Being-human in the world of digital artifacts

168 Pages·2016·1.66 MB·English

Being-human in the world of digital artifacts: holistic
rethinking of design practices

Nathan Lakew

Supervisors:
Prof. Katarina L. Gidlund
Prof. Karin Hedström

Faculty of Science, Technology, and Media
Mid Sweden University, SE-851 70 Sundsvall, Sweden

ISSN 1652-893X
Mid Sweden University Doctoral Thesis 256
ISBN 978-91-88025–94-4
Akademisk avhandling som med tillstånd av Mittuniversitetet i Sundsvall
framläggs till offentlig granskning för avläggande av teknologie doktorand examen
fredag, 16 december, 2016, klockan 10:00 i sal L111, Mittuniversitetet Sundsvall.
Seminariet kommer att hållas på engelska.

Being-human in the world of digital artifacts: holistic rethinking
of design practices

Nathan Lakew

© Nathan Lakew, 2016

Department of Information Technology and Media
Mid Sweden University, SE-851 70 Sundsvall
Sweden

Telephone: [phone]

Printed by Mid Sweden University, Sundsvall, Sweden, 2016
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To Yuliya and Saron,
You are my everyday delights.

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Being-human in the world of digital artifacts: holistic rethinking
of design practices

Nathan Lakew

Department of Information Technology and Media
Mid Sweden University, SE-851 70 Sundsvall, Sweden
ISSN 1652-893X, Mid Sweden University Doctoral Thesis 256;
ISBN 978-91-88025–94-4

ABSTRACT
This thesis conducts a philosophical, theoretical, and practical exploration of
digital technology design to examine how digital technologies can fulfill our two-
facet of existentiality – identified in the thesis as belonginess and novelty. By belonginess,
I identify human’s innate need for a feeling of connectedness and harmony with the
self, others, and the natural world. The word novelty implies the human interest in
exploration, invention, and desire for new experiences. This research suggests that
contemporary digital technologies are largely novelty need-oriented, while our
belonginess need is either ignored or its growth curtailed. The research question
presented in this thesis is how and why can design enable digital technologies to mediate
aligned existentiality? With this broad question, I will argue that an alignment
between digital technologies and our two-facet of existentiality can be met through
refocused design practices.
Strong arguments have been forwarded that novelty focused digital technologies
can reduce our existential needs of belonginess. Digital technologies are leading
consumerist commodities associated with creating unrelenting demand for new
experiences. The search for constant stimulation and novelty has resulted in a
fragmented and alienated state of being-human where the only way of feeling a
sense of belonging comes from consuming more novel experiences. As contemporary
everyday life is increasingly intertwined with digital technologies, their effect on our
way of being-human becomes even more notable.
Against this background, the research attempts to ‘bring back’ our needs of
belonginess to an equal footing with novelty in digital technologies. I have examined
the current digital technology design’s philosophical, theoretical, and practical
foundations to refocus design, from its too strong focus on developing novelty
experiences to mediating aligned existentiality. With the aim of refocusing the
design role, a theoretical framework based on holism has emerged that could
provide design a background to focus on mediating aligned existentiality. Primarily
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informed by three thinkers – Marin Heidegger, Karl Marx, and John Dewey – the
proposed holistic theoretical framework aims to provide design with a basis to (1)
embed belonginess values in digital technologies (2) redirect digital technologies
from alienating values such as consumerism, and (3) provide a mediating
materiality for digital technologies to advance aligned existentiality while in use.
The thesis further illustrates the proposed holistic dimensions – philosophy,
theory, and practice – using three empirical materials. I argue that the proposed
holistic foundation for design is also aligned with how digital technologies are being
used in the everyday lifeworld. Consequently, by freeing design from its traditional
responsibility of making technically savvy and novel artifacts and refocusing its role
to mediating aligned existentiality, design can itself be used to support our being-
human in the world of digital artifacts.

