Malleable End-User Software

Traditionally, enterprise software is developed and introduced with the aim to support clearly defined usage scenarios within specific business process contexts. Malleable end-user software (MEUS) is different. A recent MEUS example is social software. Typically employed to enable communication in and between corporations social software has gained importance for corporations in the past years (e.g. Back et al. 2011, Stocker et al. 2012). At the same time it has become obvious that social software challenges established information systems methods (McAfee 2009, Richter et al. 2012). We argue that a fundamental understanding of this class of software and its characteristics is needed. This article attempts to contribute to this understanding by highlighting the implications of MEUS for software development and management (including planning, implementation, and measuring of success). We will show that traditional technology adoption theories are inadequate to capture the application of MEUS. Since MEUS are not developed for a specific purpose , individuals are typically unable to judge the usefulness of such software before they have actually used it. Traditional IT management faces similar challenges, as the introduction of MEUS cannot be planned according to some anticipated outcome. While traditional end-user software is developed and introduced with the aim to solve a particular problem in a work practice, malleable end-user software aims to bring about new or novel usage possibilities. 2. User software with and without purpose In the following we distinguish between purpose-specific and malleable end-user software. In doing so, we focus on software that is used by end users in their workplace in a corporate context. We demarcate end-user software from IT infrastructures and automated IT systems that normally are not operated by end users as well as from Internet applications (e.g. sales portals) that do not serve as a workplace tools. Purpose-specific end-user software is developed and introduced with the aim to solve an existing corporate problem or to immediately improve an existing user task. Typically, there is a clear view as to the intended benefits for a particular business process. Typical examples are ERP and CRM systems and similar process-oriented software. Adoption and use of PEUS is thus prescribed and communicated in a " top-down " manner by the corporate management and the particular ways of using the software are determined both by particular software features and the responsible managers. The intention is to have tasks carried out in a particular way and to bring …