The past recaptured: In search of lost paradigms

Abstract

In the mid 1980s, a cluster of HF professionals described a new paradigm in which technology would be designed for a better ®t not just with individual users but also with organizational systems and dynamics. The term`Macroergonomics' took hold to describe this broadening of perspective. This concept was a manifestation of the holistic design philosophy and values of the user-centred design (UCD) paradigm, but tended to place more emphasis on how technology ®t into organizational systems than on either design or on individual use of technology. While the bene®ts in the quality of work life that were expected to result from paying more attention to how organizations managed technology and technological change were many, the track record has been disappointing. The promotion of a focus on the organizational context of technology did not lead directly to practical application or make companies more humane for either their workers or for external customers. Today, however, with the maturation and broadening application of user-centred design approaches, the time is ripe to apply them to the design of information systems within companies as vigorously as they are being applied to products and systems intended for consumers.

Designing and Implementing the MySusCof App—A Mobile App to Support Food Waste Reduction

“…A common problem during software or app development is that evaluation of the software by its end-users takes place after the software/app is finished and not during the design process [ 50 ]. Making changes at the end of the design process are cost intensive and often suboptimal in respect to the usability of the product.…”