Re: Task-based vs. System-Based Procedures

["Anthony Markatos" <tonymar -at- hotmail -dot- com>]

Susan Gallagher said:

In general, what we commonly refer to as task-based procedures
assume the user's perspective while system-based procedures
assume the developers' or software interface perspective.

Tony Markatos responds:

This is a very common misconception.  Indeed, the "byline" of another TW 
related listserv is "Tasks are what end-users need to accomplish in order to 
meet their [business] goals; functions are what designers build into 
systems."  Such confuses systems design with bad systems design.

Make no mistake about it, in good systems analysis/design, the developer's 
perspective is EXACTLY the same as the end-user's perspective.  In the 
ideal, one software module (and it's associated procedures) accomplishes one 
end-user task.  This is THE major principle upon which formal systems 
analysis/design techniques - such as Structured Systems Analysis and Design 
- are based upon.

Yes, particularly because of technology limitations, there is often a need 
for even the best designer to include modules that do things that the 
end-user really does not care about.  But the overriding principle in design 
is that there should be a one-to-one correlation between essential module 
and end-user task. (Essential meaning: has to be done to meet user's 
requirements.)

Technical Writers like to be thought of in terms of best practices; so do 
analysts/developers.

Tony Markatos
(tonymar -at- hotmail -dot- com)


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