The impact of participation in information system design: a comparison of contextual placements
Abstract
To compare the outcomes of participatory and user-centered contextual design, case study methods and the Activity Checklist derived from Activity Theory are used to analyze two system prototypes developed in the same organizational setting. Systematic differences between the prototypes are identified regarding focus on tool, organization, individual, and relation to current power structures and organizational practices. The resulting participatory design prototype reflected a sharper focus on collective use, social processes and to pragmatically fit into the organization whereas the user-centered prototype focused on individual use, the computer system and solutions that require substantial changes in work procedures. The differences between the prototypes are discussed and related to the specific aspects of the design methods.
