Richard Vidgen - Developing Web Information Systems: From Strategy to Implementation

Preface

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Chapter 1: Information System Development

1.1 Information systems and IT

1.2 Information systems development methodologies

1.3 Information systems development life-cycles

1.3.1 Waterfall life-cycle

1.3.2 Problems with the waterfall life-cycle

1.3.3 Alternative life-cycles

Evolutionary development

Iterative (rapid) application development

End-user development

1.3.4 Prototyping

1.3.5 Agile Development

1.4 Alternative strategies for information systems acquisition

1.4.1 Packaged solutions

1.4.2 Outsourcing

1.4.3 Application service providers

Chapter 2: Internet-based Information Systems

2.1 The Internet

2.1.1 A brief history

From ARPAnet to the Internet

Internet browser wars

2.1.2 Internet statistics

2.2 How the Internet works

2.2.1 Internet protocols

2.2.2 The worldwide web

2.2.3 HyperText Markup Language (HTML)

2.2.4 Web site authoring tools

2.2.5 Beyond the basics

2.2.6 Mobile Internet

2.3 Open source software development

2.3.1 The Linux phenomenon

2.3.2 How OSS works

Why OSS works

2.3.3 Implications of OSS for IS development

Chapter 3: Web IS Development Methodology (WISDM)

3.1 Introduction

3.2 WISDM in context: the Multiview approach to IS development

3.2.1 Using the Multiview framework to guide methodology generation

3.3 The WISDM matrix

3.3.1 Organizational analysis

3.3.2 Work design

3.3.3 Information analysis

3.3.4 Technical design

3.3.5 Human computer interface design

3.3.6 Moving around the methods matrix

3.4 The role of the analyst: multiple perspectives

3.5 WISDM and the IS development life-cycle

3.6 Is web IS development different?

Chapter 4: e-Business Strategy

4.1 Introduction

4.2 Business models

4.3 Business webs for the theatre industry

4.3.1 Aggregation

4.3.2 Agora

4.3.3 Value chain

4.3.4 Alliance

4.4 Virtual communities

4.5 Marketspace transformation and relationship capital

Chapter 5: Systems Thinking

5.1 Introduction

5.2 Difficulties and messes

5.3 Themes in systems thinking

5.3.1 Systems and patterns of organization

5.3.2 Systems and emergent properties

5.3.3 Recursion and system hierarchies

5.3.4 Communication and control

5.4 Thinking in loops

5.4.1 Feedback loops

Negative (or balancing) feedback

Positive (or reinforcing) feedback

5.4.2 Feedforward loops

5.5 Patterns

5.5.1 Limits to success

Leverage points

5.5.2 Fixes that fail

5.4.3 Success to the successful

5.6 Mental models

Chapter 6: Soft Systems Methodology

6.1 Introduction

6.2 Hard and soft systems thinking

6.2.1 Organizations

6.2.2 Hard and soft traditions

6.3 Soft systems methodology

6.3.1 Exploring the problem situation

Situation considered problematic [1]

Problem situation expressed [2]

6.3.2 Below the line: root definitions and conceptual models

Root definition of relevant systems [3]

Conceptual models [4]

6.3.3 Back above the line: taking action in the problem situation