Designing a peer-based support system to support shakedown

Many problems of software implementations appear after roll-out during the shakedown phase. Research have shown that peer advice ties are more effective and preferred by users than traditional IT support structures. However, large organizations are often shrouded in anonymity and individuals often don’t know which peer to ask for advice, resorting to help desks as a last resort. The paper addresses the challenges of peer advice ties as support structure by presenting a peer-based support system (PBSS) design to address emerging problems of individuals during shakedown. By applying design science research and theory of interaction as explanatory theory for peer advice to derive design requirements. Based on the informational, timeliness and contextual advantages of peer advice ties, we develop tentative design principles, which aids in identifying and creating interaction among peers. The contribution lies in prescriptive knowledge on how systems should be designed to support peer advice as support structures.