Tinkering with technology: Human factors, work redesign, and professionalsin workplace innovation

Professionals in workplace innovation operate in practice as collective des igners and political entrepreneurs as well as applied scientists. They appl y and adapt human factors and organizational knowledge and techniques to en able projects to succeed in complex, culturally diverse, and politically ch arged change processes. This creates a major challenge for their profession al training. They require a self-understanding, ability, and will that enab les them to act as reflective practitioners continuously improving the prac tical skills of their "craft." This article draws on the reflections of pro fessionals in workplace innovation to argue this case, and seeks to inform further reflection by presenting a View of their role as professional brico leurs. (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.