Virtuality's Influence on the Process of Performing Information Systems Development: A case of a software organization

Mangiza, Phillip

Virtuality's Influence on the Process of Performing Information Systems Development: A case of a software organization

Master Thesis

2023

Abstract

Organizations in all sectors have been utilizing virtual teams and virtual technologies for projects, making use of geographically dispersed human capital. Other forms of virtual working such as work-from-home, remote-work and telecommuting have also been implemented by organizations, often to a few employees usually over a small period of time and not applicable to the full organization. The transitioning from a collocated environment to a virtual context induced by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) had an effect on the process of performing Information Systems Development (ISD). The objectives of the study are: RO1: Explain how virtuality influences the process of doing ISD projects inside the IS Industry. RO1a: Explain how virtuality influences the execution of ISD activities inside the IS Industry. RO1 b: Explain how virtuality influences the assessment of ISD projects inside the IS Industry. RO2: Identify how organizations can improve ISD when working in a virtual context. This study employed a single case study of a technology company that recently transitioned from a collocated context to a full remote context. Data was collected through seventeen semi-structured interviews and secondary documents. Thematic analysis was employed to explain virtuality's influence on performing ISD and assessing ISD outcomes. A modified Systems Development as Performing (sd-as-p) conceptual model was utilized as a guide for this study's data collection process. A literature-derived sd-as-p conceptual model was developed made up of the following processes of performing ISD, namely leading; communicating; collaborating; knowing; developing with agility; dealing with challenges; trusting; assessing achievements and the enactment of virtuality. The study explained how virtuality influences the processes of performing ISD. Subthemes of the processes of performing ISD were identified resulting in the modification of the initial literature-derived sd-as-p model. Components that enhance the performing of ISD in a virtual context were found to be people, tools, processes, and virtual culture.

Keywords

Information Systems

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