Bristol Branch

Professor Leela Damodaran, Loughborough University

The University of the West of England, Frenchay Campus

Places limited booking required – Please email David Martin

In coordination with the BCS Sociotechnical Group

In the present digital revolution we often seem trapped in a Kafkaesque world of technological advances, some desired, some disliked or even feared, which we cannot influence but must accept. This talk discusses the urgent need to redress this situation. It will argue that technologies succeed or fail according to their relevance and value to people, who need to be actively engaged in order to create shared visions, and influence their implementation.

All too often ICT advances are regarded purely as a technical challenge where the designers believe that systems analysis will of itself yield complete and comprehensive functional specifications. The talk will then review the currently accepted ways of thinking about the design of systems and the reasons why these methods are no longer adequate.

Finally, it will provide specific practical guidance, based on sound academic research, for policy makers, administrators and ICT professionals on the strategies, methodologies, tools and techniques needed to change design practice.

Leela is part of the Research School of Informatics and is the Head of the Information, Technology and Society (I,T&S) Research Group at Loughborough University. The research group focuses on human and social aspects of informatics, and the impact of technology upon individuals, organisations and society. Leela is a Chartered Psychologist with a wide-ranging portfolio of research and action-research activities. She has a long track record of successful applied research in participative design of information and communications technology (ICT) systems and services.