by M. David Orr, Orr & Associates/Usability Management
Reprinted from Usability Interface, Vol 5, No. 1, July 1998

At least one in three information systems projects fails, primarily due to user rejection. The Standish Group, a Massachusetts market research firm, conducted surveys in 1995 and 1996 of thousands of IS projects in the US and Europe. The results are alarming:

In 1995

• 31.1% of projects were canceled before they were even completed
• 52.7% of projects cost 189% of budget
• Only 16.2% of projects were completed on time and on budget

In 1996

• 27% succeeded
• 33% were troubled in some significant way
• 40% failed outright

Projects critical to the missions of business organizations fail, devastating operations as well as IS budgets. Other systems are created or purchased at great cost only to be underutilized or plagued with non-standard "work-arounds" that undermine the core efficiencies of the system.

Fortunately, many of these systems can be recovered. They are technically adequate and potentially usable. User’s perceptions that they are unusable can be changed¾ through a multifaceted intervention process that we call Mission Critical System Optimization.™

 The Challenge

Mission critical systems are often extremely complex, encompassing the functions of multiple departments and job descriptions. For example, an orders system at an engineering company might involve sales reps, design engineers, clerical, warehouse and

shipping people, marketing analysts, and various levels of management. Use of the system for a particular large order might span months or years.

Several common problems plague such a system:

• The system allows for so many exceptions that the basics of using the system effectively get lost.
• Users often fashion work-arounds to get their portions of the work done most easily, not realizing the impact on those using the system later in the process.
• Training is comprehensive rather than targeted by job function or occurs at times separated from required performance on the system.
• No one in management knows how people are really using the system.
• Huge disconnects exist between business processes and the system designed to serve those processes.

 Mission Critical System Optimization

Existing systems that are too entrenched or too expensive to be re-designed, can often be optimized by a multi-disciplined approach involving a combination of process mapping, cultural change, focused training, performance support systems, and documentation.

Finding the Base Path

The keystone of successful optimization is the identification of the base path¾ the simplest way of using the system to accomplish mission-critical tasks. Many systems are so complex in order to handle exceptions, that relatively simple and powerful pathways through the system are obscured. The base path can often allow users to accomplish 80% of their work with as little as 20% of system functionality.

Finding the base path requires process mapping using cross-departmental and cross-functional teams of users and systems experts. This whole process, including implementation of solutions, occurs in five phases:

Phase 1: Orientation
Consultant facilitators meet with management, support, training, and technical personnel to determine key system issues from their point of view. This phase helps to focus the information gathering that occurs in subsequent phases and to gather support for the optimization process.

Phase 2: Mapping How the System is Currently Being Used
A consultant facilitator leads a cross-departmental team of system end-users in mapping out how the system is currently being used, including work-arounds. The facilitator seeks to uncover non-standard practices that have impact on other areas of the system. Manual inputs, hand-offs, and outputs from the system are noted. Exceptions are noted, but attention is focused on the mainline pathways through the system. Disconnects between the underlying business process and the system are recorded.

This phase characteristically involves a fair amount of venting of user frustrations with the system. The facilitator has to allow for venting but maintain mapping progress. Typically, these sessions are a revelation to users who, for the first time, understand the totality of the system process and particularly how what they do affects others down the line. Comments like "Ah, I see, when I use my work-around, I cause your department five hours extra work," are common.

Users frequently have valuable suggestions as to how the system might be better used or designed. Sometimes a work-around turns out to be a better way of doing things than the prescribed way.

It cannot be overemphasized how positive an experience this process mapping is for users. They are clearly being heard and realize that they are helping develop a solution to their frustrations.

Phase 3: Analyzing the Cost of the Status Quo
The consultant facilitators next work with managers to analyze costs to the business of

• the various disconnects with business process,
• the data error corrections caused by work-arounds
• inefficient system usage
• under utilization of the system

Often millions of dollars are involved. The findings from the process mapping and cost-analysis are presented to management to garner support for the next phases.

Phase 4: Mapping the Base Path
The consultant facilitator meets with expert ("power") users of the system and management to map out the base path, or optimal way of using the system. Information from the previous phase is used to inform this phase. Typically, the base path is mapped as a series of sub-processes or tasks that can become the basis for documentation, training, and job aids in the solution phase.

Phase 5: Solutions Development
In developing documentation and training solutions, implementers should involve as many system users and existing training and documentation personnel from the company as feasible. Consultants are best used to supplement house staff and to mentor house staff through the process of developing from a base path. This approach ensures that the final training and documentation solutions are owned by the in-house people and are not perceived as an imposition by outsiders or management.

Because the base path is used in all solutions, solutions development can be more easily spread out among several groups politically or geographically. So long as the same design templates and approach are used, content development will remain synched because of the use of the base path.

Results

The results of Mission Critical System Optimization are dramatic - help desks closed or reduced, millions saved, measurable increases in productivity and business results, positive changes in user perception about the usability of the system. For management, process mapping, documentation, and training become perceived as strategic for the organization, instead of an added cost.