HFSD User Involvement

1. HFSD User Involvement • Whilst the need to involve users in the SAD process is accepted to a greater or less extent in all design methods - the decision to involve users raises many issues. • Who? • Manager? • User with computer experience? • Several users? • Ability? • Experience?

2. More Questions • Who makes the decision about who will participate? •  Who will resolve any conflicts which might arise? • Analyst? • User Rep? • Manager? • How long will the user act as the rep? • How many? • Full-time or part-time rep? • Can see that using a representative is not without problems!

3. Problems - User Reps Full-time Advantages • provides protection from high levels of turnover • Organisation gains a trained systems professional • Is likely to have detailed knowledge of the organisation and tasks • Primarily an accountant, banker etc. - systems specialist second

4. Problems - User Reps Full-time Disadvantages • People seconded to design teams rarely return to their previous job - they have acquired too many new and valuable technical skills •  Become good systems designers but poor user reps • They become subject to the ' hostage effect' - they acquire the skills values attitudes etc. of the technical specialists • They are then less able to challenge the 'Techies' and are thus less able to represent the users and present their requirements •  Consequently the designers can obtain a false picture of what the 'real' users want

5. User Reps - Part -time • To overcome the problems of having a full-time rep an alternative is to use a part-time rep Some Advantages • Reduces likelihood of 'Hostage effect' • Become the 'Guardian' of the users requirement - rep signs of on behalf of the users at each stage to accept design process to date. (As in SSADM) • Continue in their 'normal' work role

6. User Reps - Part -time Disadvantages • Limited training - if any - for the role. Therefore cannot understand complex documentation to determine whether it meets the users requirements or expectations • Part-time role means that they do not get enough involvement with either the designers or the users with corresponding consequences:- • Difficult to know the needs of the other users • Difficult to find time to establish user needs • Difficult to find time to convey users needs

7. User Rep Issues • The role of User reps is a vital but difficult one • If it is to be successful attention must be paid to the issues raised above • Must ensure that those charged with the responsibility have the level of support required to carry out their role effectively.

8. User Reps in the Design of Social Systems • Main role is to ensure that user specification is adhered to • However there are other roles which rep can get involved in if see design of systems as being a socio -technical process. These could include:- • Job Design • Workstation Design • Human Resource Planning • Office Design • Training Design

9. User Reps in the Design of Social Systems • User reps can have an important role in relation to these issues if:- • They are given the authority • Have detailed knowledge of the planned technical system • Can see the wider social implications of the proposed system • Can ensure that a balance between the two is maintained • In effect they can provide the bridge between the social design process and the technical design process • Often the two processes are seen as separate

10.  User Reps in the Planning of Strategy • Where a large scale system is being designed there is likely to be consequences for managment the company and its workforce • A user rep at a senior level will clearly need to be involved at the strategy level for managements views to be represented •  This will enable the various options and their consequences to be considered at the higher strategic level • However the involvement of managers and users as reps creates other problems

11. User Reps in the Planning of Strategy • Management may feel that users should not be involved at this level • No system has been decided at this stage - why alarm people •  Many options may be considered which are rejected so why waste time in pointless discussion • Get people involved when the strategy and the system to be designed and implemented has been decided

12. User Reps in the Planning of Strategy • If users are not involved in the implications of strategic options • May see the planned system as a fait accompli rather than as a joint problem solving approach to addressing the likely social issues that will arise • Negotiating stands are likely to be more entrenched and more protracted • Increased chance of long delays in implementing the system

13. User Reps in Strategic Planning (Cont) • Rather than seeing strategy being only a concern of senior management by involving users at this stage conflicts are addressed at an early stage • Negotiation starts early and becomes part of the development process • Within this framework it increases the possibility of finding acceptable solutions • This is not to say that conflicts will not remain or that some trade offs will have to be made But • It should help users and designers to recognise the objectives of the system and the constraints under which the system is being developed

14. Further Reading • Read the article by Damodaran in the Supplementary Reading Pack (Article C Essential) • Also Read Damodaran In Behaviour & Information Technology June 1998 (Recommended)