THE televised walk-through of the St Jude Hospital Reconstruction project broke new ground, in providing an unvarnished representation of the perspectives of a group of interested people, notwithstanding the caustic complaints of partisanship or bias circulating on social media. Allowing such unfiltered interaction to be beamed live effectively removes the possibility of favourably airbrushing the actual image, but might well be a first for us. Generally speaking, when embarking on a project, steps taken to receive and incorporate feedback from target users should be encouraged, since their various perspectives may help shape and improve the outcome.
When designing computer applications or planning changes to existing systems, the perspective of the end users must be taken into account to avoid overlooking their concerns. Different categories of users may have a divergent set of perspectives, and the job of the system designer is to address these concerns in the timeliest and cost effective manner. Recently, while reviewing the design of a university library website, I noted that the focus seemed to be on beautiful imagery, the obvious usage of cool-but-unnecessary features, and then the needs of the library users. To do something of interest and interact with the online catalogue required you to scroll to the bottom of the screen. Not the friendliest design! If the library users had been invited to test the new system, or had been part of the original design process, then the final product would likely have been balanced by their needs.
In the case of the televised tour of the hospital reconstruction site, the perspectives of the users were featured much too late. If ICT systems designers took the view that they knew best, and the users should simply accept whatever was produced for their benefit, there would (or should) justifiably be an uproar. Both the strongly shared views of those in attendance, and the commentary of those visiting virtually, ought to have been part of the original process, or perhaps part of the quality control process. Even outspoken critics have a perspective that should be balanced alongside those of other interested parties. This represents the basis of collaborative and consultative working.
Despite the entertainment value of the televised spectacle, there is a wider benefit that we could all learn from. To ignore user perspectives in the design or quality control process may lead to frustration. Good design and consultation requires a high level of participation at all stages.
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About the Author
Dr.Lyndell St. Ville is an ICT Consultant offering expertise in data management, systems design, and analysis.