Using decision requirements to guide the design process

It makes little sense to develop information management systems and human-computer interfaces (HCIs) to support routine tasks if these systems and interfaces become clumsy and obstructive when operators are faced with critical and difficult decisions. Yet this result occurs too often when developers use a systems-centered design approach (focusing on the technology rather than on the users´ needs) or a data-centered design approach (identifying all the relevant information and packing it into the systems and displays). Even when developers rely on the users to specify what they want, there can be problems. Users are in a better position to describe how they perform their current tasks than to speculate about systems that will usually change those tasks. One solution is to use a decision-centered design approach that provides developers with tools for supporting the critical and difficult decisions. It identifies the users´ critical decisions and tries to develop a system that will assist the users, without expecting the users to dream up their own solutions. A decision-centered design approach uses technology as it provides meaningful support. It presents data and higher-order relationships that are needed for effective decision making