B) Cooperative analysis and
problem definition
Tone Bratteteig,
February 11., 2002
Feb. 11 2002 -- IN364
Tone Bratteteig
“Participatory design — Scandinavian tradition”
Participatory Design —
Scandinavian tradition
1
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.
Bjørn-Andersen & Hedberg, 1977,
Bjerknes & Bratteteig, 1991
”The Scandinavian approach”:
users participate in many phases of the systems
development, as co-designers
Feb. 11 2002 -- IN364
Tone Bratteteig
“Participatory design — Scandinavian tradition”
User Participation
in Systems Development
2
Techniques for user participation
• interviews
• document analysis
• observations
• system descriptions
• wall graphs (w. users)
• sketches for design
Feb. 11 2002 -- IN364
Tone Bratteteig
“Participatory design — Scandinavian tradition”
• field work
• system presentations
• alternative prototypes
• computers in the work environment
• field trips
3
• system description and system presentation supplement
each other
• the objectives of the activity more important than the
actual technique
Feb. 11 2002 -- IN364
Tone Bratteteig
“Participatory design — Scandinavian tradition”
Techniques for mutual learning
•
•
•
•
•
•
system description for overview (the overall picture)
system description improvisations (“home made”)
system description for communication (doesn’t need explanations)
system presentation for demonstration of alternative solutions
system presentation of other people’s experiences (field trips)
system presentation for hands-on experiences
• lesson: a prototype is very far from a running system
(programming takes time!)
4
• establish goals, problem definition and solution
• includes:
• concepts
• principles
• techniques & description tools
• interview, obs., workshop etc
• organisation (4 phases)
Feb. 11 2002 -- IN364
Tone Bratteteig
“Participatory design — Scandinavian tradition”
MUST:
Metode til forUndersøgelse i
Systemudvikling – og Teori herom
•
•
•
•
prepare — project establishment
focus — strategy analysis
study in depth — in depth analysis
renew — develop visions
5
• Principles
• a vision of the total change (org., IT, qualific)
• real user participation (mutual learning)
• work practice should be experienced (say ≠ do)
• grounding (managem., employees, users, changers)
Feb. 11 2002 -- IN364
Tone Bratteteig
“Participatory design — Scandinavian tradition”
MUST
• Conflicts and dilemmas
6
levels of action:
1) work situation
• NJMF, DUE, DEMOS, Florence, Cooperative design
2) work place
• SocioTechnique, FIRE
3) inter-organizational relations
Feb. 11 2002 -- IN364
Tone Bratteteig
“Participatory design — Scandinavian tradition”
Strategies for
user participation
• between org.: EDI
• between interest groups: UTOPIA; Florence
4) work life
• legislation; NJMF, DUE, DEMOS
7
• 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)
Feb. 11 2002 -- IN364
Tone Bratteteig
“Participatory design — Scandinavian tradition”
What is Participatory Design?
• at the organization and social level
⇒ individual, local action link to
collective, global concerns through
strategy, action, debate?
8
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)
Feb. 11 2002 -- IN364
Tone Bratteteig
“Participatory design — Scandinavian tradition”
Does it make a difference?
• 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 ...)
9
Feb. 11 2002 -- IN364
Tone Bratteteig
“Participatory design — Scandinavian tradition”
Participatory Design—
a Scandinavian tradition?
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
10
...
ea
rch
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. ...
re
s
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
de
so vel
ci e o p
ty, me
tec nts
hn in
ol o
gy
,
Feb. 11 2002 -- IN364
Tone Bratteteig
“Participatory design — Scandinavian tradition”
Challenges
11
Feb. 11 2002 -- IN364
Tone Bratteteig
“Participatory design — Scandinavian tradition”
some references
Florence:
• Bjerknes m.fl. (1985): Gjensidig læring, Florence report no 1,
Department of Informatics, University of Oslo
• 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
• 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 12