Question

It has been suggested that one of the problems of having a user closely involved with a software development team is that they 'go native'; that is, they adopt the outlook of the development team and lose sight of the needs of their user colleagues. Suggest three ways how you might avoid this problem and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each approach.

Short answer

Involve diverse stakeholders, rotate user representatives, and have regular feedback sessions to keep user needs central.

Step-by-step solution

Diverse Stakeholder Involvement

To prevent a user from "going native," ensure that multiple stakeholders are involved in the development process. This means regular meetings and communications with the user’s colleagues and other departments to provide a broader perspective on user needs during development. This diversity helps maintain focus on various user needs and prevents bias toward a single viewpoint.

Rotational User Representatives

Implement a system where different users take turns working closely with the development team. This rotation helps to bring in fresh viewpoints continuously and prevents any single user from becoming overly aligned with the development team’s perspective.

Regular Feedback Sessions

Organize frequent feedback sessions in which users not directly involved in development can provide their insights and reactions to progress. These sessions should include demonstrations and discussions to ensure that user needs remain at the forefront of development.

Key concepts

Diverse Stakeholder Involvement

Inviting a broad spectrum of stakeholders to participate in software development is crucial. This means including people from different departments, roles, and backgrounds. Their varied perspectives enrich the process and ensure that the software meets a wide range of needs.
By having diverse stakeholders involved, the team can gather insights from multiple sources. This reduces the risk of tunnel vision, as the development team can receive input that reflects the concerns and expectations of different user groups.
This approach keeps the focus on meeting user needs and not just developer preferences. However, keeping multiple stakeholders engaged can be challenging. Coordinating schedules and ensuring active participation in the process demands effective organization.

• Ensures a broader understanding of user needs.
• Reduces the risk of a biased approach.
• Can lead to scheduling and management challenges.

Overall, diverse stakeholder involvement keeps development inclusive and grounded, though it requires commitment to manage effectively.

Rotational User Representatives

Adopting a system where different users rotate involvement with the development team can be a game-changer. It ensures fresh perspectives are continuously injected into the process.
Each user brings their unique experiences and insights. This method prevents any one person from becoming too aligned with the developers, which could lead to losing the true focus on user needs.
The challenge lies in onboarding new representatives continuously, as each new user needs to be brought up to speed, which demands time and effort.

• Ensures ongoing diversity in user input.
• Helps maintain a user-focused outlook.
• Requires considerable time for onboarding and adaptation.

Despite its challenges, rotational representation keeps the development team informed with diverse, fresh insights that reflect the real-world needs more accurately.

Regular Feedback Sessions

Regular feedback sessions play a crucial role in incorporating user insights throughout the development process. These sessions allow for open communication between developers and users.
During feedback sessions, product demonstrations and interactive discussions ensure that users can share opinions and concerns about the software as it evolves. This maintains a strong connection to user expectations and helps developers adjust their approach as needed.
Regular feedback helps catch issues early, reducing the need for major changes later on, which can be cost-effective.

• Keeps user needs central throughout development.
• Allows for early detection of potential issues.
• Can require careful scheduling and facilitation.

By integrating regular feedback sessions, development teams can create software that is closely aligned with user expectations, all while avoiding costly adjustments down the line.