a few more steps together :-)

[Diane Nahl]

Interdisciplinary system development teams are crucial to approximating
systems that are acceptable to users and experts alike.  Don't forget
another crucial partner:  the end users themselves.  I don't mean just in
the needs analysis phase, or even in the post-design phase, but as true
partners throughout the design process.  Does this sound too messy and
unprofessional? 

Usability labs are still quite system centered in their analysis of user
processes.  However, natural observation, tape recording users in action,
feedback instruments, etc. throughout the design process reveals the best
information for system designers.  It takes time.  It is labor intensive. 
It produces realtime data on users feelings, thoughts, actions,
presuppositions, assumptions, concerns, information needs (including
system information needs), understandings, interpretations, etc.  That
cannot be created through the minds of the experts, but the experts 
(especially librarians since they are closest to users) need to
process and structure this user-based data to design systems around
user-values. 

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_/  Dr. Diane Nahl, Assistant Professor                  _/   From now  _/
_/  School of Library and Information Studies            _/   on we     _/
_/  University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI 96822             _/   are all   _/
_/  http://www2.hawaii.edu/slis/nahl/nahl.html           _/   lifelong  _/
_/  voicemail: 808-956-5809   FAX: 808-956-5835          _/   novices.  _/
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