| 1. |
- Cajander, Åsa, et al.
(författare)
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Management perspectives on usability in a public authority: a case study
- 2006
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Ingår i: Proceedings of the 4th Nordic conference on Human-computer interaction: changing roles. - New York, NY, USA : ACM New York. - 1595933255 ; , s. 38-47
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- In trying to understand the problem of poor usability in computer-supported work, this article looks at management and their perspective on usability in a public authority. What are their underlying basic values, assumptions and attitudes? Why do managers interpret usability as they do, and what are the consequences for the organization and for usability? The empirical basis is an interpretive case study where 19 semi-structured interviews were conducted. Results indicate that usability is interpreted differently, depending on the formal roles of informants. Furthermore, a majority of the informants express personal, but limited, responsibility for usability. Moreover, we found that basic values are based on an instrumental view of work where efficiency and economy are important constituents. We identified that even though users participate in IT development, they have no formal responsibility or authority. They have become IT workers in that they perform highly technical tasks such as integral testing.
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| 2. |
- Cajander, Åsa, et al.
(författare)
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Usability and Users’ Health Issues in Systems Development : Attitudes and Perspectives
- 2008
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Ingår i: Maturing Usability. - London : Springer London. - 9781846289415 ; , s. 243-266
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Bokkapitel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Poor usability and hence a stressful work situation is still a severe problem in computer-supported work, despite efforts to increase the focus on these issues. Consequently, Sweden has a high level of sick rates, particularly in the civil service sector, and some problems relating to inadequate IT systems with poor usability. In this chapter, we aim at understanding attitudes about and practices for integrating usability and users’ health issues in systems development. Quality in value—i.e. users’ well-being, productivity, and user satisfaction—is shaped by attitudes and perspectives underpinning discourse in systems development. These attitudes and perspectives are embedded in the methods, models, and representations used in systems development, as well as in discourse and action. In our qualitative study, data was collected through semistructured interviews with 127 informants, and in a case study of an ongoing project in one organization. During analysis of data, we identified problems with attitudes and perspectives about users and their work, such as the strong focus on automation, efficiency, and surveillance of work, which shaped the development of new technology and ultimately shapes the work situation of the user. Furthermore, we identified that the work of civil servants was frequently discussed in terms of simple steps and procedures that can be predefined and automated in accordance with clearly defined rules and regulations. Finally, we suggest user-centered design and field studies to address the problems and to improve the understanding of the users’ needs and work practices in development projects.
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| 3. |
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| 4. |
- Cajander, Åsa, 1971-
(författare)
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Usability – Who Cares? : The Introduction of User-Centred Systems Design in Organisations
- 2010
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This thesis analyses the difficulties encountered in the promotion of usability, especially in relation to occupation health issues, when developing IT systems in a public authority. It examines what happens when User-Centred Systems Design (UCSD) approaches are introduced to organisations with in-house systems development for their employees. It studies how stakeholder values affect the outcomes in terms of usability, occupational health, and institutional acceptance. Moreover, new methods are examined and evaluated as potential tools for assisting the adoption of UCSD. These methods are for example Field studies for system developers, Usability coaching for stakeholders and Management views of usability.A stated aim is to influence systems development in practice. Hence an action research paradigm has been employed, carrying out research and change in real life settings, gathering and analysing data using qualitative techniques.This thesis is based on a constructivist perspective, where theories in the areas of learning and organisational change have been used in order to better understand the research questions.The research demonstrates that most people are enthusiastic to, and interested in, UCSD with a focus on the computerised work environment. Many of the stakeholder groups, such as managers, users, project managers and system developers, changed their construct of identity as well as practice when UCSD was introduced.However, this research shows that there are several values that affect systems development and hinder usability work. These include for example value of rationality and objectivity, and differing values and perspectives underpinning descriptions and discourse on work and systems development. Values such as automation, efficiency, and customer satisfaction shape the development of new technology, and ultimately the tasks, work practices integrated in IT systems.Moreover, the results demonstrate that even though many consider usability as important, few take active responsibility for it, as the title of this thesis suggests.
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| 5. |
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| 6. |
- Gulliksen, Jan, et al.
(författare)
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Key principles for user centred systems design
- 2003
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Ingår i: Behaviour and Information Technology. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0144-929X .- 1362-3001. ; 22:6, s. 397-409
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The concept of user-centred systems design (UCSD) has no agreed upon definition. Consequently, there is a great variety in the ways it is applied, which may lead to poor quality and poor usability in the resulting systems, as well as misconceptions about the effectiveness of UCSD.The purpose of this paper is to propose a definition of UCSD. We have identified 12 key principles for the adoption of a user-centred development process, principles that are based on existing theory, as well as research in and experiences from a large number of software development projects. The initial set of principles were applied and evaluated in a case study and modified accordingly.These principles can be used to communicate the nature of UCSD, evaluate a development process or develop systems development processes that support a user-centred approach. We also suggest activity lists and some tools for applying UCSD.
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| 7. |
- Sandblad, Bengt, et al.
(författare)
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Work environment and computer systems development
- 2003
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Ingår i: Behaviour and Information Technology. - OXON, ENGLAND : Informa UK Limited. - 1362-3001 .- 0144-929X. ; 22:6, s. 375-387
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Work environment and occupational health problems of different nature are constantly increasing in computer supported work. Most efforts to improve the work environment are focused primarily on physical aspects, and to some extent on psychosocial aspects. Mental workload and cognitive problems are of a more complex nature, more difficult to measure and provide efficient solutions to, and are more seldom studied or solved. Solutions to work environment problems are usually applied to already existing work situations through improved equipment and work place design, health programmes, education, reorganizations, etc. The problems are seldom prevented by means of applying relevant methods early in the systems development process, before the artefacts have been designed and implemented. This paper, and the following papers of this special issue, will focus on the need to integrate different interdisciplinary methods at different phases in the development process of computerized support systems, with the ultimate goal to prevent work environment problems and decrease the health risks to the users.
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