Visions of Organization and Organizations of Vision: The Representational Practices of Information Systems Development

Bloomfield, Brian P.; Vurdubakis, Theo

doi:10.1016/s0361-3682(96)00024-4

Cited by 85 publications

(74 citation statements)

References 45 publications

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“…First, I want to emphasize that the utilization of this metaphor does not imply that I suggest that IT artifacts actually are (only) texts, but instead I suggest that interesting issues can be revealed while considering them as texts. Regarding existing research utilizing this metaphor, in some studies IT artifacts have already been perceived as texts and their reading analyzed to some extent; both representations of IT and representations inscribed in IT have been analyzed [8,10,24,56]. However, in this paper the reading of the IT artifact texts is not explored, since the focus is solely on the writing context.…”

Section: Theoretical Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Understanding the work of an HCI practitioner

Iivari

2006

Proceedings of the 4th Nordic Conference on Human-Computer Interaction: Changing Roles

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Users should be involved in the development of information technology (IT) artifacts. However, this is challenging, especially in product development context, in which Human Computer Interaction (HCI) practitioners tend to be hired to 'represent the users' in the development. However, also their work has proven to be challenging. This paper analyzes their work by utilizing a metaphor of IT artifacts as texts and their development as writing. It is assumed that during writing the IT artifact texts 'users are configured'. HCI practitioners are to contribute to the 'configuration of the user'. However, divergent roles are assigned to these practitioners, both in theory and in practice. Therefore, both theoretical and empirical analyses of the work of the HCI practitioners are carried out, and implications both for theory and practice are discussed. Particularly the semiotic approach introduced in this paper and its implications on HCI theory are reflected on.

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Section: Theoretical Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…in [8,24,54,56]). It is assumed that in IT artifact development texts (IT artifacts) are written (developed), after which they are read (used).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Understanding the work of an HCI practitioner

Iivari

2006

Proceedings of the 4th Nordic Conference on Human-Computer Interaction: Changing Roles

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“…It is appropriate to consider how best to provide data to explicate the manner in which technology takes over some of the decisions of human actors or affects the direction of groups in society or organisations. Clearly we cannot rely on what participants say since the whole issue of the impact of technological systems and inscriptions is their pervasive, rather than directly intrusive character (see Bloomfield and Verdubakis, 1997b for a discussion of "framing" devices). Latour (1994) argues that it is not possible to "study technical skill directly", that we are still concerned with "meaning but no longer in discourse"(p.39).…”

Section: Knorr Cetina Argues Thatmentioning

confidence: 99%

Accounting information systems as knowledge-objects: some effects of objectualization

Lowe

2001

Management Accounting Research

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This paper will outline a research methodology informed by theorists who have contributed to actor network theory (ANT). Research informed from such a perspective recognises the constitutive role of accounting systems in the achievement of broader social goals. Latour, Knorr-Cetina and others argue that the bringing in of non-human actants, through the growth of technology and science, has added immeasurably to the complexity of modern society. The paper "sees" accounting and accounting systems as being constituted by technological "black boxes" and seeks to discuss two questions. One concerns the processes which surround the establishment of "facts", ie. how "black boxes" are created or accepted (even if temporarily) within society. The second concerns the role of existing "black boxes" within society and organisations. Accounting systems not only promote a particular view of the activities of an organisation or a subunit, but in their very implementation and operation 'mobilise' other organisational members in a particular direction. The implications of such an interpretation are explored in the paper. Firstly through a discussion of some of the theoretic constructs that have been proposed to frame ANT research. Secondly an attempt is made to relate some of these ideas to aspects of the empirics in a qualitative case study. The case site is in the health sector and involves the implementation of a casemix accounting system. Evidence from the case research is used to exemplify aspects of the theoretical constructs.

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“…However, we have long been aware that representations can also been seen as much more active and constructive in relation to their referents. From this point of view, they are attempts at what Bloomfield and Vurdubakis (1997) have called 'worldmaking'. Writing in the context of organisational information systems, they argue that:…”

Section: Representation Of Users Citizens and Familiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These representations, and the practices that generate, manage and interpret them, are at the heart of our arguments. We contrast the formal 'grammar' of family relationships (Levi-Strauss, 1964), which has tended to inform attempts to instantiate family in services' information systems, with richer notions of representation as a collective achievement (Dourish, 2004), and one that not only describes aspects of the world but also actively makes those aspects thinkable (Bloomfield and Vurdubakis, 1997). Through this conceptual lens, we review some of the ways in which recent investments in complex information systems have shaped the capacity of public services to 'think family'.…”

Section: Introduction: Think Family!mentioning

confidence: 99%

Representing the family: how does the state ‘think family’?

Cornford

Baines

Wilson

2013

Policy &Amp; Politics

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Over the last decade the family and family-centred policies and practices have received increasing attention within the public service agenda, culminating in the emphatic instruction to 'think family' individually, collectively and institutionally. This has occurred at a time when the sociology of the family has increasingly emphasised the difficulties of thinking family in a coherent way. In this article we explore this agenda through an examination of the representational tools with which public service professionals and managers have been recently equipped. We conclude by questioning the adequacy of these tools for effectively representing family relations.

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Visions of Organization and Organizations of Vision: The Representational Practices of Information Systems Development

Cited by 85 publications

References 45 publications

Understanding the work of an HCI practitioner

Understanding the work of an HCI practitioner

Accounting information systems as knowledge-objects: some effects of objectualization

Representing the family: how does the state ‘think family’?

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