CHI 97 Electronic Publications: Special Interest Groups (SIGs)
Usability and Requirements: What role can usability professionals play in requirements definition?
Elizabeth Muncher
NCR
1529 Brown Street
EMD-3
Dayton, OH 45479 USA
+1 937 445 7695
elizabeth.muncher@daytonoh.ncr.com
Keywords
Requirements, methodologies, product development
© 1997 Copyright on this material is held by the authors.
TOPIC
The SIG will be a forum for discussing issues related to requirements and
usability. Usability professionals have been working to move their realm of
influence earlier in the development process from the traditional testing after
completion. But how early is early enough? For example, with user centred
design (UCD), involvement begins with an analysis phase which uses the
requirements or product concept as the starting point. Why not get involved in
defining the requirements and even the concept? We have the skills and the
correct orientation on users and their work where we could make significant
contributions to this level of product development.
FORMAT
The SIG will start with a discussion of what efforts are being made to
contribute to requirements. Participants are encouraged to present their
relevant experiences with the group. The group will then discuss the various
issues described in the following section.
ISSUES
During the SIG session the following issues will be discussed:
- How can a focus on requirements benefit usability of products and
solutions?
- What problems do usability professionals face in an environment where they
do not define requirements and product concepts and how can these problems be
alleviated with such involvement?
- What form might these requirements take?
- How can the requirements we contribute fit with the other areas of
requirements, e.g. Marketing and Engineering, in terms of complementing them or
enhancing them?
- What can usability practitioners do to increase their influence at the
concept and requirements definition phases of products and solutions?
- What are the dangers of becoming more involved with requirements in terms
of getting pulled into market research? Is this an appropriate area to get
involved in?
GOALS
The SIG has three goals. The first goal is to learn what usability
professionals are doing with requirements. The second goal is to document ideas
about the role that usability professionals could or should play in
requirements definition. Finally, the third goal is to document ideas about
the value of usability contributions to requirements.
If there is sufficient interest the leaders would like use the
information gathered in the SIG to create a workshop at a future
CHI meeting.
CHI 97 Electronic Publications: Special Interest Groups (SIGs)
