Deconstructing Silos

This talk aims to show how traditional divisions of labour and responsibilities prevent businesses from adopting a customer focus, and, more importantly, the negative impact this has on their bottom line. I discuss how Human Computer Interaction (HCI) specialists can help to break down this silo structure and establish a user- or customer-centred focus. By applying HCI methods wisely, internal communication patterns can be revised to maximise the business value of a User-Centred Design (UCD) approach. Focusing first on the Systems Design & Development Process, I draw attention to certain points at which HCI can easily be integrated into the process, outlining some of the costs and the benefits an individual IT project stands to gain. Invariably, both of these sets of figures are surprisingly high. A brief discussion of the user- versus the customer experience aims to show their similarities and how they differ.