Human Involvement and E-Banking
Electronic banking is not, and is not expected to become, a fully automated process in which human beings are entirely uninvolved. While some transactions may not require touch or thought, here are other instances in which automation can be counterproductive and undesirable. The present chapter seeks to explore the present use and future need for human involvement in e-banking.
HUMAN INVOLVEMENT
The key problem in information systems today is an automation mindset. Technology is used to facilitate human action, or to extend or enhance it, but there are many who take it to the logical extreme, and seek to use technology to replace human action entirely. The author asserts that this is a mistake that can have disastrous consequences.
The Technology-Based Approach
The design and development of information systems has traditionally been dominated by a problem-solving approach, and regarded the "user" as a part of the machine, to be utilized for tasks that the software could not perform for itself (and these are typically menial tasks, such as data entry).
The problem is further complicated when solutions become designed to do what the system, itself, is capable of doing (or capable of doing efficiently) rather than being designed to perform a task as needed. A few examples are given of catastrophic failures that occurred as a result.
Ironically, these problems are often blamed on human error - when the actual cause is technology has made it impossible for humans to prevent errors from occurring.
Human-Centered Methods
Human-centered design returns to the paradigm of technology enabling the individual to accomplish tasks. The process begins with analyzing a task (what it takes for a task to "succeed"), then the human actions necessary to achieving the success state, then analyzing which of these actions can be facilitated by technology (made more accurate, faster, etc.)
In this approach, the human remains in control of the task, and remains capable of ensuring its performance. Technology merely enables the human to do the task "better."
INFORMATION SYSTEMS AS SOCIAL SYSTEMS
As technology progresses, there is a tendency to seek to instill it with qualities such as "complexity" and "amativeness" and "autonomy" that indicate an ability to handle tasks and decisions that cannot be fully described in terms of rules and procedures. These abilities are natural characteristics of humans, and the implication is that there is recognition of the need to re-introduce capabilities that were lost as a result of decreasing the involvement of the human element.
The solution (or what could have prevented some of the problems the author describes) is the consideration of the capabilities of technology, as well as the capabilities of the human element, and designing a system than involves both, and enables each to do the tasks to which it is best suited.
He draws some parallels to social theory, but I think he's just trying to be clever - the point is made, succinctly, by the information above.
DISCUSSION: FUTURE TRENDS
Systems design methodologies are still evolving and have yet to yield a single process by which the needs of those who will be involved or affected are adequately represented. The suggestion seems to be to use a mix-and-match approach.
The author mentions "action research" as a new methodology that may gain steam. His description is brief and vague, but it seems to focus on "critical reflection" (i.e., thinking) about individual actions - their requirements, nature, and consequences for both the systems and stakeholders.
CONCLUSION AND FINDINGS
In general: systems design is presently dominated by technology-based methods, with weak "mediation" by human-centered one Given that success in e-banking requires the user's willing participation, this methodology is prone to disaster. While system capabilities and requirements cannot be entirely discounted, the ability of a system to facilitate a task performed by a human operator must supersede them.
There is no existing methodology that addresses this problem, so managers must attempt to mix-and-match existing ones and experiment with new approaches. This will meet with resistance from employees and organizations who are reluctant to change, but is essential for a business to serve its customers and remain competitive.