USER INVOLVEMENT IN THE SYSTEMS-DESIGN PROCESS - A PRACTICAL GUIDE FOR USERS

Increasingly users find themselves 'involved' in IT design projects. T his occurs because the organizational culture of the parent organizati on purports to promote participation, or because structured design met hods are being used which require users to play a part. In either case users who find themselves required to participate in IT projects are frequently unclear about what this requires. In most organizations sur prisingly little briefing on the users' role in design projects is pro vided. Users are therefore confused about their brief and concerned ab out their lack of expertise in computing. Although research reports on participatory design (PD) projects abound, little coherent guidance f or the key stakeholders representing users' interests is available. Th e contents of this paper go some way towards filling the gap. Clear di fferentiation is made in the paper between the roles of the different players involved. Detailed guidance is provided for meeting the varied requirements of the different roles. For example, the roles of 'top' management and 'middle' management in supporting user involvement are explored, their special responsibilities specified and required action s listed. The need for an infrastructure to support user involvement a nd how to create one is discussed. Guidance is provided on, for exampl e, the representation process and the factors to consider in selecting user representatives. The role of user representatives is particularl y problematical and therefore receives particularly close attention. F inally guidance is given regarding the common pitfalls in Quality Assu rance procedures and especially how to avoid the procedures becoming a meaningless 'rubber-stamping' exercise. The guidance presented is gro unded in the extensive experience of the author in participative desig n processes in a wide variety of contexts including the footwear indus try, a major UK government department and a telecommunications and bro adcasting company.