New Course

The design and construction of technology is only the beginning of the challenging process of implementing (and maintaining) complex information systems. The cartoon above, which has been floating around the computing community since at least the early 1980s, is a humorous (but accurate) illustration of the organizational dimensions of software design and development. Misunderstanding or ignoring the organizational aspects of information technology leads to disappointment, delays, cost-overruns, and often complete failure.

In this new course, we will explore the technical, sociological, ethnographic, and historical literature that deals with the organizational aspects of information technology. The focus will be on business information systems, but we will also look at scientific, governmental, and health-related organizations as well.

Download the syllabus.