When should a systems analyst decide a design issue, and when should users be allowed to select what works best for them? The field of ergonomics is concerned with improving the work environment and...

When should a systems analyst decide a design issue, and when should users be allowed

to select what works best for them? The field of ergonomics is concerned with improving

the work environment and studying how users interact with their environment.

Suppose you are a systems analyst studying the order processing system at Boolean

Toys, a fast-growing developer of software for preschool children. You know that many

data entry users have complained about the input screens. Some users would prefer to

rearrange the order of the fields; others would like to change the background color on

their screens; still others want shortcuts that would allow them to avoid a series of

introductory screens.

What if Boolean’s users could customize their own data entry screens without assistance

from the IT staff by using a menu-driven utility program? What would be the pros

and cons of such an approach?