The Effects of the Use of Cognitive Models on Shared Understanding During the Requirements Analysis Phase of Information Systems Development

During the requirements analysis phase of systems development, the user and analyst attempt to come to an agreement on the purpose of the system and the needs of the future users. When completed effectively (and efficiently), this process leads to the creation of an information system that fulfills the intended purpose and meets the needs of the users on time and within budget. Often times, information systems are designed and created that do not meet the needs of the users or fulfill their intended purpose (Jenkins et al., 1984; Guinan et al., 1998). These systems are often the result of problems that occur during the requirements analysis phase (Guinan et al., 1998; Holtzblatt and Beyer, 1995; Schenk et al., 1998). Of the many potential problems, miscommunication between the user and the analyst has a great potential for causing “bad” systems (Marakas and Elam, 1998; Tan, 1994)