När genväg blir omväg : En kvalitativ studie om workarounds komplexa natur och dess mångsidiga konsekvenser i en ISO-certifierad organisation

Sammanfattning: This qualitative study examines positive and negative effects on effectivity as a result of alternative processes (workarounds) performed within an ISO-certificated organizations information system. To identify these workarounds we used contextual inquiry. This gave us an understanding of how the information systems users actually practice their work. The result of our acquired data revealed six major workarounds. To analyze these workarounds in relation to its complicated context we utilized three theoretical models. This gave us a broad understanding of each of the workarounds and made it possible to understand why each workaround was conducted, its implications on effectivity and what kind of a challenge/dilemma it posed. The analysis indicated that the workarounds had what we deduced as negative impact on the organizations effectivity as a whole. Many of the workarounds could have been seen as very effective alternatives to the designed work process but only if valued in a micro-context. The fact that they still occur are most likely the result of the fact that the users of the information system lack understanding of how the organization and its processes are structured as a whole and how their work as well as how they perform it is part of a bigger picture. Finally we present how future research, based on this study, could focus on developing a better model to understand the complicated context. We also propose that studies could investigate the possibility of shaping an ISO-standard which is responsive to the diversity of organizations actual work processes while still ensuring a qualitative standard.