The Politics of Design and Usability

by Whitney Quesenbery

For almost as long as there has been software, users have complained about software that is difficult to use, that fails to meet requirements, or that does not fit well with the business environment in which it is used. In 1994, the Standish Group documented a pattern of software development failures and attempted to identify the causes [3]. The results in the report portrayed an industry with an abysmal record of success. Only 16% of projects succeeded -- that is, were completed on time, within budget, and with the features and functions as specified. Another 53% of projects were completed but damaged, late, over budget, or missing key features. And 31% were cancelled outright during development.

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The Politics of Design and Usability April 2005

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