Computer systems and the design of organizational interaction

ABSTRACT

The goal of this paper is to relate theory to invention and application in the design of systems for organizational communication and management. We propose and illustrate a theory of design, technology, and action that we believe has been missing in the mainstream of work on office systems. At the center of our thinking is a theory of language as social action, which differs from the generally taken-for-granted understandings of what goes on in an organization. This approach has been presented elsewhere, and our aim here is to examine its practical implications and assess its effectiveness in the design of The Coordinator, a workgroup productivity system that is in widespread commercial use on personal computers.

REFERENCES

• 1: BJERKNES, G., EHN, P., AND KYNG, M. Computers and Democracy. Avebury, Aldershot, England 1987.
• 2: S Kiesler, The hidden messages in computer networks, Harvard Business Review, v.64 n.1, p.46-60, JANURAY-FEBRUARY 1986
• 3: SEARLE, J.R. A taxonomy of illocutionary acts. In Language, Mind and Knowledge, Minnesota Studies in the Philosophy of Science, vol. 11, K. Gunderson, Ed. University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, 1975.
• 4: Cathleen Stasz , Tora K. Bikson, Computer-supported cooperative work: examples and issues in one federal agency, Proceedings of the 1986 ACM conference on Computer-supported cooperative work, December 03-05, 1986, Austin, Texas [doi>10.1145/637069.637111]
• 5: WINOGRAD, W. A language/action perspective on the design of cooperative work. Human- Computer Interaction 3, 1 (1987-88), 3-30.
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INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  H. Information Systems
  H.4 INFORMATION SYSTEMS APPLICATIONS

Additional Classification:
  H. Information Systems
  H.4 INFORMATION SYSTEMS APPLICATIONS
      H.4.3 Communications Applications
          Subjects: Electronic mail

  I. Computing Methodologies
  I.2 ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
      I.2.1 Applications and Expert Systems
          Subjects: Office automation

  K. Computing Milieux
  K.6 MANAGEMENT OF COMPUTING AND INFORMATION SYSTEMS

General Terms:
Design, Human Factors, Management, Theory