claims analysis

A method developed by Carroll and Rosson, which analyses an artifact attempting to uncover the explicit or implicit 'claims' it makes about its intended purpuse. For example, a non-alphabetical order of items in a menu suggests that the first items are judged more important or common. This cam be seen a bot like inverting a design process that starts with user needs and other requirements, except that some of these may be have been unstated, tacit or even accidental at the time.