SPA Conference session: End users as software engineers - good idea ? Yes but, no but ...? | |||
| One-line description: | Benefits and pitfalls of end users involved in software development | ||
| Session format: | Workshop (150 mins) [read about the different session types] | ||
| Abstract: | The control of end user software development has been an issue for many years. With further advancement of technologies (eg Sharepoint, ERP, iPhone apps, 3rd party plug-ins, facebook apps, application / data mash-ups, rich IDEs) the opportunity for "end user development" continues to be encouraged and grow. Where and with whom do potential costs, risks, liabilities and accountability issues lie? We are running the session by considering scenarios under which “end user development” is going on. We are going to ask delegates to put themselves in the shoes of both end users and professional software engineers – as motivation and end goals of each can be quite different. Key questions this session will look to address: Why do End Users develop software? Why should we care? | ||
| Audience background: | This workshop will be of benefit to: Individuals in any role who have had or expect to be involved in projects or with organisations where end users engage in software development. | ||
| Benefits of participating: | Identify, share and discuss scenarios you've experienced dealing with end user developers. Looking at Software Engineering processes and practices from end user perspectives. To reflect on the extent to which end user development is going on. | ||
| Materials provided: | Slides, exercise sheets, further reading material. Scenarios illustrating the challenges we have come across will be presented as a basis for debate if the attendees run out of ideas. | ||
| Process: | Warm up... we will start with a "yes but, no but..." (Little Britain!) session. Following signs pinned to walls: No / No But / Yes / Yes But We will flash up statements about end user development. We will ask participants to go and stand next to the sign that represents their view on the statement. Facilitate a short debate around each of statements. Give someone from each sign a chance to argue their case. Allow participants to change their views as arguments are presented. Attendees will then be divided into groups. The initial warm up will help divide up the group - as common issues / scenarios may already have been identified. Each group will decide upon a scenario they want to look into in more detail. We will provide some possible scenarios that cover a variety of benefits and pitfalls that could occur - to help them define a scenario they want to investigate. Groups will discuss strengths and weaknesses / challenges and solutions to their scenarios. People will take on the role of either an end user developer or a professional software developer during the exercise - and try and be in that mindset during the group exercise. We will provide hats / badges for people to wear while acting as End Users or the Software practitioners. Allow/encourage people to switch roles and consider each roles different needs / understanding. Provide groups with some diagrams/models of how their discussions could be presented back to the bigger group (eg fishbone diagrams, forcefield analysis, cause and effect, problem trees, stakeholder roles/model diagrams ) Groups will then come back together to present, compare, contrast, challenge and discuss each of the groups scenario work. Reflect on how taking on either the end user or software practitioners "hat" influenced theirs/the groups thoughts. Finish the session with an "opportunities" review - what can / should we all be doing as practitioners to support the strengths and overcome the issues of end user development. During the wrap up: What are you going to take away from this session? What issue most closely links to your personal experiences? How would you present this session to your company / your clients? How would you get them to start thinking about all the strengths and weaknesses we have identified today? Who else are/would you like to get involved in taking learning from this exercise forward? Feedback: Was this a good session...? Yes But / No But / Yes / No..... | ||
| Detailed timetable: | 000 - 010 Introduction - why is end user development an issue for us? 010 - 040 "Yes but, no but" warm up session 040 - 045 Divide participants into groups 045 - 060 Plenary discussion in their group to identify a scenario of interest 060 - 100 Detailed discussion of scenario in their group 100 - 125 Groups come back together. Exchange of ideas, challenges and solutions that each groups found. 125 - 140 What can we/should we be doing about challenges identified? 140 - 150 Wrap up (what will you take away from this?) | ||
| Outputs: | We will develop posters from the output of the group work. If participants keen to follow up on this - provision of a web forum to allow debate and discussions to continue online. | ||
| History: | This has not been presented before. | ||
| Presenters | |||
| 1. Helen Sharp The Open University |
2. Lucy J Hunt ThinkOutLoud Ltd |
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