Title: Needfinding
through Narrative Inquiry in Systems Design
Abstract: This paper
explicates the process of applying needfinding and narrative inquiry as a
way to identify needs and, thus, enable the design of a viable community
for knowledge-sharing and creation across boundaries among young entrepreneurs.
The specific situation which the design of a knowledge community constitute
is discussed and the usefulness of needfinding is thereafter evaluated in
relation to the challenges of creating a viable community constructed from
participants’ identified needs and interests. With a focus on discovering
users’ needs early on, needfinding involves users throughout the design process,
leading to perpetual and persistent user-centred systems.