Syllabus Focus: Unit 1 Module 2 Content 8

Specific Objective 8: explain the roles of users;

Content: Inclusion of IT professionals, end users: expert users, novice users; definitions and examples.

Roles of End Users:

Essential End-User Roles and Responsibilities:

1. Define business needs and requirements.
2. Work with IT to specify deliverables.
3. Work with IT to specify acceptance and success criteria.
4. Follow established change control procedures to minimize unwarranted change requests.
5. Establish communications channels to report issues and change requests.
6. Participate in demonstrations and tests as needed.
7. Provide feedback as needed after tests and pilots.
8. Work through problems and issues without blame and finger-pointing.
Source: http://www.ittoolkit.com/how-to-it/projects/end-user-project-roles.html

Roles of Expert Users

Expert users (meaning with extended experience in the application) expects advance
features and capabilities. They will want more customization options. Since they have a
stable mental model of the application structure they feel free to explore the application and
try new things. They will not be too worried about making mistakes since they feel secure
that they will know how to bypass them.
Source:
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_difference_between_expert_user_and_novice_user

Roles of Novice Users

Novice users, on the other hand, are new to the system and will need a simple and basic
interface. Since they are new in the system they will expect more secure ways of doing
things in the system (for example they will choose the templates or wizards to do their first
steps in the system). Novice users' interface should provide simple ways to achieve
important frequently performed tasks. When designing to novice users we should remember
what the main use cases and don't shadow them with unnecessary features.
Source:
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_difference_between_expert_user_and_novice_user

According to Dzida et al., novice users expect online documentation to:

1. make user manuals superfluous,

2. facilitate the learning of system use without consulting manuals,
3. present user manuals in whole or in parts via display stations,
4. thoroughly acquaint users with system without human assistance,

CAPE NOTES Unit 1 Module2 Content 8 1

5. provide global information about the functional range of the system,
6. make the least assumptions about the user's prior knowledge on system structures and
functions,
7. support user input by menu technique.
8. explain each command and subcommand upon user request (1978).

Source: Dzida, W., S. Herda, and WD. Itzfeldt. "User-Perceived Quality of Interactive Systems."/EEE
Transactions on Software Engineering SE-4 (4): 270-275: 1978.

Types of Users

Expert User

Expert users (meaning with extended experience in the application) expects advance
features and capabilities. They will want more customization options. Since they have a
stable mental model of the application structure they feel free to explore the application
and try new things. They will not be too worried about making mistakes since they feel
secure that they will know how to bypass them.

Novice User

Novice users, on the other hand, are new to the system and will need a simple and basic
interface. Since they are new in the system they will expect more secure ways of doing
things in the system (for example they will choose the templates or wizards to do their first
steps in the system). Novice users' interface should provide simple ways to achieve
important frequently performed tasks. When designing to novice users we should
remember what the main use cases and don't shadow them with unnecessary features.

End User

An end user is the person that a software program or hardware device is designed for. The
term is based on the idea that the "end goal" of a software or hardware product is to be
useful to the consumer. The end user can be contrasted with the developers or
programmers of the product. End users are also in a separate group from the installers or
administrators of the product.

To simplify, the end user is the person who uses the software or hardware after it has been
fully developed, marketed, and installed. It is also the person who keeps calling the "IT guy"
with questions about why the product isn't working correctly. Generally, the terms "user"
and "end user" mean the same thing.

Read more:
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_difference_between_expert_user_and_novice_user#ixzz1mI56
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CAPE NOTES Unit 1 Module2 Content 8 2