User-centered development is critical because it is the
end-user that is going to be using the product.
In the world of technology the consumer user outnumbers the professional
user by a substantial margin. It is
essential to listen to the end-user when developing systems. If the system is
too complicated and difficult to understand and use, then the project has
failed to meet its goal.
In addition, when developing a specific system, it is the
end-user that knows what they want the system to be able to do. An engineer or software developer needs to
know what exactly the end-user desires in the capabilities of the system. A programmer can speculate what he thinks the
end-user will need the software to do, but without getting that information
from the user, the project will fall short.
Today’s technology is much too dynamic compared to
twenty-five years ago. In the late
1980’s – early 1990’s, developers put together software packages and users
bought them and used them. Now, with
open-source and mobile applications, it is much simpler for the user to find an
application that suite their particular needs.
If they cannot find it, they can have one built to their specifications
relatively easy.
The more end-users involved during development ensures that
all required operations will be included in the final project. This is definitely an environment where a “bottom-up”
methodology is the better way to go.
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