Determining Information Requirements for an EIS

Executive information systems (EISs) are challenging applications to develop, and many organizations are unsuccessful in their efforts. A major problem is determining the information requirements for the system. A multi-stage study was conducted to explore (1) methods used to determine the information requirements for the initial and ongoing version of an EIS; (2) how frequently the methods are used; (3) how useful the methods are; and (4) in what situations the methods are useful or not useful. Telephone interviews identified 16 methods used to determine information requirements and provided insights into what makes the methods useful or not useful. Survey questionnaires revealed how frequently the methods are used and how useful they are. The use of the 16 methods for the initial and ongoing versions of an EIS are discussed as are suggestions for further research.