Volunteer-based IT Helpdesks as Ambiguous Quasi-Public Services: A Case Study from Two Nordic Countries

Camilla Vesterberg Christensen; Nils Ehrenberg; Jörn Christiansson; Erik Grönvall; Joanna Saad-Sulonen; Turkka Keinonen

Volunteer-based IT Helpdesks as Ambiguous Quasi-Public Services: A Case Study from Two Nordic Countries

Camilla Vesterberg Christensen, Nils Ehrenberg, Jörn Christiansson, Erik Grönvall, Joanna Saad-Sulonen, Turkka Keinonen

Research output: Conference Article in Proceeding or Book/Report chapter › Article in proceedings › Research › peer-review

Abstract

In this case study we take a Nordic perspective on the tension between increased digitalisation of public services and the insufficient support for citizens with limited digital literacy. Volunteer-based IT helpdesk services in public libraries have emerged as an attempt to address this tension. Drawing on examples of volunteering in public library-based IT helpdesk services in two Nordic countries, this paper considers the IT helpdesks as quasi-public services. Based on interviews, observations and workshops, we explore: the work of IT helpdesk volunteers, the characteristics of helpdesk services offered, and the implications of these services being offered by volunteers. The services offered are of acceptable quality to the users while the ambiguity and lack of institutional support is making the service fragile. In spite of the challenges of the quasi-public IT helpdesk service we also note how it offers a potential platform for the co-design and support of new public services.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	NordiCHI '22: Nordic Human-Computer Interaction Conference
Number of pages	12
Publisher	Association for Computing Machinery
Publication date	8 Oct 2022
Pages	1-12
Article number	44
Publication status	Published - 8 Oct 2022
Event	Nordic Human-Computer Interaction Conference 2022: Participative computing for sustainable futures - Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark Duration: 10 Oct 2022 → 12 Oct 2022 Conference number: 12 https://conferences.au.dk/nordichi2022/

Conference

Conference	Nordic Human-Computer Interaction Conference 2022
Number	12
Location	Aarhus University
Country/Territory	Denmark
City	Aarhus
Period	10/10/2022 → 12/10/2022
Internet address	https://conferences.au.dk/nordichi2022/

Keywords

Digitalization
Public Services
Digital Literacy
Volunteering
IT Helpdesk
Public Libraries
Nordic Perspective
Quasi-Public Services
Service Quality
Co-Design

Access to Document

NordiCHI_TAPS formatted_FINALAccepted author manuscript, 491 KBLicence: Unspecified

CAPE: Civic Agency in Public E-service innovation
Christiansson, J. (PI), Saad-Sulonen, J. (CoI), Grönvall, E. (CoI) & Christensen, C. V. (CoI)
NordForsk
01/10/2020 → 31/12/2023
Project: Research

File

Cite this

@inproceedings{09376cbc40c94f5aa6cb13bc190d3fe9,

title = "Volunteer-based IT Helpdesks as Ambiguous Quasi-Public Services: A Case Study from Two Nordic Countries",

abstract = "In this case study we take a Nordic perspective on the tension between increased digitalisation of public services and the insufficient support for citizens with limited digital literacy. Volunteer-based IT helpdesk services in public libraries have emerged as an attempt to address this tension. Drawing on examples of volunteering in public library-based IT helpdesk services in two Nordic countries, this paper considers the IT helpdesks as quasi-public services. Based on interviews, observations and workshops, we explore: the work of IT helpdesk volunteers, the characteristics of helpdesk services offered, and the implications of these services being offered by volunteers. The services offered are of acceptable quality to the users while the ambiguity and lack of institutional support is making the service fragile. In spite of the challenges of the quasi-public IT helpdesk service we also note how it offers a potential platform for the co-design and support of new public services.",

keywords = "Digitalization, Public Services, Digital Literacy, Volunteering, IT Helpdesk, Public Libraries, Nordic Perspective, Quasi-Public Services, Service Quality, Co-Design, Digitalization, Public Services, Digital Literacy, Volunteering, IT Helpdesk, Public Libraries, Nordic Perspective, Quasi-Public Services, Service Quality, Co-Design",

author = "Christensen, {Camilla Vesterberg} and Nils Ehrenberg and J{\"o}rn Christiansson and Erik Gr{\"o}nvall and Joanna Saad-Sulonen and Turkka Keinonen",

