2024 Volume 31 Issue 4 Pages 587-608
We conducted experiments involving both software engineers and usability specialists in the quasi-context of information system development. Participants were asked to select one system in charge of development and to describe targeted tasks, system users responsible for executing these tasks, and the relationships between them. Using our novel Three-Layer Model Diagram, we mapped the connections among system functions, tasks, and users. We then compared software engineers’ system understanding to that of usability specialists, who adopt human-centered perspectives. Our results showed that software engineers had a lesser understanding of the model elements and their interrelations than usability specialists. Software engineers often conceptualized users as “roles” responsible for tasks or as “subjects granted system usage rights”rather than as actual people performing tasks. They also tended to focus on achieving developmental objectives rather than user-oriented goals. These findings suggest that software engineers primarily perceive systems in terms of functions and tasks, often neglecting the end-users and their real-world contexts. Interestingly, we also found that software engineers emphasize meeting customer expectations, who may be ensnared in the same function-centric perspectives of software engineers. This study identified the function-centric perspective and customer-oriented approach as factors potentially impeding their effectiveness in usability-related activities.
