The Potential of Workarounds for Improving Processes

Several studies have hinted how the study of workarounds can help organizations to improve business processes. Through a systematic literature review of 70 articles that discuss workarounds by information systems users, we aim to unlock this potential. Based on a synthesis of recommendations mentioned in the reviewed studies, we describe five key activities that help organizations to deal with workarounds. We contribute to the IS literature by (1) providing an overview of concrete recommendations for managing workarounds and (2) offering a background for positioning new research activities on the subject. Organizations can apply these tools directly to turn their knowledge on workarounds into organizational improvement.