IRECS Framework: Identification of Requirements for Enterprise Collaboration Systems

A review of the literature in the field of CSCW shows that the adoption of Enterprise Collaboration Systems (ECS) is challenging and that there is a need for a structured approach for their implementation. The IRECS Framework (Identification of Requirements for Enterprise Collaboration Systems), described in this paper, addresses this call in the form of a comprehensive classification of the digital support of collaborative work and a complementary taxonomy of empirically observed examples. The IRECS classification comprises five layers – from a high-level business view of collaborative work to a detailed consideration of the software modules that fulfil the functional requirements. The development of the framework followed a ten-year Design Science Research process. The framework is designed to serve the needs of researchers and practitioners alike. The detailed classification provides a valuable analytical lens for research. The framework and its concrete examples can also be used in practice as a guidance and checklist in the software selection process of organisations.