Dear Francois and list
I appreciate the perspective Francois takes (see below) when he
writes that it is up to the designer to "determine" who are
stakeholders and how to relate and give weight to each of their
desires, values and needs. The list of possible stakeholders in each
design situation is basically infinite if we increase the space that
the design can potentially influence. Even the smallest design, such
as a pen or piece of software, might influence the future of the
planet (it takes a bit of imagination, but it is possible). So, at
some level every living and future living person is a potential
stakeholder (this has eloquently been developed by C. West Churchman).
So, in every design situation who is the stakeholder is a design. It
is a design that is a result of the designers judgment, in relation
to intention. Therefore also always an ethical judgment that
ultimately rests on the designers values and character.
Ok, maybe a too abstract view on the question on interests and
stakeholders... :-)
Erik
> Francois wrote:
> Obviously, no one would be in a position to deal with all the
> requirements of all potential "stakeholders". It is then up to each
> expert, each in respective subfield of Design, to determine (a
> professionally enlightened decision) the closeness within which one
> is to intervene: who are the "stakeholders" I wish to deal with in
> order of priority, and within "contingencies" (dixit H.A. Simon)
> also ordered according to their relative pressure.
-----------------------------------------
Erik Stolterman, Ph.D.
Professor of Informatics
Director of Human Computer Interaction
School of Informatics
Indiana University
Bloomington, IN
Home page: http://design.informatics.indiana.edu/erik/
My Blog: http://transground.blogspot.com/
Phone: (812) 856 5803
Fax: (812) 856 1995
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