Title: Developing quality healthcare software using quality function deployment: a case study based on Sultan Qaboos University Hospital

Authors: Mohiuddin Ahmed, Rafikul Islam, Salim Khloof Al-Wahaibi

Addresses: Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Information and Communication Technology, International Islamic University Malaysia, Jalan Gombak, 53100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. ' Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Economics and Management Sciences, International Islamic University Malaysia, Jalan Gombak, 53100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. ' Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, P.O. Box 38, Alkhod 123, Sultanate of Oman

Abstract: Traditionally, the rate of failure in software development projects is higher compared to other kinds of projects. This is partly due to the failure in determining software users| requirements. By using Quality Function Deployment (QFD), this research focuses on identification and prioritisation of users| requirements in the context of developing quality healthcare software system for Sultan Qaboos University Hospital (SQUH) in Oman. A total of 95 staff working at eight departments of SQUH were contacted and they were requested to provide their requirements in using hospital information systems. Analytic Hierarchy Process has been integrated with QFD for prioritising those user requirements. Then, in consultation with a number of software engineers, a list consisting of 30 technical requirements was generated. At the end of QFD exercise the technical requirements that receive higher weights, should be paid due consideration at the time of designing the healthcare software system for SQUH.

Keywords: software quality; quality function deployment; healthcare software; analytical hierarchy process; AHP; QFD; user requirements; hospital information systems; electronic heathcare; e-healthcare; Oman.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBIS.2006.008957

International Journal of Business Information Systems, 2006 Vol.1 No.4, pp.408 - 425

Published online: 07 Feb 2006 *

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