what's the difference between a particpant and a user? (1 Viewer)

[frangipani13]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^....i think this applies to all the topic areas, + its something ive always been confused about, esp. in those information system diagrams where u need to put in the participants of the system? i always get mixed up between them....

 

[Lwaxana]

ok - how do we feel about this "definition" ?

Participants are people who manage data, technology and processes of system

Users are interested in what system produces and dont really care how the system does it

the textbooks are all over the place with these terms
participants are direct users
eg managers, store staff, sales assistants, system admins, computing personnel, data entry operators, web desingers,

customers are indirect users

 

[frangipani13]

yeh i know, the textbooks are really dodgy with this, my teacher's not much help either.

but thats great, cleared it up for me, thanks heaps!

 

[harvestcows]

participants directly carry out the information process of an system e.g. a database administrator while the users just use the output and generally benefit from the system

 

[pete_mate]

" indirect users" are customers? then what are direct users?

 

[Original_Angel]

participants - come into direct contact with the system, i.e. they can not only work with, but have the rights to change and in turn, help to develop the existing system - or the prototype ..

users - the people who benifit from the system - i.e. they do not directly interact with the system (in most cases) - however there are some exceptions. Users (as Lwaxana stated previously) have no interest in how the system works, unless they are "using" things like ATM machines (TPS) - during which they become participants of a system

...

hmm, hope that makes some sense too =P