Abstract
Modern organizations need to be able to change to seize opportunities and meet challenges, which are ever more rapidly presenting themselves. In doing so, they need to make use of the creativity and innovations of their employees. At the same time Information Technology applications today are likely to take the form of complex, integrated infrastructures, supporting collaboration within and across organizations. This places requirements on the development of IT
infrastructures. As the work practices within an organization change, the supporting infrastructure also needs to evolve. This PhD thesis is about
sustaining Participatory Design in the organization to enable users to influence
the development of the IT infrastructure that supports their work practices.
The empirical research is based on a long-term action research study, where this researcher works as an embedded researcher, complementing action research with daily work of developing software support with users. In addition,
ethnographically inspired research methods have been used to understand and
evaluate how different situated development practices come together in
infrastructure development.
The empirical results put forward the following contributions: (1) Shop floor IT management is a core capability for innovation, and is a driver for sustained PD in the organization. Users on the shop floor trigger infrastructure development when their IT applications need to be technically and organizationally integrated. (2) A flexible technical infrastructure is needed to support Participatory Design. The technical base as infrastructure both enables and constrains the design of local software support, as well as the application of
Participatory Design methods. (3) Users on the shop floor need to participate in
organizational IT management in order to relate the development of their local
software support in an integrated infrastructure. The results of the action
research report four interlinked improvements to sustain Participatory Design in
the organization concerning structuring end-user influence in the organizational
arena, a participatory and evolutionary project management, and participatory
tools and techniques appropriated for infrastructure development.
infrastructures. As the work practices within an organization change, the supporting infrastructure also needs to evolve. This PhD thesis is about
sustaining Participatory Design in the organization to enable users to influence
the development of the IT infrastructure that supports their work practices.
The empirical research is based on a long-term action research study, where this researcher works as an embedded researcher, complementing action research with daily work of developing software support with users. In addition,
ethnographically inspired research methods have been used to understand and
evaluate how different situated development practices come together in
infrastructure development.
The empirical results put forward the following contributions: (1) Shop floor IT management is a core capability for innovation, and is a driver for sustained PD in the organization. Users on the shop floor trigger infrastructure development when their IT applications need to be technically and organizationally integrated. (2) A flexible technical infrastructure is needed to support Participatory Design. The technical base as infrastructure both enables and constrains the design of local software support, as well as the application of
Participatory Design methods. (3) Users on the shop floor need to participate in
organizational IT management in order to relate the development of their local
software support in an integrated infrastructure. The results of the action
research report four interlinked improvements to sustain Participatory Design in
the organization concerning structuring end-user influence in the organizational
arena, a participatory and evolutionary project management, and participatory
tools and techniques appropriated for infrastructure development.
| Originalsprog | Engelsk |
|---|
| Forlag | IT-Universitetet i København |
|---|---|
| Antal sider | 247 |
| ISBN (Trykt) | 978-87-7949-336-0 |
| Status | Udgivet - 2016 |
| Navn | ITU-DS |
|---|---|
| Nummer | 117 |
| ISSN | 1602-3536 |