There are key design concepts to look at, separate and apart from the strengths and weaknesses of the particular tools.

The best IT system is the one which is easy for the user to learn to use and which the user wants to learn because the user can see at the outset that in the long run he or she will be able to reach the same point in less time.

Understanding limits

In the law of negligence, we have never attempted to define all of the possible ways in which one person can behave negligently towards another person, for the possibilities are infinite.

Instead, we look at the boundaries: who are the parties and do they have a proximate relationship? If so, what is the nature and scope of that proximate relationship? Did the defendant's acts come within the nature and scope of the proximate relationship? Did the defendant's acts cause the harm the plaintiff suffered? Is the harm suffered by the plaintiff harm which amounts to a loss?

By looking at the boundaries, we can identify whether or not we ought to interfere with an existing status quo. So too with information technology. The possibilities are infinite.

We need to understand are the limiting factors which apply in relation to new forms of information technology, so that we can ask of ourselves what is the nature of the decisions I make, all day, every day? Are there other ways of making them? Can I use IT to do it? Should I automate or should I innovate, repeat or re-engineer?

The information technology advisor needs to know and understand the user's limits. The user needs to know and understand the information technology limits. Anything less will produce an unhappy user, one who is disappointed that the technology does not do what the user hoped for.