MAPPING ACTORS AND AGENDAS - POLITICAL FRAMEWORKS OF SYSTEMS-DESIGN AND PARTICIPATION

The article provides a framework and analytical tool for discussing th e political and organizational context of design and participation and for identifying some of its central characteristics. Three arenas for participation are distinguished: designing work and systems; designin g organizational frameworks for action; and designing the industrial r elations context. Drawing upon material from 2 case studies in Germany and Austria, we focus on the evolving network of actors and intermedi aries who in various ways contribute to work and systems design, the i nfluence of the political culture and the legal framework on how legit imate agenda are created, and the relations between systems design and other agendas (e.g., organizational development and collective bargai ning). We propose to use actor-network theory not just as a sociologic al exercise but as a tool. It helps to position actors within a larger context and reflect on their specific 'mediating' roles and to formul ate appropriate practices of intermediation. Furthermore, the case stu dies point at the limitations to participation in fragmented political cultures and call attention to the importance of understanding agenda setting. Each arena of action has its own set of legitimate agendas-f rom questions of user interface design to quality of working life and privacy issues. Participation in design needs powerful agendas that ca n be established in all arenas and that can be translated notably into work and design questions with obvious relevance to users for everyda y work with a computer system.