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"User-Centered Requirements" by Karen McGraw and Karan Harbison is a book that explains how to define and develop computer-based applications that are truly user-friendly. As McGraw and Harbison point out, $250 billion are spent each year on application development projects and of these, only 16% will finish on time and within budget. There are a number of factors that can influence the success or failure of these projects, among them "lack of user involvement and poorly stated or incomplete requirements." This book offers a solution. McGraw and Harbison describe the Scenario-based Engineering Process (SEP), a methodology that bridges and integrates software engineering, usability engineering, and business process engineering. It is a user-centered methodology and set of interactive techniques that can be used to elicit, define, evaluate, and refine user-centered requirements and conceptual design for complex systems. The SEP methodology uses scenarios to build a bridge between developers, users and other shareholders, and an organization's management. Scenarios also provide a common forum for building relationships with users and experts, a means of scoping and bounding the problem space, and a means of prioritizing potential solutions.
If you decide to read only one chapter in this book, read Chapter 3. This chapter addresses the most common problems faced in requirements gathering and analysis and more importantly, explains how to avoid these problems. I have experienced several of these problems in the past and probably could have avoided them had this book been available. The authors compare and contrast interactive techniques for working with users, and suggest which ones are appropriate for eliciting different types of information and knowledge. They also present tips for organizing a larger team of analysts who must coordinate their findings and present a coherent plan.
Chapter 4 explains how to select the most appropriate techniques for eliciting requirements and design ideas, while Chapters 5 through 11 present thorough descriptions and guidelines for using a wide array of elicitation techniques. I agree with the authors that analysts can use this methodology and techniques to set expectations and help workers through the change that often results from the introduction of new systems. Good change management is crucial to the success of projects involving the introduction of new technologies. An understanding of the processes involved as well as the roles played by key personnel is vital, and can help the project transition smoothly from phase to phase.
Throughout the book, the authors emphasize the need for ongoing evaluation. Evaluation is crucial for determining the success or failure of projects, or the need for refinement, yet it is frequently ignored. Baseline studies must be done prior to implementation of projects so that the impact of change can be measured. Interim project evaluations are useful to see if the project is on track and if the application is on target to be user-friendly. Each step in the engineering process should be evaluated and tested by the end-users to determine if their requirements are being met. Creation of prototype screens is particularly useful (Chapter 5) in the evaluation process. Chapter 12 provides comprehensive suggestions for evaluation techniques and analysis, such as focus groups, formative and summative evaluation, questionnaires and surveys, and pilot tests.
I appreciated that the authors used substantial examples to explain user-centered requirements gathering. The book is written in a very readable style and while I didn't immediately recognize some of the terminology (I am not a software engineer), I still understood the concepts. The techniques are useful, and are presented in an easy-to-follow manner. Better yet, the book provides a methodology that helps analysts select and use techniques throughout the life cycle of a user-centered project. I will be re-reading "User-Centered Requirements" for tips and insight on developing easy-to-use computer applications.
User-Centered Requirements: The Scenario-Based Engineering Process, by Karen McGraw and Karan Harbison. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 1997, 392pp, 0-8058-2064-7 [cloth], 0-8058-2065-5 [paper], http://www.erlbaum.com
About the Reviewer
Jill Loukides is currently working with Ellora Software as a Senior Biomedical Consultant. She was Project Manager for a large telemedicine project for the US Navy and helped with the development of user-centered computer applications now in use at the Naval Medical Clinic, Annapolis (United States Naval Academy). The project has now been expanded to include the service academies at West Point (Army) and Colorado Springs (Air Force).
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