RESEARCH

Client-web designer relationships in the non-profit arena: Examination through user-centred design and Wordpress.org

Kristina Krause

Masters by Research

Social Anthropology Research Proposal – .docx

Statement of the topic

This project seeks improve our understanding of the power imbalance in client-web designer relationships and its effect on the sustainability of web sites in the non-profit arena.  As more people across the globe gain Internet access and work to develop an online presence, limitations due to technical expertise soon arise. While many businesses have funding to hire specialist personnel, the non-profit sector is often left to rely on volunteers or part-time staff who do not have the time to realize the potential of the Internet for the non-profit in need. Burt and Taylor (2000) found that less than 35% of British voluntary organizations were using technology to showcase basic information online. While ten years ago, more recent statistics done by the Gifts in Kind survey (United States) show that half of the nonprofits planning to use technology for advocacy or community involvement are actually doing it (Hackler & Saxton 2007: 481).

An addition to this issue has been the use of standardized web design workflows which are less expensive and less time consuming (Millen 2000). A workflow in web design is the process through which designers take their clients in order to gain the necessary information to complete a desired project. This results in websites that do not fulfil the needs of the end-user or audience and disallows non-profit client involvement. Members of a specific system will simply follow in the status quo until another professional designer comes along with a better “proven” model (Suchman, 2002).

There has been a recent shift in design literature that prescribes a move from the waterfall workflow to that of user-centred design. Respectively, the waterfall method is based on the linear fulfilment of tasks which you are encouraged to complete to perfection before moving forward. This method assumes the designer as expert and success dependent on proper implementation of workflow. User-centred design on the other hand, is highly interdisciplinary, borrowing particularly from anthropology, and seeks to place end-users at the forefront of the design process. Its goal is articulated clearly by anthropologist Genevieve Bell, Director of Intel’s User Experience Group: “If we know the things people care about, we can start to understand why certain technologies are successful. Only if technology allows people to do what they care about, can it be successful” (2004).  In short, user-centred design employs methods such as participant observation that aid the web designer in understanding client and end-user needs within an individual context. User-centred design has gained popularity for its success in creating more usable and individualized websites; however this method still leaves non-profits with a website that only the designer really understands how to maintain.

Fortunately, as functionality of websites has increased, so has the development of open source content management systems, such as Wordpress. Open source software is free for all to use, modify and distribute. In a Wordpress content management system the web designer is provided a basic website structure with necessary files and instructions to modify based on their needs. Its content management capabilities allow for website maintenance of textual or visual content to be done through a graphic interface rather than within the code, alleviating the need for a certain level of technological expertise. This lessens development time, allocating more room for research and collaboration, changing the nature of how clients and web designers are able to interact. It is this functionality in conjunction with user-centred design, which allows me to question how clients and web designers can build more successful relationships between themselves, their website and the end-user.

Concepts, theories, hypothesis and models

Conceptual Model

To better understand these relationships, I will be borrowing concepts defined by Bruno Latour and his social studies of technology. An important term in Latour’s work is “actant”, defined by the inclusion of human and nonhuman actors and their impact on the creation of relationships. Similarly, Latour also use “collective” in place of society, which presupposes relationships defined by the socialization of nonhumans (1999).

Following, I find the work of Madeleine Akrich to be particularly useful, in her description of technical objects which, “…simultaneously embody and measure a set of relations between heterogeneous elements” (1992: 205).  Wordpress.org, as a technical object, thus depends not only on its basic functionality, but a particular set and interaction of relations for its sustainable use.  It cannot by itself change the nature of nonprofit relationships with technology, but it can play a role.

Theoretical Model

Niklas Luhmann’s Systems Theory as read through Illana Gershon (2005) may provide a starting point in deciphering the differing systems of web designers and nonprofits. While both are part of an encompassing urban system that takes Internet use for granted, the sub-systems in which non-profits and web designers work, make efforts to transfer information, but do not overlap.

Gershon suggests that Luhman has provided an important framework for understanding the transfer of information and resources across systems; however it fails to provide knowledge of how people move across these systems. This gap, Gershon states is what Luhman has left to anthropologists, “-how to understand people’s relations not just to a social order or system, but to the wide range of incompatible systems they engage with on a daily basis” (2005: 109). By focusing on user-centred design as a system with aims to facilitate interaction between web designer and non-profit systems, I hope to better understand its successes and failures as a method to increase website sustainability.

Hypothesis

No hypothesis will be used until the final stages of research in developing a better understanding of what workflows and technologies help in creating more sustainable models of web design (Salvo et al. 2009).

