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ChaPter 5 • InformatIon GatherInG: unobtrusIve methods 141
Figure 5.7
A sample page from an analyst’s
playscript describing decision
making.
Analysis
Playscript Company: Solid Steel Shelving
Analyst:
L. Bracket Scenario: Quality Assurance
Date: 1/3/2013
Decision Maker (Actor) Information-Related Activity (Script)
Quality Assurance
Manager Asks shop floor supervisor for the dayʼs
production report
Shop Floor
Supervisor
report
Prints out daily computerized production
Discusses recurring problems in production
Quality Assurance runs with quality assurance (QA) manager
Manager Reads production report
Compares current report with other reports
from the same week
Inputs data from daily production run into
QA model on computer
Observes onscreen results of QA model
Calls steel suppliers to discuss deviations
Shop Floor from quality standards
Supervisor with quality assurance manager and vice
Attends meeting on new quality specifications
Quality Assurance president of production
Manager quality specifications agreed on in meeting
Drafts letter to inform suppliers on new
Vice President of Sends draft to vice president via email
Production Reads drafted letter
Quality Assurance Returns corrections and comments via email
Manager Rewrites letter to reflect changes
Reads corrected letter on email
the dialogue. For information requirements analysis, a systems analyst can take on a role similar
to that of the film critic. It often is possible to observe the particulars of the surroundings that
will confirm or negate the organizational narrative (also called stories or dialogue) that is found
through interviews or questionnaires.
The method STRuctured OBservation of the Environment is referred to as STROBE.
Successful application of STROBE requires that an analyst explicitly observe seven concrete
elements commonly found in offices. The seven observable elements and some key questions
that may arise are listed in Figure 5.8. These elements can reveal much about the way a decision
maker gathers, processes, stores, and shares information, as well as about the decision maker’s
credibility in the workplace.
