Efficient Development of Organisations and Information Technology

A Design Approach

Jan Gulliksen, Mats Lind, Magnus Lif, Bengt Sandblad

Efficient Development of Organisations and Information Technology - A Design Approach. Jan Gulliksen, Mats Lind, Magnus Lif, Bengt Sandblad. In Y. Anzai and K. Ogawa (eds.) Symbiosis of Human and Artifact. Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, HCI International '95, Pacifico, Yokohama, Japan 9 - 14 July 1995, Elsevier, pp. 951-956.

Abstract

In this paper a framework for the entire process of organisation and information system development is discussed, focusing especially on design issues. Our definition of the process of design in human-computer interaction is the process of creating a formal description by appearance and functionality of an information system. This design is based on both formal and informal descriptions of interaction requirements as a result of a work analysis process. The analysis phase is separate from the design phase. According to the definition of design, as a specification into a formal language, it can never completely describe all requirements. We distinguish four, different, consecutive gaps of communication in the design process. In each of these gaps some information about the actual work situation can be lost. These gaps constitute severe obstacles in the process of developing efficient and usable information systems for specific work situations. Development models covering the entire process of design might bridge, or at least narrow, these gaps. Some main characteristics of such models are presented.

Keywords
Organisation; Design; Information Technology; Analysis of Information Utilisation;

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Postscript
Postscript (compressed)

Jan Gulliksen, Systems and Control Group, Department of Technology, Uppsala University, PO Box 27, S-751 03 Uppsala, Sweden,