Literature Review

The history of changing views in user-technologist relationships and the movement towards user-centred design originates in the work of those involved in Science and Technology Studies. This shift is seen from the study of technology as an isolated object, to the study of the relations involved in the object’s creation.  Latour, through Actor Network Theory, describes a movement from trying to unpack the “blackbox”, or technological object and all its relations, in favour of following the process from its conception to intended final form (1987). Actor-Network Theory has proven to be the most visible theoretical backdrop of science and technology studies, cementing the idea that technology and sociology are inseparable, as neither technology nor the associated social vision will come into existence without the other (Sismodo, 2004). While this may be a view of how to study science and technology more holistically, what this has done is gradually informed those working within such organizations on how aspects of their design process could be altered.

Diane Forsythe, in particular, found through working with engineers in the field of artificial intelligence, that knowledge was seen as positivistic, or self-evident (1993). These engineers believed that because they were trained in a hard science, and working to construct technologies, they had a certain level of expertise that could not be challenged and that was outside the realm of social relations or culture. Forsythe argues that the lack of recognition by the engineers of the significance of social relations embeds their own systems of knowledge and power within the final product.

In a later article she expands upon this idea, terming the lack of acknowledgement of the many involved relations, as a system of “deletion” (1999). Designers “delete” major aspects of the workflow by categorizing social or “nontechnical” interaction, as unimportant work.

This view, also translates into the deletion or invisibility of ethnographic work undertaken in such scenarios. Forsythe outlines six misconceptions about the use of ethnography in design, of which I will highlight, “To find out what people do, just ask them!” (1999: 130) and would like to add “To find out what people want, just ask them”.  The technology sector does not allow ample time for ethnographic research and often designs are created based on short term research that takes what people say, or what they have seen people do a few times as truth. Why do people feel ethnography is something that anyone can do? Often designers do not realize that the results of ethnographic work are not the interview transcripts, or audio/visual recordings, but simply the data. Anthropologists are trained specifically to interpret this data, with a solid grounding in theory and methodology to create ethnography, just as web designers are trained in design and coding to create websites.

But if those involved in user-centred design want to use ethnographic methods, Lucy Suchman states that, “Developers must give up control over technology design (which is in any case illusory), and see themselves instead as entering into an extended set of working relations, of contest, and alliances” (2002:142). If those involved in the technology sector are not aware of this, they risk treating users as an anthropological other, reopening the politics of authoritative knowledge, similar to the discussions in development anthropology (Escobar 1991).

Consolidating all relations into a final product will always prove difficult, but through ethnographic research that values user input and collaboration as part of user-centered design, web designers may be able to not only create better websites, but ones that are sustainable due to a feeling of investment by all participants.

Goals

By supporting the collaboration of clients and web designers in the non-profit sector, I aim to further the practice of a user-centred workflow that promotes the utilization of software that is sustainable for non-profits and maintains the ideals of the Wordpress open source community.  On a larger scale, I hope this research inspires a number of non-profits to take on the challenge of maintaining their own website in order to garner support and participation within their own organization.

Research Questions

The following research questions will be addressed:

- What is the current state of client-web designer relationships in the nonprofit sector?
- How does the distribution of knowledge in client-web designer relationships affect the sustainability of nonprofits’ websites?
- How does user-centred design redefine the boundaries of client-web designer relationships?
- How does Wordpress affect the client-web designer relationship?
- How can Wordpress change nonprofit relations with technology and increase website sustainability?
- How can ethnography, as a method of user-centered design, be used when building nonprofit websites?

Methods

The predominant research strategy for this project will be abductive, due to its emphasis in understanding first the social reality that situates its participants or the everyday concepts used and understood by a particular community (Blaike 2000). From this information, abduction allows then in its first stages of inquiry the opportunity to find reasons for hypothesis formulation that reflects research participants most soundly (Fann 1970:59). The process by which this knowledge is understood is iterative, a very necessary characteristic of abduction allowing the research time for reflection (Blaike 2000: 181). Abduction also allows the researcher to become a participant observer, a role that will be essential in being able to effectively communicate with the varying actants. It seems particularly important to hear both nonprofits and web designers describe their experience with web design separately, due to the very individual context in which technologies are experienced.  Many reasons contribute to this fact; from the varying but rapid pace that technology changes across the globe to personal levels of training in technologies. Such methods will also serve to combat my own assumptions of Internet based knowledge, from my experience with web design. This will hopefully allow not only for more extensive information, but help to form better communication tactics between involved groups at a later date.

Data sources

Target Population Groups

- Web Designers: Those who utilize Wordpress for building websites in the non-profit sector.
- Nonprofits: Those who have had a site built for them using Wordpress.

