Enabling User Centered Design Processes in Open Source Communities

Non-response, Social Exclusion, and False Acceptance: Gatekeeping Tactics and Usability Work in Free-Libre Open Source Software Development

“…Several articles recommend conducting usability testing [7,10,32,33,34], while some argue also for usability inspections in FLOSS projects [33,34]. For usability design, user interface design using blogs has been suggested [32], as has the establishment and use of usability infrastructure such as discussion forums, mailing lists, and design areas [8,10,30,32].…”

“…Nevertheless, researchers have also revealed that problems might arise when co mbining the traditional usability methods and recommendations with the FLOSS development and philosophy [8,9,10,31,33,35,36]. Reluctance to heavyweight corporate usability processes might arise in FLOSS development; i.e., decentralized and eng ineering-driven FLOSS development might be in contrast with heavyweight corporate usability processes [8,9,31,33,35].…”

“…Reluctance to heavyweight corporate usability processes might arise in FLOSS development; i.e., decentralized and eng ineering-driven FLOSS development might be in contrast with heavyweight corporate usability processes [8,9,31,33,35]. In addition, usability specialists might not be available in FLOSS projects, and, even if they were, they might be very few in nu mber and they might be working in isolation [7,8,9,10,11,12]. Furthermore, the software development in FLOSS projects is almost always already ongoing when the projects gain enough visibility to be spotted by the usability specialists, making it difficult to apply usability methods from the beginning of the development when it is easiest [11,37].…”

“…[5,6]) and in FLOSS development (e.g. [7,8,9,10,11,12]. Hence, it is evident that power and politics play a role as regards usability work also in FLOSS projects; not all members get equal treatment in FLOSS projects, and usability specialists are often among the 'power-weak' in this respect [11,12].…”

Opening up design science: The challenge of designing for reuse and joint development

“…The focus of design science research would be on the extent to which reusable artifacts that fit with the emerging needs and problems of the community can be built. To our knowledge, this type of research design is currently almost non-existent (an exception is Bodker et al, 2007), but we think it will be instrumental for the development of our academic and practical understanding of OS communities. For example, community oriented design science will allow us to examine in detail a number of context-sensitive issues linked to the building and evaluation of an artifact.…”