year = "2022",

month = oct,

day = "8",

language = "English",

pages = "1--12",

booktitle = "NordiCHI '22: Nordic Human-Computer Interaction Conference",

publisher = "Association for Computing Machinery",

address = "United States",

note = "Nordic Human-Computer Interaction Conference 2022 : Participative computing for sustainable futures, NordiCHI 2022 ; Conference date: 10-10-2022 Through 12-10-2022",

url = "https://conferences.au.dk/nordichi2022/",

}

Christensen, CV, Ehrenberg, N, Christiansson, J , Grönvall, E, Saad-Sulonen, J & Keinonen, T 2022, Volunteer-based IT Helpdesks as Ambiguous Quasi-Public Services: A Case Study from Two Nordic Countries. in NordiCHI '22: Nordic Human-Computer Interaction Conference., 44, Association for Computing Machinery, pp. 1-12, Nordic Human-Computer Interaction Conference 2022, Aarhus, Denmark, 10/10/2022.

Volunteer-based IT Helpdesks as Ambiguous Quasi-Public Services: A Case Study from Two Nordic Countries. / Christensen, Camilla Vesterberg; Ehrenberg, Nils; Christiansson, Jörn et al.
NordiCHI '22: Nordic Human-Computer Interaction Conference. Association for Computing Machinery, 2022. p. 1-12 44.

Research output: Conference Article in Proceeding or Book/Report chapter › Article in proceedings › Research › peer-review

TY - GEN

T1 - Volunteer-based IT Helpdesks as Ambiguous Quasi-Public Services

T2 - Nordic Human-Computer Interaction Conference 2022

AU - Christensen, Camilla Vesterberg

AU - Ehrenberg, Nils

AU - Christiansson, Jörn

AU - Grönvall, Erik

AU - Saad-Sulonen, Joanna

AU - Keinonen, Turkka

N1 - Conference code: 12

PY - 2022/10/8

Y1 - 2022/10/8

N2 - In this case study we take a Nordic perspective on the tension between increased digitalisation of public services and the insufficient support for citizens with limited digital literacy. Volunteer-based IT helpdesk services in public libraries have emerged as an attempt to address this tension. Drawing on examples of volunteering in public library-based IT helpdesk services in two Nordic countries, this paper considers the IT helpdesks as quasi-public services. Based on interviews, observations and workshops, we explore: the work of IT helpdesk volunteers, the characteristics of helpdesk services offered, and the implications of these services being offered by volunteers. The services offered are of acceptable quality to the users while the ambiguity and lack of institutional support is making the service fragile. In spite of the challenges of the quasi-public IT helpdesk service we also note how it offers a potential platform for the co-design and support of new public services.

AB - In this case study we take a Nordic perspective on the tension between increased digitalisation of public services and the insufficient support for citizens with limited digital literacy. Volunteer-based IT helpdesk services in public libraries have emerged as an attempt to address this tension. Drawing on examples of volunteering in public library-based IT helpdesk services in two Nordic countries, this paper considers the IT helpdesks as quasi-public services. Based on interviews, observations and workshops, we explore: the work of IT helpdesk volunteers, the characteristics of helpdesk services offered, and the implications of these services being offered by volunteers. The services offered are of acceptable quality to the users while the ambiguity and lack of institutional support is making the service fragile. In spite of the challenges of the quasi-public IT helpdesk service we also note how it offers a potential platform for the co-design and support of new public services.

KW - Digitalization

KW - Public Services

KW - Digital Literacy

KW - Volunteering

KW - IT Helpdesk

KW - Public Libraries

KW - Nordic Perspective

KW - Quasi-Public Services

KW - Service Quality

KW - Co-Design

KW - Digitalization

KW - Public Services

KW - Digital Literacy

KW - Volunteering

KW - IT Helpdesk

KW - Public Libraries

KW - Nordic Perspective

KW - Quasi-Public Services

KW - Service Quality

KW - Co-Design

M3 - Article in proceedings

SP - 1

EP - 12

BT - NordiCHI '22: Nordic Human-Computer Interaction Conference

PB - Association for Computing Machinery

Y2 - 10 October 2022 through 12 October 2022

ER -

Volunteer-based IT Helpdesks as Ambiguous Quasi-Public Services: A Case Study from Two Nordic Countries

Abstract

Conference

Keywords

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Projects

CAPE: Civic Agency in Public E-service innovation

Cite this