On the Transferability of a Meta-Design Model Supporting End-User Development

Purpose. The availability of different methods (and models) that support the design and evaluation of interactive systems raises a question about the transferability of such methods between application sectors and domains. The transferability refers to the selection and application of a method in a development context, qualifying it for the interactive system in hand. The transferability process should help to identify the main features of the new contexts of use, also taking into account that the system to be developed has to ensure universal access. Moreover, it should allow designers to capitalize on previous development experiences in a systematic way. Method: In order to analyze some of the many challenges determined by the transfer process, this paper reports experiences of transferring a meta-design model, whose aim is to support the design of systems that enable people to perform end-user development activities. The model is further developed when applied in another application domain. Result: A meta-design model can be used in a novel context supporting the design of systems for users performing development activities. Based on the reported experiences on active people involvement, hints for the transferability of any model are provided. Conclusion: People can actively contribute to system design, development and evolution over time using the novel approach.