Using Grounded Theory To

Generate Process Models

Dr Susan GassonCollege of Information Science & TechnologyDrexel UniversityEmail: sgasson@cis.drexel.edu

Agenda Factor models vs. process models

Example: study of boundary-spanning design processes Drowning in data – how to organize Defining process episodes and transitions Defining and re-defining the core category

© Susan Gasson, 2009

Factor Models Vs. Process ModelsFactor model:

Process model:

Source: Royce, 1970

© Susan Gasson, 2009

Factor Models Vs. Process Models

Derived from: Newman, M. & Robey, D. (1992) ‘A Social Process Model of User-Analyst Relationships,’ MIS Quarterly, Vol. 16, No. 2, pp. 249-266.

Factor model:

Inferred processes

Process model:

Antecedent conditions

Outcomes

Sequence of episodes and transitions comprising the process

Dependent variables

Independent variables

© Susan Gasson, 2009

DefinitionsEpisode “A set of events that stand apart from

others, signifying the end of one sequence of activities and the beginning of another” (Newman and Robey, 1992).

Punctuated equilibrium model Change = "an alternation between long

periods when stable infrastructures permit only incremental adaptations, and brief periods of revolutionary upheaval" (Gersick, 1991, p. 10).

© Susan Gasson, 2009

Research Question

How does design proceed, when design participants

are distributed across organizational boundaries?

© Susan Gasson, 2009

Co-Design of Business Process & IT Systems

© Susan Gasson, 2009

Managing Director

Operations Director

Finance Director

Technical Director

Marketing Director

Quality Director

External Ops. Manager

Business Devt.

Manager (BDM)

Access Networks Proj. Engineering

Manager

Assistant Project Engineering

Mgr.(PEM)

Project Mgt.

Accountant(PMA)

Customer Solutions Manager

(CSM)

Process Improvement

& Change Control(PIM)

Commercial Director

Bid-Response Process Manager

(BM)

IS Manager(ISM)

Development Engineers

Boundary-spanning design team (IT & business managers) 3 hr, bi-weekly meetings over 18 months Design group presentations to senior management Ad hoc interviews (pre- & post meeting) Formal interviews w/participants (start, middle, end)

Grounded Theory Process Open Coding (1)

A morass of codes, related to all aspects of process, context, and people/behaviors

Open Coding (2) Technological frames related to individual and shared

design understanding Selective Coding

Core category = design frames(leading to process model of collaborative design framing)

Category 1: Individual vs. shared design frames Category 2: Espoused frame (process focus) Category 3: Process space (behaviors relating to group

design framing, e.g. patterns of interaction; group conflict). Theoretical coding

Core category ???© Susan Gasson, 2009

Selective Coding SchemeTentative core variable = design “frame” as relationship between subjective and intersubjective frames

Second-Order (Observed) Categories Analytic Categories

Overarching Dimensions

INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP DESIGN-

FRAMING: COGNITIVE SPACE

ELEMENTS

BEHAVIORS RELATING TO DESIGN PROCESS (GROUP STRUCTURE AND PATTERNS OF

INTERACTION)

SHARED FRAME: FOCUS OF SPECIFIC DESIGN EPISODE

Design-process framing

Problem-definition framing

Solution-definition framing

Negotiation of consensus

How information supports bid process How work is coordinated How the bid process interacts with the strategic planning and product lifecycle

Flowchart modeling, to merge diverse views Modeling what-happens-now vs. what- should-happen Capturing issues at mult. levels of decomposition “Aunt Sally” method of paper prototyping Producing process specs. for ext. stakeholders

Response to external constraints

Agreement of form of words for document Group presentation to management Adoption of shared metaphor to describe issue

Disagreement and conflict behaviors

Presents alternative to group perspective Explicit disagreement or verbal challenge Refusal to accept group document or model

Discussion of senior management perspective Design of mechanism to ensure global adoption Reframing of design element to fit constraints

Library resource, to provide info. resources Work-tracking resource, to manage commitment Intelligence-gathering resource Knowledge-base to support autonomous work Org. memory system to record decision-basis

Focus on Designing An Electronic Document Library

Providing an information repository Estimating resources Supporting autonomy and expertise Coordinating dispersed work-groups Overt organization vs. covert org. Obtaining advance warning of bids

Analytic Categories

Second-Order (Observed) Categories

Resolution of conflict

Presents alternative accepted by group New model or document wins agreement Group mgmt: declaration that issue is off-topic

Supporting mgmt. & control functions Defining what info. is recorded where Desirability/feasibility of radical change Agreed vs. required change boundary Pilot study (as exploratory process prototype) Formalization of IT system

Focus on Process Closure

(“Train The Troops”)

Focus on The Virtual Team

Concept

…

Focus on Aligning The Bid Process

With Product Lifecycle

…

Focus on Providing Business

Intelligence

…

Focus on Business As Usual Thro’

Process Prototyping

…

© Susan Gasson, 2009

Design Process Model – Episode Transitions

Individual design frames

Shared design

frame(s)

Degree of conflict

Inferred processes Individual

design frames

Shared design

frame(s)

Degree of conflict

Inferred processes Individual

design frames

Shared design

frame(s)

Degree of conflict

Inferred processes Individual

design frames

Shared design

frame(s)

Degree of conflict

Core category is “design frame” Relationship between individual and group frames

Process model focuses on changes between frames

Episode IdentificationChanges in relationships between categories & concepts indicate episode transitions One dominant set of design frames gives way to

another set of design frames – what has changed? A: Problem structure

Shared design frame leads to new representations, and new goal-definitions - what has changed? A: One mobilizing vision has replaced the previous

one Escalating levels of conflict in a series of meetings

are followed by almost no conflict in the next meeting – what has changed? A: Extent of individual cognitive dissonance has

been resolved!© Susan Gasson, 2009

© Susan Gasson, 2009

Final Categories of Core Category becomes the Mobilizing Vision

Design proceeds through a series of episodes in which problem, goal and solution definitions are aligned around a temporary, “mobilizing vision”, punctuated by rapid, disruptive breakdowns in collective understanding.

Collective breakdown

Problem reframing

Increasing dissonance between individual solutions/goals and

group problem-structure

Mobilizing Vision

Aligned problem, goal, and solution definitions

Mobilizing Vision

Collective breakdown

Problem reframing

Increasing dissonance between individual solutions/goals and

group problem-structure

Mobilizing Vision

Aligned problem, goal, and solution definitions

Primary Generator Vision – Structures Problem In Terms of Solution-Form

Take-Aways A process model can be represented as a

series of factor models Episodes are a useful way to understand

complex and changing data The changing relationship between factors

indicates episode transitions No short cuts – need to compare data

backwards as well as forwards, to see changes in categories and concepts Changes in categories and concepts sensitize

you to episode transitions Core category elements and relationships are

redefined until the process model fits the data.© Susan Gasson, 2009