Location

The location for this project will be London, as there is a greater concentration of both web designer and non-profit organizations within a smaller distance. I have chosen to focus on London due to time and travel constraints of a master’s program, as well as limiting the size of my population group.

Selection of data sources

The population will include:

- Web designer with non-profit clients who use Wordpress
- Nonprofits/Charities
- The audience of specified non-profit

Data collection and timing

Participant Observation

The primary source of participant observation will be through my web design case study. Through building a website with a non-profit, I will be able to utilize knowledge found from previous interviews with web designers, nonprofits and written research. This will of course be an opportunity to experience firsthand what nonprofits lack or need in terms of making a website more sustainable. Designing a website will work well as a case study, as it is experience in a very specific type of social action that is bounded by time and space (Blaike 2000: 217). Participant observation will afford me the opportunity to deeply engage with the events that resulted in the successful continued maintenance of a website, or the failure to take on new technological tasks. This will help to triangulate data found from non-profit and web designer interviews.

Semi-structure Interviews

Web Designers: The web designers involved in this study will be those to who utilize Wordpress with their non-profit clients. I would like to conduct a minimum of two interviews, the first asking for a full account of their workflow while working with non-profits and Wordpress. This, I hope to function very similar to that of a life history, also asking for web designers to utilize any drawings or visuals if necessary in their train of thought. The second interview will be more structure, with questions developed from the first.

Non-profits: The nonprofits participating in this study will be those who have had web designer build a Wordpress site for their organization. The first interview again, will function as a life history, by asking them to describe the process or workflow of the site construction, including how they are function with the site afterwards. The second interview’s questions will stem from the first.

I aim to conduct 5 in-person interviews from each group for the first interview and follow up with the same individuals/organizations for the second, for a total of 20.

Qualitative

All methods will be qualitative data using a variety of written, audio, and visual methods. After completing interviews with web designers and nonprofits, information will be correlated to provide a greater understanding of how web designers and nonprofits are building relationships through the goal of website production.

Data reduction and analysis

Subject to suitable permissions, all field notes, transcripts, and audio-visual data will be posted online in blog format, leaving commenting available for participants to discuss any of their own feelings on, or correcting errors I may have made in my interpretations.

I am interested in comments from participants as well as academia, and the greater public. By posting all information online I hope for greater transparency and an opening up of my work up to criticism in order to better my own academic and web design workflow.

Problems and limitations

The greatest challenge I see in this study is my ability to be suitably reflexive during the web design case study. As I received training in specific methods of design, production, and workflow; knowing when to reconcile what I believe to be necessary taught technical standards with clashing non-profit desires will be difficult. However, the input of field notes, and clarifying my reasoning for each technical or design decision with adequate research will not only increase my understanding of web design, but the client’s as well, creating a discussion where we all can hopefully come to an agreement.

Additionally, while I received training in web design prior to enrolling in this masters program, I fear that my technical capabilities may not be strong enough. Wordpress provides an excellent base for web designers, but my lack of in-depth understanding of coding, may in turn affect what I can provide for the non-profit and my own view of Wordpress’ capabilities.

Communication of findings

In accordance with the open source community’s goals, I will be posting all my research and information online on my personal website for everyone to access under the Creative Commons: Attribution Share Alike license.

This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon your work even for commercial reasons, as long as they credit you and license their new creations under the identical terms. This license is often compared to open source software licenses. All new works based on yours will carry the same license, so any derivatives will also allow commercial use (Creative Commons).

My thesis in particular will be posted online for all those to review and make comments on. I am also currently subscribed to a number of listservs and rss feeds that I will submit my findings to as well for review.

Timeline

April 9^th – June 1^st

Interviews will be completed during this time period.

June 1^st – August 1^st

The first month will be spent completing necessary research of the non-profit organization in order to build the desired site, and the second month will be spent building the site, usability testing, and making necessary revisions.

August 1^st – September 13^th

Writing thesis.

Budget

Travel

	During Interviews	Building of non-profit website	Total
Return Travel London	£15 x 8 trips x 1.5 months	£15 x 10 trips x 2 months	32 trips
Total £	£180	£300	£480

Equipment and Software

- Personal laptop computer and/or Anthropology Department’s research lab desktop computers
- Personal external hard drive and/or Anthropology Department’s visual anthropology external drive
- Wordpress – free and open source
- Currently have installed Adobe’s creative suite on own computer and the Anthropology department’s visual anthropology lab.
- Visual Anthropology Department’s audio and video equipment for interviewing
- My current thesis site: http://www.appliedanthrodesign.com

Works Cited Upon Request