Tone Bratteteig,
February 5. 2003
readings:
• Ehn
• Bansler
• Lyytinen & Iivari
1
Feb. 5 2003 -- IN364
Tone Bratteteig
“Participatory design — Scandinavian tradition”
Participatory Design —
Scandinavian tradition
Bjerknes & Bratteteig, 1991; Bjørn-Andersen & Hedberg, 1977
Reasons for user participation:
1) to improve the knowledge upon which systems are built,
2) to enable people to develop realistic expectations, and
reduce resistance to change, and
3) to increase workplace democracy by giving the members
of an organization the right to participate in decisions
that are likely to affect their work.
2
”The Scandinavian approach”:
users participate in many phases of the systems
development, as co-designers
Feb. 5 2003 -- IN364
Tone Bratteteig
“Participatory design — Scandinavian tradition”
User participation
in systems sevelopment
Florence
• based on nursing as a profession and as work
• SYDPOL (SYstem Development environment and Profession
Oriented Languages)
• aimed to build an information system
• with nurses
• as co-designers and decision makers
• mutual learning
• techniques for user participation in design
• for nurses, based on their professional knowledge
• focus: profession, work place & organization
3
Feb. 5 2003 -- IN364
Tone Bratteteig
“Participatory design — Scandinavian tradition”
(1983-1987)
501-2
508
510
512-1
name
name
name
name
diagnosis
diagnosis
diagnosis
diagnosis
allergies
allergies
allergies
allergies
...
...
...
...
501-1
team
tasks
512-2
name
x
medicine
name
diagnosis
y
xx
diagnosis
allergies
z
yy
allergies
...
...
...
...
4
Feb. 5 2003 -- IN364
Tone Bratteteig
“Participatory design — Scandinavian tradition”
The Work Sheet System
(the Florence pilot system)
Mutual learning:
5
Bratteteig, 1997
• Observations vs. interviews
• Work practice is personal and situated.
Is practice more “correct” than standard routines?
Feb. 5 2003 -- IN364
Tone Bratteteig
“Participatory design — Scandinavian tradition”
Nurses don't do what they say that they do
Mutual learning:
Bratteteig, 1997; Bjerknes & Bratteteig 1987
6
• Learning by experiencing mistakes (trial & error)
• Mutual learning is based on a willingness to listen
• but the ability to listen is in turn based on knowledge.
Feb. 5 2003 -- IN364
Tone Bratteteig
“Participatory design — Scandinavian tradition”
Our nurses refused our prototype
Mutual learning:
• After “mutual learning” the nurses worked out a list of
suggestions for computer system support in their work
• We all agreed on their #1, then they made a design
sketch
• The learning provided them with technological fantasy
• The design sketch was very well suited for
communicating about the system and its functionality
7
Feb. 5 2003 -- IN364
Tone Bratteteig
“Participatory design — Scandinavian tradition”
Our nurses designed the pilot system
Mutual learning:
Sharing of rights and duties in the project
The nurses responsible for introducing the pilot system
including training their colleagues in using the system
The introduction was smooth and utilized
characteristics of the work organization that we did not
think of.
8
•
•
•
•
Feb. 5 2003 -- IN364
Tone Bratteteig
“Participatory design — Scandinavian tradition”
Our nurses were responsible for the training
Mutual learning – mutual respect:
9
Bratteteig, 1997
• Mutual respect goes both ways, the balance is difficult
• The mutuality can be difficult to communicate if the
differences between traditions and cultures are large
Feb. 5 2003 -- IN364
Tone Bratteteig
“Participatory design — Scandinavian tradition”
Nurses' acknowledgement of informaticians
Participatory design:
Bratteteig, 1997; Bjeknes & Bratteteig 1988
• Evaluation of computer systems:
• simple and well-functioning systems that everybody
can learn
vs
• technical brilliance or utilization of the latest
technologies
10
• Our nurses decided on the design
• because we, the researchers in the project, gave them the
power to do so
• Giving away power to decide on the design was
difficult for us as researchers and informaticians
Feb. 5 2003 -- IN364
Tone Bratteteig
“Participatory design — Scandinavian tradition”
Who are the designers?
• NJMF (1971-1973):
Norsk Jern- og MetallarbeiderForbund
• with Norwegian Computing Centre (Nygaard, Bergo)
• results: data agreements (Viking Askim 1973), text books,
vocational training ++
→ Handel & Kontor, Kjemisk ...
