Short answer
Before and during the design and implementation of complex systems, actively map and manage stakeholder relationships, acknowledging that their perspectives can be fluid and contradictory.
- Field
- Innovation & Design
- Source
- Journal of the Association for Information Systems (2016)
- Method
- Longitudinal Case Study
- Evidence
- Strong effect
Entangled and competing stakeholder viewpoints can significantly hinder the successful adoption and implementation of complex health information systems. This innovation & design research insight is drawn from a 2016 study published in Journal of the Association for Information Systems. Using Longitudinal case study, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Before and during the design and implementation of complex systems, actively map and manage stakeholder relationships, acknowledging that their perspectives can be fluid and contradictory.
Conflicting Stakeholder Perceptions Undermine Health IT Adoption
Entangled and competing stakeholder viewpoints can significantly hinder the successful adoption and implementation of complex health information systems.
Journal of the Association for Information Systems · 2016
Key Findings
- 01Favorable and unfavorable positions held by multiple stakeholder groups become entangled.
- 02The same stakeholder group can adopt competing positions, undermining adoption.
- 03Conflicting stakeholder dynamics can confuse and destabilize broader health IT programs.
Application
Design takeaway
Before and during the design and implementation of complex systems, actively map and manage stakeholder relationships, acknowledging that their perspectives can be fluid and contradictory.
How to apply
When designing a new system, create a stakeholder map that identifies groups, their initial positions, and potential areas of conflict. Regularly revisit and update this map as the project progresses.
Project actions
- 01Clearly define all potential user groups and decision-makers for your design project.
- 02Consider how different groups might benefit or be disadvantaged by your design, and how this might influence their support.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Longitudinal study design allows for observation of changes over time.
- +Focus on a real-world, complex implementation provides practical insights.
Limitations
It can be challenging to identify all relevant stakeholders, especially in large or complex organizations, and their true perceptions may be difficult to uncover.
Reliability & validity
The study's validity is strengthened by its longitudinal nature and in-depth case study approach. Reliability could be enhanced by using multiple data collection methods and triangulation of findings.
Think critically
How might a designer proactively mitigate the 'entanglement' of stakeholder roles and perceptions in a project from its inception?
Design Principles
"Dynamic Stakeholder Engagement: Continuously identify, analyze, and engage with all stakeholders, recognizing the potential for evolving and conflicting interests throughout the design and implementation process."
Understanding the dynamic and often contradictory roles and perceptions of various stakeholders is crucial for the successful design and deployment of any large-scale technological system, especially in sectors as complex as healthcare. Ignoring these entanglements can lead to project failure and wasted resources.
What This Means for Your Design
When you're designing something big, like a new computer system for a hospital, it's really important to understand that all the different people involved (doctors, nurses, IT staff, patients) might have different and even opposite ideas about what's best. If you don't figure out how to manage these different opinions, the new system might not work well or might not get used at all.
How to use in your project
- 1.Use stakeholder analysis to justify design decisions and identify potential challenges in your design process.
- 2.Discuss how you identified and managed different stakeholder needs and perspectives in your project.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
This design project acknowledges the critical role of stakeholder engagement, drawing upon research that demonstrates how entangled and competing perceptions among diverse groups can significantly impede the successful adoption of new systems. Therefore, a comprehensive stakeholder analysis was conducted to identify potential conflicts and inform design decisions, ensuring that the final design addresses the varied needs and viewpoints of all relevant parties.
Source
Journal of the Association for Information Systems
Entangled Stakeholder Roles and Perceptions in Health Information Systems: A Longitudinal Study of the U.K. NHS N3 Network
journal · 2016
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about conflicting stakeholder perceptions undermine health it adoption?
- Before and during the design and implementation of complex systems, actively map and manage stakeholder relationships, acknowledging that their perspectives can be fluid and contradictory. Evidence: Journal of the Association for Information Systems (2016).
- Why does "Conflicting Stakeholder Perceptions Undermine Health IT Adoption" matter for design?
- Understanding the dynamic and often contradictory roles and perceptions of various stakeholders is crucial for the successful design and deployment of any large-scale technological system, especially in sectors as complex as healthcare. Ignoring these entanglements can lead to project failure and wasted resources.
- How can designers apply this research?
- Before and during the design and implementation of complex systems, actively map and manage stakeholder relationships, acknowledging that their perspectives can be fluid and contradictory.
- What were the main findings?
- Favorable and unfavorable positions held by multiple stakeholder groups become entangled.. The same stakeholder group can adopt competing positions, undermining adoption.. Conflicting stakeholder dynamics can confuse and destabilize broader health IT programs.
- What research method was used?
- Longitudinal Case Study.
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2016 journal from Journal of the Association for Information Systems.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When designing a new system, create a stakeholder map that identifies groups, their initial positions, and potential areas of conflict. Regularly revisit and update this map as the project progresses.
- What are the limitations?
- The findings are specific to the context of the U.K. NHS and may not be directly generalizable to all healthcare systems or other industries.