Participatory Design Methods for Commander's Predictive Environment

Abstract

To ensure systems provide relevant capability, effort needs to be expended in understanding requirements, designing the appropriate solution, developing the capability and implementing for acceptance. Participatory Design (PD) has a goal of engaging researchers, designers, developers, practitioners and end-users in all of the various activities leading to the successful development and implementation of systems. PD is an umbrella methodology which includes studies, theories, conferences and practices (Muller and Kuhn, 1993; Kensing and Blomberg, 1998; Madsen, 1999). This paper will discuss two methods designed to engage end user in system development which are being used in an AFRL program. The first is Value Elicitation and the second is a Structured Workshop. These sessions, which will re-occur during development, provide an opportunity for all stakeholders to submit and discuss their system requirements. Both add to the PD collection of techniques providing a way to engage the stakeholders from beginning of system development.

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