ROI discussion

Taking up Ian Franklin's argument,

<For me we should concentrate on arguments that are also emotional and tap
into wider issues such as marketing - its good to look after your customers,
organisational ethics, social responsibility. These arguments take the
techies and the business people out of their comfort zone, they are less
confident at attacking them, and if the arguments persuade the people at the
very top, then the techies have no choice but to swing along behind.>

I would generally agree with you Ian on this - but the key part of your
argument will always be 'persuading the people at the very top' - i.e. you
have to use an argument that will appeal to the people who make the
decisions.  If a concern with budget is driving the business  then you have
to have a convincing ROI element in your argument.  Marketing people often
wield a lot of clout in senior management, and  they frequently are  very
good allies of usability - (although of course not always). If you can get
your arguments up to the top level in a business, then there will typically
be  people in there with differing concerns - and to win you have to convince
as many of the decision-makers as possible. A good ROI case will always make
everyone feel more comfortable, even if some of the decision makers are
indeed receptive to the more 'fuzzy' human-centred wider issues we can tap
into.

Janet Saunders

Human Factors Consultant
Userwyse Ltd.

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