• DEMOS (1975-1979):
DEMOkratiske Styringssystemer
• Ehn & Sandberg, negotiations (”Företagsstyrning och
löntagermakt”)
• DUE (1977-1980): Demokrati, Udvikling og Edb
• Kyng, Mathiassen: trade unions, education (DUE kursus)
11
Feb. 5 2003 -- IN364
Tone Bratteteig
“Participatory design — Scandinavian tradition”
Some Scandinavian research projects
in the Participatory Design ”school”
• UTOPIA (1981-1984): Utbildildning, Teknik, och
Produkt I Arbetskvalitetsperspektiv
• Ehn, Kyng, Sundblad, Bødker: trade unions (graphical
workers), ”Grafitti”
• the tool pespective
• Florence (1983-1987):
<nursing profession: Florence Nightingale>
• Nygaard, Bjerknes, Bratteteig, Kaasbøll, Sannes, SindingLarsen: profession, work place (organization), use context
• case for the SYDPOL programme (SYstem Development
environment and Profession Oriented Languages: 1982-1988)
• the application pespective
12
Feb. 5 2003 -- IN364
Tone Bratteteig
“Participatory design — Scandinavian tradition”
Some Scandinavian research projects II
• MARS (1984-1987):
Metodiske Arbejdsformer i Systemudvikling
• Andersen, Kensing, Lassen, Lundin, Mathiassen, MunkMadsen, Sørgaard:
systems development practice & systems development work,
professionalization of systems development: theory
(independent of methodology)
• FIRE (1992-1994):
Functional Integration through REdesign
• Bjerknes, Bratteteig, Braa, Kaasbøll, Smørdal, Øgrim:
integration and continuous redesign,
use & development contexts & organizations
13
Feb. 5 2003 -- IN364
Tone Bratteteig
“Participatory design — Scandinavian tradition”
Some more research projects
Mapping the Scandinavian approach
organization
as a whole
situation
the LO/NAF
Cooperation
projects
Integration and
redesign (FIRE)
special interest
groups
DUE
DEMOS
Cooperative
UTOPIA
design
14
NJMF
Bjerknes & Bratteteig, 1995
florence
Feb. 5 2003 -- IN364
Tone Bratteteig
“Participatory design — Scandinavian tradition”
institution
levels of action:
1) work situation
• NJMF, DUE, DEMOS, Florence, Cooperative design
2) work place
• SocioTechnique, FIRE
3) inter-organizational relations
• between org.: ex. EDI, user interest groups
• between interest groups: ex. UTOPIA; Florence
4) work life
• legislation; NJMF, DUE, DEMOS
15
Feb. 5 2003 -- IN364
Tone Bratteteig
“Participatory design — Scandinavian tradition”
Strategies for
user participation
DEMOS (1975-79): DEMOkratiske Styringssystemer
• interdisciplinary team, 4 enterprises
UTOPIA (1981-84): Utbildn., Teknik, och Produkt I Arbetskval.perspektiv
• graphical workers’ trade unions in Scandinavia
• the tool perspective
Philosophical foundation for skill-based participatory design
• Dreyfus; Winograd & Flores (Heidegger and Gadamer)
• language as action
• language games
• Polanyi
• tacit knowledge
 design as a learning process
 design as creation of
language-games
 system descript. for discussion
 design-by-doing
16
• Wittgenstein
Feb. 5 2003 -- IN364
Tone Bratteteig
“Participatory design — Scandinavian tradition”
Readings:
Ehn [1993]: design for democracy at work
Readings:
Bansler on SD research traditions:
engineering, cybernetics, technology optimism:
systems thinking
Langefors (60’s): infology ISAC
2) sosio-technical
human factors, psycho-social work environment,
balance technical—social system:
systems thinking, analysis of variances
Thorsrud (LO/NAF; 60/70’s), UK: ETHICS,  SSM
3) critical
politically based critique, alternative solutions, trade unions,
technology as tool (autonomy & control):
critical & political philosophy, studies of use (and development)
Nygaard (70’s): social science methods / theories, techniques for
SD as a social work process
17
Feb. 5 2003 -- IN364
Tone Bratteteig
“Participatory design — Scandinavian tradition”
1) system theoretical
Readings:
Iivari & Lyytinen [1998]
2. formal approaches
3. socio-technical approach
4. trade unionist approach
5. socio-cybernetic approach
6. language action approach
7. professional work practice approach
8. object-oriented approaches
9. activity theory approach
10. structuration theory approach
18
Feb. 5 2003 -- IN364
Tone Bratteteig
“Participatory design — Scandinavian tradition”
1. infological approach
Systems thinking
1. infology
Critical theory (dialectics)
3. socio-technics
4. trade union-based
5. socio-cybernetics
7. professional work practice
19
Feb. 5 2003 -- IN364
Tone Bratteteig
“Participatory design — Scandinavian tradition”
Regrouping Iivari & Lyytinen
Systems thinking
1. infology
Critical theory (dialectics)
3. socio-technics
4. trade union-based
5. socio-cybernetics
6. language-action
7. professional work practice
9. activity theory
10. structuration theory
20
Feb. 5 2003 -- IN364
Tone Bratteteig
“Participatory design — Scandinavian tradition”
Regrouping cont.
theories
Systems thinking
1. infology
2. formal methods
3. socio-technics
Critical theory (dialectics)
4. trade union-based
7. professional work practice
8. object-orientation
9. activity theory
10. structuration theory
21
5. socio-cybernetics
6. language-action
Feb. 5 2003 -- IN364
Tone Bratteteig
“Participatory design — Scandinavian tradition”
Regrouping cont.
