Title: Improvement of CSCW software implementation in NPD: the CAM mechanism for a better adoption by users

Authors: Tomas Restrepo, Natalia Arbelaez, Dominique Millet, Thierry Gidel

Addresses: Ecole Nationale Superieure d'Arts et Metiers, 151 Bd de l'Hopital, 75013 Paris, France. ' Universite de Technologie de Compiegne, BP 60319, 60203 Compiegne, France. ' 'Ecodesign of Systems' Laboratory, E.R.T. 'Eco-conception de Systemes', SUPMECA – Toulon, Quartier Mayol, Maison des Technologies, 83000 Toulon, France. ' Universite de Technologie de Compiegne, BP 60319, 60203 Compiegne, France

Abstract: Cooperation between disseminated actors is a key factor in improving new product development (NPD) performance. In the last years, numerous CSCW software applications have been introduced in the industry to support NPD with a low success rate. This is partly due to the limited insight of the organisational and human factors influencing user motivation during the first stages of CSCW software implementation. This research suggests that users adopt more rapidly those features of CSCW software with whom they are more familiar and that the adoption of other features of the application is reinforced by the various links connecting them with the preferred feature. We propose a CSCW integration protocol called the |catching module mechanism| (CAMM) which exploits user|s inclination towards a particular feature of a CSCW application by training them on that same feature. The CAMM was tested in the NPD context of Saint-Gobain Glass.

Keywords: computer supported cooperative work; CSCW; new product development; NPD; software implementation; project management; cooperation; disseminated actors; software applications; software adoption; organisational factors; human factors; user motivation; integration protocols; catching module mechanisms; CAMM; user inclinations; training; Saint-Gobain Glass; flat glass manufacture; France; learning; change.

DOI: 10.1504/IJLC.2010.038765

International Journal of Learning and Change, 2010 Vol.4 No.4, pp.281 - 299

Published online: 02 Mar 2011 *

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