Identify User Profiles in Information Systems with Unknown Users - A Database Modelling Approach

Abstract

Most traditional models for system development presuppose that users of the system are known and possible to communicate with. If this is not achievable traditional design methods are less usable in order to analyze and describe the requirements of the users. This paper proposes to complement view design with ideas based on interaction design and semiotics and aims to describe the requirements and wishes of potential and unknown users in information systems supported by image or multimedia databases. In the paper the activity steps of view modelling are brought together with persona techniques from interaction design. The outcome of the proposed method reduces the amount of work considerably and, in addition, reduces the problems associated with involving users in the design process. In addition it forms the basis for the specification of a more informative study to increase the acceptability of databases in public environments.