Beate Elvebakk

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ICTs in contexts reporting research from
researching researchers' reports
Beate Elvebakk
SKIKT Researchers Conference 8th April 2002
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Past Masters

• The writers all to some degree base their
  observations/predictions upon qualities of the
  technologies themselves.
• Neither author attempts to establish a strict
  causal link, rather, they try to draw a broad
  picture, in which their empirical findings fit
  in, but for which they are not in themselves
  sufficient evidence.

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Past Masters

• They do not necessarily expel other working
  factors.
• They are aware of the interpretative situation.
• They are actively aware of their own role as
  interpreters.

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Early Errors

• Mistaking early users for typical users.
• The related mistaking of very intensive use for
  typical use.
• Researching MUDs for exotic topic and easy access
  to research data.

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Early Errors

• Being misled by Sci-fi to seeing cyberspace as
  separate realm.
• Predicting changes on the basis of enabling
  technology alone.
• Unbridled enthusiasm.
• Luddism.

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Conclusions

• Construct frameworks.
• Accept the tenacity of facts.
• Place ICTs in their proper context.

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Conclusions

• Use properties of technologies as starting point,
  but dont stop there.
• Realise that developments are usually complex, so
  that it is quite unlikely that you will find a
  neat, linear story.

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