the term end user is used to distinguish the person for whom a hardware or software product is designed from the developers, installers, and servicers of the product. The “end” part of the term probably derives from the fact that most information technologies involve a chain of interconnected product components at the end of which is the “user.” Frequently, complex products require the involvement of other-than-end users such as installers, administrators, and system operators. The term end user thus distinguishes the user for which the product is designed from other users who are making the product possible for the end user.

End-user’s resistance to information technology (IT) is a common occurrence when new information systems are implemented and can greatly contribute to failure of newly implemented systems (Adams, Berner & Wyatt, 2004). IT systems have become larger and more complex. They involve large sets of challenges that impact organizations and people on many levels. Overcoming these challenges is not only essential but it is a must for a successful IT project. Human factors contribute to some of the most important issues that play a part in a project’s success or failure. One of the indicators of a successful IT project is determined by how much it is used by its users.

End-user resistance could be a result of various factors such as innate resistance to change, lack of involvement in the development and implementation processes, lack of management support, poor technical quality which makes the system appear “unfriendly”, inadequate or improper training, unclear benefits of the new system, lack of user support and poor interaction between the designers and users.

A number of strategies that could be used for dealing with end-user resistance, such as

End-user support Some examples of end-user support involve helping users with internally developed or purchased applications, helping them with hardware use or problems and providing support for work performed on a computer.

Participation Some examples of user participation include leadership of project team, participating in cost and benefit evaluation, defining requirements, evaluating system prototypes and performing user acceptance testing.

Communication Communication can take place in several forms such as oral, written and non-verbal. Some examples of communication are newsletters, e-mails, notice boards, making information available on the intranet and direct face-to-face meetings.

Training Some examples of training include conceptual training (presenting end-users with an overview of how the system is organized and how it works), procedural training (involves explaining to end- users how to use specific set of the system functionality), self-taught (involves end-users learning a new system by themselves by means of trial and discovery), just-in-time (training occurs just prior to implementation of the new information system) and staged training (involves breaking up training into smaller training sessions).

Consultant involvement on a project IT consultants serve as a catalyst for change by influencing a client’s IT decisions. They can help to implement applications successfully and ensure that users adapt to new changes

Research shows that IT project managers use all identified strategies on their IT projects; various forms of communication, end-user participation and support have been rated as the most frequently used strategies; and, IT project managers rated end-user participation and communication strategies as the most effective for dealing with end-user resistance.