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Using multi-focus group method as an effective tool for eliciting business system requirements: Verified by a case study

Author

Listed:
  • Robert M X Wu
  • Yongwen Wang
  • Niusha Shafiabady
  • Huan Zhang
  • Wanjun Yan
  • Jinwen Gou
  • Yong Shi
  • Bao Liu
  • Ergun Gide
  • Changlong Kang
  • Zhongwu Zhang
  • Bo Shen
  • Xiaoquan Li
  • Jianfeng Fan
  • Xiangqian He
  • Jeffrey Soar
  • Haijun Zhao
  • Lei Sun
  • Wenying Huo
  • Ya Wang

Abstract

This research aims to explore the multi-focus group method as an effective tool for systematically eliciting business requirements for business information system (BIS) projects. During the COVID-19 crisis, many businesses plan to transform their businesses into digital businesses. Business managers face a critical challenge: they do not know much about detailed system requirements and what they want for digital transformation requirements. Among many approaches used for understanding business requirements, the focus group method has been used to help elicit BIS needs over the past 30 years. However, most focus group studies about research practices mainly focus on a particular disciplinary field, such as social, biomedical, and health research. Limited research reported using the multi-focus group method to elicit business system requirements. There is a need to fill this research gap. A case study is conducted to verify that the multi-focus group method might effectively explore detailed system requirements to cover the Case Study business’s needs from transforming the existing systems into a visual warning system. The research outcomes verify that the multi-focus group method might effectively explore the detailed system requirements to cover the business’s needs. This research identifies that the multi-focus group method is especially suitable for investigating less well-studied, no previous evidence, or unstudied research topics. As a result, an innovative visual warning system was successfully deployed based on the multi-focus studies for user acceptance testing in the Case Study mine in Feb 2022. The main contribution is that this research verifies the multi-focus group method might be an effective tool for systematically eliciting business requirements. Another contribution is to develop a flowchart for adding to Systems Analysis & Design course in information system education, which may guide BIS students step by step on using the multi-focus group method to explore business system requirements in practice.

Suggested Citation

  • Robert M X Wu & Yongwen Wang & Niusha Shafiabady & Huan Zhang & Wanjun Yan & Jinwen Gou & Yong Shi & Bao Liu & Ergun Gide & Changlong Kang & Zhongwu Zhang & Bo Shen & Xiaoquan Li & Jianfeng Fan & Xian, 2023. "Using multi-focus group method as an effective tool for eliciting business system requirements: Verified by a case study," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 18(3), pages 1-16, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0281603
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0281603
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Hae Won Kim & Duck Hee Kim & Hyang Yuol Lee & Young Jin Lee & Hye Young Ahn, 2020. "Adult Perceptions of Healthy Pregnancy: A Focus-Group Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(7), pages 1-13, April.
    2. In Hwa Shim & In Ok Sim, 2020. "A Study of the Experience of Working Adults on Regular Choral Activities: Applying Focus Groups," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(23), pages 1-12, November.
    3. Robert M X Wu & Zhongwu Zhang & Wanjun Yan & Jianfeng Fan & Jinwen Gou & Bao Liu & Ergun Gide & Jeffrey Soar & Bo Shen & Syed Fazal-e-Hasan & Zengquan Liu & Peng Zhang & Peilin Wang & Xinxin Cui & Zha, 2022. "A comparative analysis of the principal component analysis and entropy weight methods to establish the indexing measurement," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 17(1), pages 1-26, January.
    4. Alexandra Pulst & Alexander Maximilian Fassmer & Falk Hoffmann & Guido Schmiemann, 2020. "Paramedics’ Perspectives on the Hospital Transfers of Nursing Home Residents—A Qualitative Focus Group Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-16, May.
    5. Phipps, Polly A & Butani, Shail J & Chun, Young I, 1995. "Research on Establishment-Survey Questionnaire Design," Journal of Business & Economic Statistics, American Statistical Association, vol. 13(3), pages 337-346, July.
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