E-Society Theme

E-society Theme

E-Society Research Group

Digital technologies promise improved productivity, an inclusive society, enhanced lifestyles and competitive advantage. However new technologies continually fail to deliver the promised benefits. Underpinned by sociotechnical systems theory, the aim of this research group is to further understanding of the interdependencies between technology, people (as individuals, groups, communities, society) and the information-based tasks they perform, and the barriers and facilitators to the uptake and effective exploitation of new technologies. Strong links with stakeholders and users in industry, commerce and government ensure that this knowledge is translated into best practise.

Research interests include:

Strategies for citizen engagement and participation in the design and shaping of digital technologies
Capacity building for citizen engagement and participation
The effects of digital technologies on the way people live and work
ICT-related process change, cultural change and transition strategies
Facilitators and barriers to the adoption of e-Society technologies
Digital technologies and social inclusion
Human-centred and sociotechnical design
Technology and ageing

Examples of current/recent research projects

Members of the research group are involved in a variety of research projects around the themes above. These include:
Sus-IT – a £1.25 million, 3 year collaborative research project funded by the ESRC’s New Dynamics of Ageing programme, led by Loughborough University and involving 6 other UK universities and a wide range of other stakeholders, to investigate ways in which older people can be helped to sustain their use of ICTs, as their capabilities and circumstances change (see: http://sus-it.lboro.ac.uk/).

KT-Equal – a project designed specifically to exploit a decade of investment by EPSRC in ageing and disability research (see: http://www.sparc.ac.uk/about_kt_equal.asp)

PRADSA – an AHRC funded project ‘Practical Design for Social Action’ led by Sheffield Hallam University in collaboration with Loughborough University, Leeds Metropolitan University, Anglia Ruskin University, Queen Mary College, and the University of the West of England. The goal of this 2 year project is to develop and extend the capability of social action organisations to creatively design new practices by appropriating and adapting ICTs (see: http://www.technologyandsocialaction.org/)

Studies of local e-Government –including a study of the carried out for Charnwood Borough council to evaluate their Citizen’s Panel; a study carried out with the collaboration of members of the BCS Sociotechnical Group, emphasising the crucial importance of applying a sociotechnical approach to the design and development of local e-Government; and an evaluation of the information content of local authority websites in the UK using citizen-based scenarios.