Leadership Can Bridge the User-Developer Gap

Abstract

The application of Socio-Technical theory seeks to improve the alignment between the technical and social sub-systems that comprise organisations. The developers who create the technical systems and the people who use the systems are manifestations of the socio-technical dynamic. Yet a gap exists between these two groups that create a sometimes strong dynamic tension that is a worthy subject for research. Despite many years of study, practical solutions to the User-Developer gap still seem elusive. This chapter explores the nature of the gap, and proposes a leadership model that improves the capabilities of project managers and team members to bridge the gap.