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Steps Toward an Ecology of Infrastructure: Design and Access for Large Information Spaces

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Title
Steps Toward an Ecology of Infrastructure: Design and Access for Large Information Spaces
Abstract/Description
We analyze a large-scale custom software effort, the Worm Community System (WCS), a collaborative system designed for a geographically dispersed community of geneticists. There were complex challenges in creating this infrastructural tool, ranging from simple lack of resources to complex organizational and intellectual communication failures and tradeoffs. Despite high user satisfaction with the system and interface, and extensive user needs assessment, feedback, and analysis, many users experienced difficulties in signing on and use. The study was conducted during a time of unprecedented growth in the Internet and its utilities (1991–1994), and many respondents turned to the World Wide Web for their information exchange. Using Bateson's model of levels of learning, we analyze the levels of infrastructural complexity involved in system access and designer-user communication. We analyze the connection between systems development aimed at supporting specific forms of collaborative knowledge work, local organizational transformation, and large-scale infrastructural change.
Author/creator
Star, Susan Leigh
Ruhleder, Karen
Date
1996
In publication
Information Systems Research
Volume
7
Issue
1
Pages
111-134
Resource type
en Background/Context
Medium
en Print
Background/context type
en Conceptual
Keywords
ethnography
participatory design
infrastructure
collaboratory
internet
organizational computing
scientific computing
IRE Approach/Concept
Infrastructure
Participatory Design
Open access/free-text available
en Yes
Peer reviewed
en Yes
ISSN
1047-7047
DOI
10.1287/isre.7.1.111
Alternate version
Steps Towards an Ecology of Infrastructure: Complex Problems in Design and Access for Large-Scale Collaborative Systems
URL
Publication Webpage
Open Access PDF (via CiteSeerX)
Citation
Star, S. L., & Ruhleder, K. (1996). Steps Toward an Ecology of Infrastructure: Design and Access for Large Information Spaces. Information Systems Research, 7(1), 111–134. https://doi.org/10.1287/isre.7.1.111
Cited in
Introducing Improvement Research in Education
Measurement for Improvement
The Work of Improvement
Item sets
Open Access Resource (IRE)
IRE Handbook Introduction Citation

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Steps Towards an Ecology of Infrastructure: Complex Problems in Design and Access for Large-Scale Collaborative Systems Conference Paper
Items with "Cites: Steps Toward an Ecology of Infrastructure: Design and Access for Large Information Spaces"
Title Class
Introducing Improvement Research in Education Book Chapter

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