PROBLEMS INTEGRATING USER PARTICIPATION INTO SOFTWARE-DEVELOPMENT

This paper is concerned with various problems that can impede the impl ementation and practice of user participation in the software developm ent process. We describe a case study of a user centred design method in an in-house project. Taking a work organization perspective, we hig hlight several problem areas, relating to human and organizational iss ues. These arise from the internal processes of the method, the method 's relationship with other procedures and the organizational context. We discuss the impacts of these problems and the interconnections betw een them. The key underlying issues identified are a lack of integrate d effort and the failure to include the full range of necessary knowle dge. Theoretical implications for knowledge work and the concept of us er participation are discussed and practical recommendations given. (C ) Academic Press Limited.