Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
The implementation of UDAs has increased due to the perception that they offer greater
user control, increase flexibility, encourage innovation, and reduce the workload of the IT
department (Monday, 2001). Christoff (1991) identified that the introduction of 4GL applica-
tion software represented a “fundamental change in the way data is processed” and
understood that this would lead to end-users developing a greater power in the design and
implementation of business applications. Hobbs and Pigott (2001) stated that the force
behind end-user development was that “the users themselves are in the best position to
understand the requirements of the application domain and therefore to create an application
tailored to their particular needs.” Consequently, it has been noted that UDAs now represent
a significant proportion of information systems being utilized in business (McGill, 2000).
However, there is significant evidence that businesses are only just identifying the
problems associated with UDAs. While undertaking risk analysis and evaluation, organiza-
tions often overlook the risks involved with the proliferation of UDAs (Janvrin & Morrison,
2000). These risks can include incorrect design, inadequate testing, poor maintenance
(McGill, 2000), erroneous data structures, insufficient organizational policies and procedures
(Christoff, 1991), and lack of familiarity with development methodologies or application
software (Panko & Halverson, 1996).
It is therefore apparent that more responsibility is being placed on the end-user
developer to be conversant with design methodologies; data modeling techniques; theory
related to effective and user-friendly input, output, and interface design; the intricacies of
application software; and documentation techniques to ensure that the application they
develop is robust and useful to the organization.
The majority of research in this area has focused on the development of spreadsheet
applications, as these were the most common applications developed by end users. Panko
(2000) has been instrumental in the research into error rates in spreadsheet development over
the past two decades. Errors in spreadsheets developed by end users were located in
considerable numbers (Panko & Halverson, 1996), primarily due to the fact that “user controls
do not seem to approach the level of control that professional programmers have found to
be necessary in a similar application.” Research shows that approximately 91% of end users
have had experience with spreadsheets, while as many as 44% of these can contain at least
one error (Teo & Tan, 1999; Janvrin & Morrison, 2000).
With the increase in availability of database software with 4GL (application generator)
ability, it seems likely that these issues and problems will also be found in the development
of small-scale databases. Edberg and Bowman (2000) recognized that “UDAs represent a
considerable risk to organizations since users who create applications frequently have little
or no training in development methods.”
Monday (2001) stated that feedback over a number of years from local businesses and
professional organizations “highlighted a growing need for business graduates with a greater
understanding of the opportunities afforded by 4GLs, and a competency in understanding
the business needs and developing small-scale applications for local users” which can be
applied to the day-to-day business problems.
Hobby (1996) highlighted the need for end users to be given some design and
implementation training, where PC users were transformed into end-user developers of
databases using Microsoft Access. It was identified that building database applications
using 4GL software was “something slightly different from using Word and Excel — actually
learning how to design a database properly.”
