Problems of participation

1
Problems of participation

• Putting critical thinking into effect

2
Participation orthodox view

• Socio-technical systems approach (e.g. Mumford)
• Involving users in defining social as well as
  technical requirements
• Leads to matching of technology with need for
  enriched work
• Therefore generates consensus (and more return on
  investment)

3
Assumptions and questions

• Pluralist context - doesnt require a consensus
  to exist at the start
• Consensus is an essential objective
• Everyone can express their ideas
• Analyst is equidistant between participants (but
  can still develop job enrichment)
• . When are these not true?

4
Ways of addressing inequalities of power

• Choose to work for those without resources using
  conventional techniques (e.g. Community OR)
• Develop an ethical side to ETHICS - see Critical
  Systems Heuristics and Kant
• Commit to expand the capacity of the less
  powerful - integral part of CSH

5
Critical Systems Heuristics in Practice

• See 12 boundary questions inLambeth policing case
  study
• Focus on key areas
• the objectives which the system might fulfill
• the nature of the decision-making process (e.g.
  how do you change performance measures?)
• the sources of expert knowledge affects both
  performance measures and objectives.
• opportunities for emancipation.

6
Implications for participation

• Can the is and ought questions be used to
  generate participation where little already
  exists?
• Any structural requirements as well (e.g.
  feedback on actions taken as a result of debate)?
• Nature of emancipation - is it an important end
  in itself

7
Situations to consider

• Are participation and emancipation an equally
  relevant ideas in all these settings?
• Structured industrial setting
• Public-sector organisation
• Voluntary sector or community group
• New organisation with fluid, unskilled
  workforce.
• Knowledge-based organisation.
• . If not why not?

8
Critical Systems for Information Systems?

• Consider distribution of information.
• Treat users as humans, not as instruments
  (duty-based ethics)
• How secure is the judgement of the experts? (And
  what kind of boundary judgements are
  justifiable?)
• Can methods and techniques incorporate ethical
  considerations?