Spreadsheet Practices and Challenges in a Large Multinational Conglomerate

Spreadsheet Practices and Challenges in a Large Multinational Conglomerate
Justin Smith, Justin A. Middleton, Nicholas A. Kraft
Visual Languages and Human Centric Computing (VL/HCC 2017)
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Abstract:

Spreadsheets are ubiquitous. Thus, it is important to understand the challenges faced by spreadsheet users in practice. To better understand these challenges, we surveyed ABB employees and then interviewed a cross-section of survey respondents. We used a two-phase coding process to classify the challenges they described. Our survey findings demonstrate that practices in our single-company setting are consistent with practices in broader settings. Our interviews revealed both individual and organizational challenges. For instance, individual participants described data pipeline challenges related to importing data from external sources or storing and archiving spreadsheet data. Further, participants’ collective responses revealed challenges pertaining to knowledge distribution within the organization. We outline possible interventions to address these challenges. Our results will help guide researchers and tool designers in addressing the practical challenges facing spreadsheet users.

Study Materials:

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