Workplace Studies - Recovering Work Practice and Informing System Design

Workplace studies are of growing significance to people in a broad range of academic disciplines and professions, in particular those involved in the development of new technologies. This ground breaking book, first published in 2000, brings together key researchers in Europe and the US to discuss critical issues in the study of the workplace and to outline developments in the field. The collection is divided into two parts. Part I contains a number of detailed case studies that not only provide an insight into the issues central to workplace studies but also some of the problems involved in carrying out such research. Part II focuses on the interrelationship between workplace studies and the design of new technologies. This book provides a valuable, multidisciplinary synthesis of the key issues and theoretical developments in workplace studies and a guide to the implications of such research for new technology design and the workplace. Contents
1. Introduction Paul Luff, Jon Hindmarsh, Christian Heath
Part I. Exploring the Workplace: 2. Making a case Lucy Suchman
3. Design by problem solving Graham Button and Wes Sharrock
4. Analysing cooperative work in an urban traffic control room for the design of a coordination support system Jacques Theureau and Genevieve Fillippi
5. Expert systems in (inter)action: diagnosing document machine problems over the telephone Jack Whalen and Eric Vinkhuyzen
6. The critical role of workplace studies in CSCW Kjeld Schmidt
7. From individual action to collective activity and back Yrjo Engestrom
Part II. The interface between research and design. 8. Analysing work practice and the potential role of new technology at the International Monetary Fund Richard H. R. Harper
9. Ethnography, communication and support for design John Hughes, Jon OBrien, Tom Rodden and Mark Rouncefield
10. Where the rubber hits the road Bob Anderson
11. Situating workplace studies within the human- computer interaction field Liam J. Bannon
12. Analysing the workplace and user requirements Marina Jirotka and Lincoln Wallen
13. Supporting interdisciplinary design Thomas Erikson.

Author/Editor Details
Edited by: Paul Luff, Kings College London
Edited by: Jon Hindmarsh, Kings College London
Edited by: Christian Heath, Kings College London