Information Systems Maintenance: An Integrated Perspective

This article argues that information systems maintenance is a more complex and integrated task than portrayed in the literature. It involves not only the maintenance of the applications software, but also all the other elements in an operational system. The literature relating to the maintenance of each element is reviewed to reveal substantial underdevelopment i some areas and fragmentation between elements. The present practice of focusing upon the maintenance of particular individual elements i criticized and a new focus upon changes in the information inputs to the systems development process is proposed. Alternative methods of managing the maintenance operation are examined and the implications of these methods in terms of designing the procedures, staffing the maintenance function, and the need for communication are discussed.