Final published version
Research output: Contribution in Book/Report/Proceedings - With ISBN/ISSN › Conference contribution/Paper › peer-review
Research output: Contribution in Book/Report/Proceedings - With ISBN/ISSN › Conference contribution/Paper › peer-review
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TY - GEN
T1 - The chiasmus of design
T2 - 17th European Conference on Information Systems, ECIS 2009
AU - Wastell, David
AU - White, Sue
AU - Broadhurst, Karen
AU - Hall, Chris
AU - Peckover, Sue
PY - 2009/7/10
Y1 - 2009/7/10
N2 - This paper presents a detailed ethnographic study of the design problems of a major national IT system in UK child protection and welfare services. The implementation of the Integrated Children's System (ICS) has disrupted social work practice and engendered growing professional resistance, prompting a fundamental review of its design. Marshall McLuhan's concept of chiasmus is a central feature of the analysis presented here of the tribulations of the ICS. Chiasmus refers to the tendency of any system, when pushed too far, to produce unintended contradictory effects, and is an intrinsic feature of the behaviour of complex, socio-technical systems. The dysfunctions of the ICS provide a pertinent, large-scale example. The ICS constitutes an attempt, via technological means, to reorganize child welfare services in the UK. Whilst aimed at improving child safety, the ICS has had the opposite effect of increasing the potential for error. This chiasmus has been exposed through the multi-site ethnography reported here, which shows how rigidly designed processes, enforced by IT systems, force social work professionals into unsafe investigative and recording practices which put children at greater risk. The paper ends by proposing an alternative approach to design, based on proven socio-technical precepts, emphasizing the principles of minimum critical specification, usercenteredness and local autonomy.
AB - This paper presents a detailed ethnographic study of the design problems of a major national IT system in UK child protection and welfare services. The implementation of the Integrated Children's System (ICS) has disrupted social work practice and engendered growing professional resistance, prompting a fundamental review of its design. Marshall McLuhan's concept of chiasmus is a central feature of the analysis presented here of the tribulations of the ICS. Chiasmus refers to the tendency of any system, when pushed too far, to produce unintended contradictory effects, and is an intrinsic feature of the behaviour of complex, socio-technical systems. The dysfunctions of the ICS provide a pertinent, large-scale example. The ICS constitutes an attempt, via technological means, to reorganize child welfare services in the UK. Whilst aimed at improving child safety, the ICS has had the opposite effect of increasing the potential for error. This chiasmus has been exposed through the multi-site ethnography reported here, which shows how rigidly designed processes, enforced by IT systems, force social work professionals into unsafe investigative and recording practices which put children at greater risk. The paper ends by proposing an alternative approach to design, based on proven socio-technical precepts, emphasizing the principles of minimum critical specification, usercenteredness and local autonomy.
KW - Audit
KW - Chiasmus
KW - Child protection
KW - Child welfare
KW - Integrated children's system
KW - Performance management
KW - Socio-technical systems
KW - User resistance
KW - User-centred design
U2 - 10.1007/978-3-642-02388-0_18
DO - 10.1007/978-3-642-02388-0_18
M3 - Conference contribution/Paper
AN - SCOPUS:84870697022
SN - 9788861293915
T3 - 17th European Conference on Information Systems, ECIS 2009
BT - 17th European Conference on Information Systems, ECIS 2009
Y2 - 8 June 2009 through 10 June 2009
ER -