ABSTRACT
New technology offers the potential for tremendous benefits to people and society. Sackman, in his influential book published in 1967, discussed ideas for augmentation of human capability through the concept of ‘human-computer symbiosis’, and anticipated a world in which people would be freed from the drudgery of routine tasks and empowered by computer technology to expand their horizons and creativity. But, as computer technology proliferates and becomes ever more sophisticated, how close are we to realising this inspiring vision? Although there are undoubtedly many benefits from the advent of new technology, it could also be argued that, in many cases, the technology has simply brought new kinds of drudgery and different kinds of routine tasks. However these consequences do not usually arise from the technology itself, but from the way it is designed, implemented and used. Williams and Edge (1996) note that there are choices (though not necessarily conscious choices) inherent in both the design of individual artefacts and systems, and in the direction or trajectory of innovation programmes, and that these choices may have differing implications for society and for particular social groups. If this is the case, then technology can be seen as negotiable, with scope for particular groups and forces to shape technologies to their ends, and the possibility of different kinds of technological and social outcome. This then poses two kinds of problems: what are the ends which people want technologies to serve, and how can people best influence the design and development of technologies to ensure that their objectives are achieved?
