product reherals.

I was reding this page on project perfect. The bit that got me was.

'In most cases, clients are unable to specify exactly what they want in the beginning until they see the product. It is also often difficult for business users to visualize how the new system will be until they see it.'

This for me is a reminder that we need to specify with user interfaces. That is the use(s) should see what they want. Another quote was qute intreasting.

'When the users do see the new system for the first time, changes may be needed because any new applications will be initially unfamiliar to users.'

I've seen/heard of this a number of times in a number of diffrent contexts. One example was a company making very large digital displays they thought could be on the outside of the building and allow central office to send new messages digitally ( sale on all electrical items 50%). When they came to test the system they discovered the probelms - it was hard to get an electical supply all the way up where the sign was and more importantly most shops didn't have a digital link to the central office.

What makes many new products work is not how it was intented to be used but how people appropritate the technology. People oftern use technology in away not envisaged by the original programmers. Hotmail was desinged as remote mail for executives to discuss making new products out side the company, it ended up being used by the digitally disposeesed ( originally backpackers in cybercafes).

Typcially products are designed, made, tested, installed, followed by training.

Perhaps we need to think about product reherals - pretending the product exists and then seeing how we might use it or intergrate it into the context. This would give the users time to get used to what is coming and allow them to adapt things to use the system. It would also allow the developers and managers a chance to see future delivery problems and alter the design appropriately. What counts are rehersal depends upon the product - if we have a user interface tool like interface builder then it might be getting the users to reherse using the sytem. The key element is getting everyone thinking about the product before it is dumped on the desk.

perhaps this is what is happening with agile programming.