User participation: what can be learned from the information systems domain?
| Date | 18 November 2019 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/RMJ-04-2018-0008 |
| Pages | 320-332 |
| Published date | 18 November 2019 |
| Author | Tove Engvall |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management,Information management & governance |
User participation: what can be
learned from the information
systems domain?
Tove Engvall
Department of Information Systems and Technology, Faculty of Science,
Technology and Media, Sundsvall, Sweden
Abstract
Purpose –Many records professionals are involved in the design and development of recordkeeping
systems. To designrecordkeeping systems that meet user needs, their perspectiveshave to be included in the
design process. The purposeof this paper is to explore what can be learned from the domain of information
systems (IS) regarding user participation in design, and then to reflect on what relatedto the recordkeeping
dimensionshould be further considered.
Design/methodology/approach –The study is based on a review of literature in the IS development
field about userparticipation.
Findings –Analysing how users participate in IS development reveals several aspects of interest for
records professionals.There are different approaches to, purposes of and driving values in user participation,
which should be transparent.For user participation to be successful, an infrastructurehas to be in place. The
idea of user participationmay be a way to include the secondary values of records in the near term, but it may
also challenge traditional roles. New issues, such as the archivist’s role as a trusted third party, should be
analysedfurther.
Originality/value –This study uses knowledge from the information system field to acquire new
knowledgeabout user participation in design, and relate it to the recordkeeping domain. Thisstudy addresses
issues surroundinguser participation, which has been indicated as an area in need of furtherdevelopment in
archivesand information science.
Keywords Participation, Power, User, Records professionals, Information system design
Paper type Literature review
Introduction
In the design of recordkeeping systems, it is important to know who will use records and
how they will do so (Borglund and Öberg, 2008). As Shepherdand Yeo (2003) pointed out, it
is important to consider the rolesand values of roles in the design of recordkeeping systems.
There are both primary and secondary purposes for using records: first, for operational
purposes, and second, as memory, information sources and evidence of past activities, such
as accountability, research, historical and cultural purposes. This relates to the value of
records as evidence, information sources and artefacts or objects. For records to serve as
evidence of different activities,users must also trust that records are authentic and reliable
(Shepherd and Yeo, 2003). As Yeo (2018) discussed, records have distinct roles in the
construction of our social world. They have important roles in generating and ensuring
rights, responsibilitiesand obligations. Records are part of social systems and regulations of
human relations and behaviour. Records can either reproduce or challenge injustice (Yeo,
2018). What should also be considered is that there seemto be a focus on users rather than
Thanks to Forum for Digitalization at Mid Sweden University, which funded this study.
RMJ
29,3
320
Received12 April 2018
Revised10 July 2018
25October 2018
6 January2019
Accepted12 January 2019
RecordsManagement Journal
Vol.29 No. 3, 2019
pp. 320-332
© Emerald Publishing Limited
0956-5698
DOI 10.1108/RMJ-04-2018-0008
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