Ten years of experience from interactive ergonomics projects

Abstract

EVWUDFW This paper highlights experiences from ergonomics projects, applying an interactive research approach. The aim of this paper is to summarise experiences from seven interactive ergonomics projects with the aim to improve ergonomics and organizational performance jointly. Results from these seven projects were analysed with a model for assessing sustainable change, including the factors active ownership, professional management, competent project leadership, and involved participants. All factors were found giving support to impact and sustainability of the change projects. However, the role of the researcher is difficult and demanding.

Exploring the work and competence of interactive researchers

“…Berglund et al , 2012; Johannisson, 2018; Gustavsson, 2009). There were also some studies with a mixed-methods design (Eklund and Karltun, 2012; Gensby et al , 2018; Holmquist, 2009; Rosenlund et al , 2015; Svensson, 2007), but no study was based only on quantitative data analysis.…”

“…The research problem, which determines the choice of method, might be elaborated or revised during the research process (Ahlström et al , 2007), thus creating an openness for other methods, or the research might need to alternate between methods that allow for close examinations and methods with a more overarching focus (Albinsson and Arnesson, 2010). The researcher must thereby be flexible and have the ability to shift between different roles (Albinsson and Arnesson, 2017; Berglund et al , 2012; Eklund and Karltun, 2012; Rosenlund, 2017). Furthermore, interactive research is considered more labour-intensive and time consuming than traditional research (Nyström et al , 2018; Svensson, Eklund, Randle and Aronsson, 2007).…”

“…Other ways of supporting learning include contributing new perspectives (Holmquist, 2009), serving as a sounding board, or problematising different issues to promote reflection and new lines of thinking (Albinsson, 2015). In addition, several studies highlight the need to educate practitioners in interactive research as a methodology as well as in specific methods of data collection and analysis and in theoretical models and concepts (Albinsson and Arnesson, 2017; Eklund and Karltun, 2012; Åkerström and Brunnberg, 2013).…”

“…It is possible to distinguish two patterns in the articles: the balance between the research system and the practice system and the balance between proximity and distance to practice. With regard to the balance between research and practice, several authors raise the point of having a division of labour in so far as the researcher is responsible for driving the search for new knowledge and the development of new theories, while practitioners are responsible for the actual development that takes place in the organisations (Eklund and Karltun, 2012; Krogh and Nielsen, 2017; Sandberg and Wallo, 2013). However, finding the balance between these two systems is not an easy task (Eklund and Karltun, 2012), and in the reviewed studies, it is not possible to fully deduce how this has been accomplished.…”

“…With regard to the balance between research and practice, several authors raise the point of having a division of labour in so far as the researcher is responsible for driving the search for new knowledge and the development of new theories, while practitioners are responsible for the actual development that takes place in the organisations (Eklund and Karltun, 2012; Krogh and Nielsen, 2017; Sandberg and Wallo, 2013). However, finding the balance between these two systems is not an easy task (Eklund and Karltun, 2012), and in the reviewed studies, it is not possible to fully deduce how this has been accomplished. The main concern appears to be that interactive research should not be considered invalid by the scientific community (Whitehurst and Richter, 2018), which is why the need to comply with the rules required by scientific rigour is emphasised and why the findings and new knowledge are presented in classical academic contexts such as seminars and conferences.…”