The role of users

[Mike or Penny Novack]

>If I could offer more than this, I would. I really think Gnucash is great software, and I wish I could figure out how to scratch my own Gnucash itches (like better reports).
>
>  
>
In the "real world" the development of software involves the time and 
effort of more people than just the "developers". You do NOT have to be 
a coder to be useful. There is a role for users in the process, more 
than just a wish "I would like to have THIS" or "I would like to have 
THAT fixed" with only a vague description of what This or that might be.

I would take more seriously the complaints IF the complaining users were 
to say I/we will agree to commit our time and effort to that part of the 
process which is the users role. In a real world software process 
usually at least 20% of time/effort is users coming up with a formal 
definition of what is wanted (from the users' point of view). What the 
software is supposed to do under normal circumstances and what it is 
supposed to do under all exceptional circumstances. And then coming up 
with the (user) test plan for acceptance and supplying users for that 
testing (comes after the coding developers have tested and eliminated 
gross errors). In fact, this can sometimes be much more than 20% of the 
process.

If there is no formal definition of what some piece of software is 
supposed to do then whatever it does is correct (as long as it doesn't 
hang or loop).

Users don't have to do this alone. Or shouldn't have to. If and when a 
"user team" comes into being they should be able to ask for the 
assistance of an analyst experienced with working the users side as well 
as the coder side.

Michael D Novack, FLMI