User Problems Concerning Functional Integration in Thirteen Organizations

Computer systems are functionally integrated if they have consistent user interfaces, can share data, and fit the work for which they are used. The extent to which lack of functional integration causes problems for users has been studied in 13 organizations in Norway in which the employees use more than one computer program in their work. Data has been gathered by means of a questionnaire, observation, and interviews. The results show that lack of functional integration is as great a problem as strain, long response time, and downtime. The greatest difficulty is that users do not have sufficient time to learn the systems they use. This is correlated to lack of functional integration and insufficient training and manuals. The interpretation of this correlation is that insufficient learning time is the clearest symptom of the other problems. In order to reduce the symptom, both better training and more consistent user interfaces are needed. When claims for new systems emerge, one should consider extended use or technical extensions to current software, before launching a new system development project or purchasing new software products. Further research on functional integration should include training/ learning issues.