Alexander Johannesen wrote:
I found this one interesting. What exactly is it that *we* want that's
detached from what our users want?
>And along the same lines, its up to catalogers to determine
>the subject needs of the users. ;-) If we based our
>cataloging on what the users want, we'd never get to do what
>we want because we'd be too busy reacting to them.
I was attempting to create a parallel to Ron Peterson's comment: "When
you base all your design decision on input/feedback from your users, you
become reactive and it is very hard to be innovative from that posture"
as a basis for examining whether it is useful to consider that it has to
be all one way or another. It was unfair of me since Ron has not taken
such an extreme position as my cataloging example suggests.
There is, I hope, a useful perspective there in finding balance in
system design among users, system designers and administrators, and
metadata/cataloging creators in a user-centered information system.
Among these three (not exclusive) groups, I think it is very arguable
that users are not well represented in system design and features in
most library systems.
Allen Mullen
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: Next generation catalogs for libraries
>>[mailto:NGC4LIB_at_listserv.nd.edu] On Behalf Of Ron Peterson
>>Sent: Thursday, May 03, 2007 10:57 AM
>>To: NGC4LIB_at_listserv.nd.edu
>>Subject: Re: [NGC4LIB] user-centered design
>>
>>I would go further to say that user-centered design is "us
>figuring out
>>how to meet the needs of the user." I think what Erik was
>describing,
>>"embracing their ever changing desires,"
>>is user-driven design, as opposed to user-centered design.
>>The difference between the 2 is the difference between being reactive
>>and proactive. When you are proactive, you take
>>the time to learn about your users and their hopes, needs, and goals
>>and you design to help your users fulfill those hopes, needs, and
>>goals.
>>
>
Received on Fri May 04 2007 - 10:52:13 EDT