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END USER COMPUTING

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The term end-user computinghas different meanings accordingto the context in which it is used. The following statements couldall refer to end-user computing:

all tools by which non-data-processing staff handle their ownproblems without professional programmers;

creative use of data processing by non-data-processing experts;

complex computing by non-data-processing professionals toanswer organisational information needs;

non-technical end-users using user-friendly, fourth-generationlanguages (4GLs) and PCs to generate reports or build decisionsupport systems;

the use of computer hardware and software by people in

organisations whose jobs are usually classified as net users ofinformation systems rather than net developers of informationsystems.

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END USER COMPUTING

Who are the End Users ?

Non programming

Command level

End-user programmers(including senior management professionals)

Functional support personnel

End user computing support personnel

DP Programmers

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End-user computing (EUC): All uses of computersby business people who are not information systemsprofessionals.

End-user development (EUD): Systemsdevelopment and programming undertaken by non-ISstaff.

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Produces inappropriate systems

Causes duplication

Takes users away from their real job

Ignores long range and technical issues

Causes integration problems

Disadvantages

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Service DeskGlobal Service Deskhandling 10mn trouble tickets and7mn service desk calls per annum in 20 languages. 17 Global delivery

centers spread across the world with 7 near shore centersClient Application Management services Deliver ApplicationPackaging, Imaging, Software Distribution and Patch Managementservices in a centralized factory construct. 5000+ Applications packagedand distributed annually.Messaging & Collaboration Services Build, operate and provide

professional services on email and collaboration platforms like MicrosoftExchange, IBM Lotus Notes. Monitor and support more than 800,000mailboxes globallyAsset Management Provide a complete Asset ManagementLifecycleservice right from ordering to ongoing management and trackingof client assets.Client Support Services Provide onsite support for Desktops,

Laptops, Printers, Handheld devices at client locations spreadglobally. Global Network of Client support specialists supportingapproximately 3 million client devices distributed globally.Infrastructure Application Build and Manage InfrastructrueApplications in customer environments. These services include DirectoryServices, File and Print services, Remote Access Managent, Applicationdelivery usingCitirix, Microsoft App-V etc.

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http://www.hclisd.com/Application-Packaging-Factory.aspxhttp://www.hclisd.com/Application-Packaging-Factory.aspxhttp://www.hclisd.com/Asset-Management.aspxhttp://www.hclisd.com/Asset-Management.aspxhttp://www.hclisd.com/Application-Packaging-Factory.aspxhttp://www.hclisd.com/Application-Packaging-Factory.aspx

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The three main types of end-user computing can be defined as:

End-user-developed computer-based information systems forpersonal, departmental or organisation-wide use, where the end-user is a non-IT professional;

End-user control of which hardware and package applications arepurchased for use in their department;

End-user use of existing information systems.

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End-user developmentof applications represents a major trendin the use of information technology in organisations.

McGill et al. (2003) explain that:

User-developed applications (UDAs) are computer basedapplications for which non-information systems professionals

assume primary development responsibility.They support decision making and organizational processes in the

majority of Organizations

END USER development

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Reports from a corporate database using standard enquiries defined by the IS/IT

function

Simple ad hoc queries to databases defined by the user. For someone in an airline,

for example, these might include access to a frequent flier database, customer

reservation system or crew rostering system to monitor performance of each

What-if? analysis using tools such as spreadsheet models or more specialised tools

such as risk or financial management packages or business intelligence software,

used for monitoring sales and marketing performance of information stored in a

data warehouse

Writing company information for a company intranet

Development of applications such as a job costing tool or production scheduling

system, using easy-to-use, high-level tools such as application generators, PC

database management systems such as Microsoft Access or Borland or visual

programming environments such as Microsoft Visual Basic.

END USER Applications

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Applications backlog: The demand for new applications by users exceeds the

capacity of the IS department or IS outsourcing company to develop them.

Improved toolsets such as Visual Basic for Applications

The desire by users to query and analyse data and generate reports from

information stored on databases available across the corporate network

A trend to decentralisation of computing to user departments for systems to

support departmental activities

Reduced expense of application development when conducted by end-users

(from departmental rather than information systems budget)

Better fit between end-user-developed software and their requirements (since no

requirements translation is needed between the users and third-party

developers). End-users are also less likely to over-engineer a solution to a basic

problem than an IS professional who will want to treat every problem with rigour.

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Figure 16.6 A model of IS success that can be applied to end-user developed

applications

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Isolation: A few scattered pioneers of EUD develop small-scale business tools within their area.

Initially, little support from central IS.

Standalone: Larger-scale applications that may be of importance to a department are developed. At

this stage, an information centre may be developed to support an increase in demand for user

computing services.

Manual integration: Here, different end-user applications need to exchange data. This happens

through manual intervention, with files being transferred by floppy disk or across the network or even

with rekeying of information. Information centre development has continued to support the needs of

these larger-scale applications by providing training and skills and specifying standards for hardware,

software and the development process.

Automated integration: Users start to link into corporate applications to gain seamless access to

information.

Distributed integration: At this stage of development, there is a good level of integration betweendifferent end-user applications and corporate systems. Good standards of metadata (or data describing

data in a data dictionary) are required to help achieve this.

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Using information that is out of date

Information requires export from other information systems before

it can be analysed by the end-user application

Corruption of centrally held data by uploading erroneous data

Development of insecure systems without password control that

are vulnerable to accidental and deliberate damage.

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Training: Provision of relevant training courses both in how to program and in how to approach systems

development in a structured way (the second of these is often omitted). This happened at the Open University,

where many of the end-users wanted to omit the analysis course.

Suitability review: Authorisation of major end-user new developments by business and IS managers to check

that they are necessary (this should not be necessary for smaller-scale developments since otherwise creativity

may be stifled).

Standards for development: Such standards will recommend that documentation and structured testing of alluser-developed software occurs. Detailed standards might include clear data definitions, validation rules, backup

and recovery routines and security measures.

Guidance from end-user support personnel: IC or help-desk staff can provide training in techniques used to

develop software.

Software and data audits: Regular audits of software produced by end-users should occur for data and

application quality. There is an apocryphal story of a company that had an end-user-developed spreadsheet for

making investment decisions which had an error in a formula that lost the company millions of pounds each year!

Ensuring corporate data security: Ensure that users are not permitted to enter data directly into central

databases except via applications especially written for the purpose by the IS department which has the

necessary validation rules to ensure data quality. For analysis of corporate data, data should regularly be

downloaded from the central database to the PC for analysis, where they can be analysed without causing

performance problems to the corporate system.

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Help desk: A central facility in anorganisation which provides end-user help-desk services such as phone support fortroubleshooting end-user software andhardware problems, training, guidance onend-user development and management ofuser information.