ABSTRACT
Introduction The selection and design of an information technology system will inevitably involve many technical issues but it must also meet user and organisational requirements. An effective socio-technical system depends upon the compatibility of the two sub-systems. In this chapter we will look at the demands the social system places upon the technical system and how they translate into design criteria. The accent upon human issues will produce a set of criteria which are different from the normal set a technical specialist may use when 'shopping' for a system, for example, cost, reliability, compatibility with existing equipment, capacity, speed, etc. The aim in this chapter is to add to the normal list rather than to replace it and thus to ensure that systems are chosen and developed that are both technically sound and will fit the organisational context.
