Abstract
From the software engineering perspective, testing is a process of finding errors in the program code. From the user perspective, it may also be a process of modifying the application. This paper discusses how classifications embedded in forms may influence action and how people may use them as politically charged mediators in the testing negotiations. An ethnographically inspired study of handling a suggestion by a user demonstrates how two testing forms were used as mediators to include or exclude a perspective. These inclusions and exclusions were supported by classifications embedded in the forms. Classifications in one software testing form were sufficiently weak to be used by a user to include the user perspective. Classifications in another form appeared at first sufficiently strongly structured to be used by the designers to exclude this perspective. However, these classifications were also then challenged by one person who occupied an informal ‘user advocate’ position. Finally, some insights into how to augment the user perspective are outlined.
Recommended Citation
Sarkkinen, Jarmo, "Classifying with Forms in Negotiation" (2003). ACIS 2003 Proceedings. 6.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/acis2003/6