Systems As Intermediaries: Political Framework of Design & Participation

Abstract

Drawing upon material from two case-studies in Gennany and Austria, we analyse the political and cultural regimes into which design and participation are embedded. Three arenas for participation are distinguished: Designing work - designing systems; Designing organisational frameworks for action; Designing the industrial relations context. Our case analysis focuses on the evolving network of actors and intennediaries who in various ways contribute to work and systems design; on the influence of the political culture and the legal framework on how legitimate agenda are created and the arenas for action are defined; and on the relations between systems design and other agenda (such as organisational development, collective bargaining). Our case studies point at the limitations to participation in fragmented political cultures.