Fostering organizational learning with embedded application systems: the XTEND2 prototype

It is argued that agents must understand their work as a whole, including computerized tasks, if they are to employ information systems for fostering organizational learning. The embedded systems approach is proposed for redesigning the structure and the components of software systems so that it is easier for agents to develop such an understanding. In the approach presented, the applications are embedded in extended support systems that make the organization of work and the coordinating role of information systems explicit as well as support agents in handling unexpected breakdowns. The resulting systems are called Embedded Application Systems. The XTEND2 prototype is described to illustrate the approach and to inspire commercial implementations