The Activity Circle: Visualizing the Coordination Aspects of User Resistance Toward Workflow Technology

The paper proposes a novel approach for addressing issues that are related to organizational changes that are induced by the introduction of an Information System within an organization. Specifically, we focus on the effects of a Workflow Technology because its introduction affects typical work practices, its use is mandatory, and Workflow Technology often makes it necessary to accomplish work activities in a more rigid way. Similar to other Information Systems, the consequence is that changes brought about because of Workflow Technology can trigger the phenomenon of user resistance. The Information Systems literature reports different strategies to limit the degree of user resistance toward Information Systems. Some of these strategies are based on the direct involvement of the designers of the technology, while others involve the managers of the organizations in which the technology is used. In this paper, we propose the Workflow Evaluation Software, a tool that actively involves the end users to reduce the effects of user resistance. In fact, this tool allows to simulate the use of Workflow Technology at an early stage of its implementation by focusing on the coordination aspects of user resistance that are related to how people coordinate their activities. Based on the data collected, the tool implements the Activity Circle, which is a social visualization mechanism that distributes the information related to the coordination aspects of user resistance among the users. We claim that the sharing of this information gives voices to the users and could represent one of the most promising strategies for reducing frustration and anger about any organizational change