A4FischerAparicio

A4FischerAparicio

To-Do

1. selection process: choose one of the design methodologies (not yet taken by another group) from the list (and mark it as chosen by editing the wiki page with the list of options — “first come / first served”)
2. do research (read papers, interview software designers, analyze existing systems—hint: the abovementioned wiki site contains references to resources) and answer the following specific questions for your chosen design methodology:

Define your chosen design methodology.

User-Centered Design is a methodology in which the user is consulted in every step of the process. This methodology is concerned with how the users will interact in the processes of the program and how these users will actually use it. Also, user-centered design takes into account all of the users needs in an application and displays it intuitively and makes everything easily understandable to the specific user.

Characterize your chosen design methodology.

User-centered design can be characterized by its strict attention to the user. All aspects of the program must revolve around the users needs. The obvious needs are what the program does (its functionality), and how those functions are presented to the user. It also takes into account multiple types of users, not just the professional photographer who uses photoshop as an integral part of his profession, but also the husband who has to shave a few off his wife's hips. In other words, it has to be usable to the expert and the novice.

What are the strengths of your selected methodology?

The beauty of having the user through the entire development process is that by the end you have a fully functioning program that needs little testing and little reworking. If the user has been involved in every step of development, the user will get exactly what he wants, which is the end goal of any program.

What are the weaknesses of your selected methodology?

Involving the end user at every step of the program means a long development time because all of the reworking of a program that typically happens at the end of development, happens during development. If a company doesn't have much capital and must quickly produce a product, having a user in all aspects may make the project impossible. Deadlines may not be met, funding will increase due to the length of time, and such a company may go bankrupt.

For what domains or problems is your selected design methodology appropriate?

Any domain in which the user can be easily and quickly involved. Designing a program for someone who knows exactly what they want and exactly how they want it is preferred.

For what domains or problems is your selected design methodology inappropriate?

Developing a product for the mentally challenged is significantly more difficult than developing a product for articulate persons. Developing programs for the elderly, the illiterate, and the masses is inherently difficult due to their inability to convey their specified needs.

Why is design methodology important (suited) or not important (suited) for human-centered computing?

Human-centered computing, by definition, is developing products for the people that use them. User-centered development is the foundation on which all human-centered computing must rest if it is to be a reasonable philosophy by which to develop products.