The importance of user in ISD. Do we really teach?

Abstract

In 1999, the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) defined the framework that regulates all degrees,including Computer Engineering (CE), within the environment of the European Union. Each country, in turn, regulated each of these studies on the basis of that common framework. In the case of Computer Engineering there are concrete competences that refer to the effective incorporation of user and need for Information Technology (IT) professionals to learn how to manage and work in multidisciplinary environments. However, these competencies are difficult to teach to students. This paper presents a critical view of the way we are teaching future developers of information systems to work with user. Besides, it analyses the consequences that it may bring to future professionals. For this purpose, an experiment at three different universities in Europe has been carried out. This paper also offers some considerations and intends to motivate a future discussion on this topic.