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Given the lack of guest list digitization, K. and I finally discussed what else in her dormitory needs to be digitized. In addition to guest lists, K. noted that resident-to-room-number mappings, resident-to-forwarding-address mappings, and DeskComm (a communication log among desk workers) still need to be digitized.
Lessons Learned:
- Most desk workers are computer-literate and thus they are usually able to learn how a given software platform works by playing with/exploring the software. However, even these computer-literate individuals are having usability issues with the current software used to handle most desk functions. Namely, the desk software is unlearnable, unsafe, and suffers from some GUI performance/efficiency issues.
- While desk workers who are experienced may know how to execute the commonly used tasks in the current desk software, they are unable to figure out how to execute less commonly used tasks when the need arises. Moreover, the software’s lack of learnability poses a steep learning curve for novice desk workers.
- A significant amount of resident information has yet to be digitized, blocking efficient desk worker performance.
- Desk workers struggle to enforce security restrictions on people entering the dormitory due to an inability to confront suspicious entrants and an inability to quickly access/refer to resident guest lists.
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