computing views
Scandinavian approach to
user participation in systems development
• co-designers
• SD as organizational, technical, human change process
is different from
• participatory design
USA based
• in software production
• HCI (Human Computer Interaction)
• participative design / development
UK/ Australia
• development of local communities
(not technical)
22
Feb. 5 2003 -- IN364
Tone Bratteteig
“Participatory design — Scandinavian tradition”
User participation and Participatory design
rich social democracies, relatively small
use technology to a large extent, very fast diffusion
small and medium sized organizations
equity and equal rights very important
democratic work life (employees repr. in boards etc.)
high percentage of trade union membership (increasing)
protestant ethics
Boland [1998]:
• nature
• equality
• irony
23
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Feb. 5 2003 -- IN364
Tone Bratteteig
“Participatory design — Scandinavian tradition”
Scandinavian culture
equality:
• respect for the user as an expert (on equal terms)
• physical and social-psycological work environment
important for health (well-being) and productivity
• autonomy & co-determination
nature:
• control of the product vs. continuous change and learning
• situated knowledge, local action
irony:
• question the taken-for-granted
• conflict – harmony & politics – ethics
+ worries about
• the quality of the system (the toolness)
• uncertainties connected to use and implementation (introduction)
24
Feb. 5 2003 -- IN364
Tone Bratteteig
“Participatory design — Scandinavian tradition”
Participatory Design as
a Scandinavian tradition
• conflict – harmony
as strategy for development
• politics – ethics
how do we regulate quality process and product
25
• control of the product – continuous change and learning
perspective on systems development implemented in
methods and methodologies
Feb. 5 2003 -- IN364
Tone Bratteteig
“Participatory design — Scandinavian tradition”
and some differences within
the Scandinavian approaches
• aims to make the users have control of their tools
• and of the way they change (as the work change)
 autonomy and responsibility in the work situation
• at the work situation (and work place) level, systems
development can contribute by emphasizing
 functionality as result (use situation & use context)
 designers’ responsibility for use (accountability)
• at the organization and social level
 individual, local action link to
collective, global concerns through
strategy, action, debate?
26
Feb. 5 2003 -- IN364
Tone Bratteteig
“Participatory design — Scandinavian tradition”
What is Participatory Design?
at the work situation (and work place) level (Florence):
 Functionality as result rather than starting point
• the use situation & context as basis for design of the system
• based on skilled performance of action (like work, balancing
standardization/flexibility)
• based on professional knowledge (durability, control)
 Responsibility for the use situation (accountability)
• designing a part of a use situation—not just a gadget, a thing
• open up for challenges of design ideas
• open up for accountability (not distant, general, abstract ...)
27
Feb. 5 2003 -- IN364
Tone Bratteteig
“Participatory design — Scandinavian tradition”
Does it make a difference?
• is established as valuable (techniques/practices & politics)
• theory differs from practice
• degree of involvement varies
Scandinavian characteristics:
• democratic work life
• respect for users’ expertice
vary with respect to politics and interdisciplinarity
 users participate in many phases of systems development,
as co-designers
28
Feb. 5 2003 -- IN364
Tone Bratteteig
“Participatory design — Scandinavian tradition”
User participation in
systems development
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
globalised work life
globalised work market
inter-organizational systems
global technology – local use
continuous change of IS
integration of generations ICT
intra / extra / internet
changing view on time & space
changing view on work (play, learn)
cultural changes (ex. individual vs collective)
etc. ...
29
Feb. 5 2003 -- IN364
Tone Bratteteig
“Participatory design — Scandinavian tradition”
Challenges
to the Scandinavian tradition of PD
Florence:
• Bjerknes m.fl. (1985): Gjensidig læring, Florence report no 1,IFI/UIO
• Bjerknes & Bratteteig (1987): Å implementere en ide, Florence report
no 3, IFI/UIO
• Bjerknes & Bratteteig (1987): Florence in Wonderland. System
Development with Nurses, in Bjerknes et al. (eds): Computers and
Democracy. A Scandinavian Challenge, Avebury, Aldershot
• Bjerknes & Bratteteig (1987): Perspectives on description tools and
techniques in system development, in Docherty et al (eds): System
Design for Human Development and Productivity: Participation and
Beyond, North-Holland, Amsterdam
• Bjerknes & Bratteteig (1988): Memoirs of two survivors, in
Proceedings of CSCW, ACM
• Bratteteig (1997): Mutual Learning. Enabling cooperation in
systems design in Braa & Monteiro (eds): Proceedings of IRIS'20
Skandinavian tradition:
• Bjerknes & Bratteteig (1995): User Participation and Democracy.
A Discussion of Scandinavian Research on System Development,
Scandinavian Journal of Information Systems, vol 7 no 1, April 1995
30
Feb. 5 2003 -- IN364
Tone Bratteteig
“Participatory design — Scandinavian tradition”
some references