Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
automation), BPM (business process management), etc., the truth remains
that a set of good, meaningful reports that can help run a business, is
still difficult to find.
Where does the fault lie? It lies in our attitude that once the data is
in, getting it out will hardly be a problem. It is still oriented toward
providing the ideal way of getting the data in, and in efficiently processing
and storing it. This leads to lower priorities for reports during the design
phase. In fact, recognizing the extent to which applications are judged
by their reports, project managers and designers should bring reports early
into the design process.
Reporting Hierarchy
No single report can capture the dynamics of a business. It is a set of
reports that can do so. What the contents of the set should be varies by
the application but we recommend a general approach for defining the
set based on Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, something that is
very familiar to students of management.
Maslow created his famous Hierarchy of Needs pyramid around 1943,
saying that human beings are largely motivated by unsatisfied needs,
and that certain basic needs must be satisfied before higher ones can
be met (Figure 14.1). According to his theory, the most basic need is
related to physiological survival — air, water, light, sleep, etc. Once such
needs are satisfied, they no longer motivate. Then comes the need for
safety and security. In the context of work, this could include physical
safety (say protective clothing, and secure office environments); protec-
tion against unemployment, loss of income; etc. The next level is some
degree of need for social grouping, love, and belonging. These could
translate to working with and adjusting to colleagues, teamwork, and
communication. These are followed by the need for the respect of our
peers, and for self-respect. These
needs are about being given
due recognition for a job well done. A promotion or reward might satisfy
something like this.
Maslow referred to these four levels of needs as
esteem
. If one
does not have enough of something, he or she feels the need for it.
The top level of the pyramid is a bit different. It has to do with growth
motivation (in contrast to deficit needs), or self-actualization. Self-actual-
ization is about how people think of themselves. This is often measured
by nonquantifiable things such as the extent of success or challenge at
work.
For any business, cash represents the bottom of the pyramid. Just as
food, shelter, and water are needed to meet our most basic needs for
deficit needs