Keywords: Aligned existentiality, the design role, belonginess, novelty, being-
human, holism, dualism, digital technologies

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This thesis work has grown out of the conversations, the friendship and the
support of many professional and personal friends on both sides of the Atlantic.
Four people have been particularly important in sustaining my efforts to arrive
at this point and helping to give my thesis its current shape and form. First, the thesis
would not be possible without Prof. Katarina L. Gidlund. She has been my tutor
since I was a master graduate student and has introduced me to the critical tradition
that I have grown to love. Your experience and skills to see the general picture of
what a PhD research journey in informatics tradition would look like has made the
thesis a focused research work. As a supervisor, you have also taught me how to
turn sometimes ‘wide’ ambitions into a meaningful academic research contribution.
Your phrase ‘now, it is time to kill some of your darlings’ has already become my
mantra in academic life. I thank you Katarina, for your faith in me, continuing
support and intellectual encouragement.
Second, I would like to thank Prof. Karin Hedström for her genuine interest in
my work, quick responses and attentive reading of numerous drafts of this thesis.
The useful commentaries and constructive critique you raised as an opponent
during my midterm seminar have helped me develop my arguments further. I have
always appreciated that you actually scheduled time in your calendar for ‘meeting
with Nathan’ and for ‘reading Nathan’s chapter/paper’. And I want to say a special
thank you (tusen tack) for arranging an office at Orebro University for more than a
year so that I can stay close to my family.
Third, I consider Duane P. Truex III as my mentor who has introduced me to
Information System (IS) research field and inspired my interest in the topic. As my
main supervisor for the first two and half years of my PhD study, he guided me
through the foundations of IS field literature which ultimately shaped most of my
PhD research contributions. I would also like to thank Duane for his hospitality
during my exchange program stay in Georgia State University. It was nice to meet
members of your family and I appreciated the social gatherings you often arranged.
The surfing at Lake Lanier, GA was one of the best.
And last but not least, I want to express my gratitude to my friend and my wife
Yuliya Lakew, whose generous conversations, usually while making dinner, have
been a source of inspiration and much needed breakthroughs. Most philosophical
discussions presented in this thesis have been influenced by your insightful critique.
I also want to express my deep gratitude to you for taking care of almost everything
in our lives during the last months of my PhD journey.
I would like to thank all colleagues within the department of Information and
Communication Systems for many interesting discussions and positive work
environment. Thanks Lennart for all the nice coffee treats; one of the many things I
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will miss from IKS. Thanks a lot Annika Berggren for your patience to answer all my
questions. You have made my PhD study a smoother ride. I am grateful to current
and former informatics research group members including Johanna Sefyrin, Hanna
Olsson, Karin Åhlin, Olof Nilsson, Leif Sundberg, Ann-Sofie Klareld, Tove Engvall
and others with whom I have enjoyed interesting discussion. Sheila, thank you for
being the coolest office mate and for all the laughs we have shared.
Special thanks to Ola Lindberg, Michael Andersson, and other Learning
Resource Center (LRC) staff at Mid Sweden University for allowing me to follow the
deployment process of the new learning management system. I am also grateful to
Peter Axelsson and his colleagues at Masarin Consulting for spending the whole day
to give me feedback on the main research proposal presented in the thesis.
I would like to express my appreciation to the colleagues and friends I have met
while staying in Georgia State for their constructive discussions, professional and
personal friendships including Steve Alters, Roy Johnson, Arun Aryal, Amrani
Redouane, Magnus Rotvit Perlt Hansen, and others within the department of J.
Mack Robinson College of business. Furthermore, I am grateful to Anna Croon Fors
who has debated, challenged and encouraged my Heideggerian philosophical
endeavours during my final PhD seminar that ultimately helped to give the thesis
its final shape and form.
To my siblings and my parents, thank you so very much for being there for me
through the years. It has always been a bliss to have you by my side. My eldest
brother, Alex, is the one who inspired me to the academic life and I am extremely
grateful that your example has taken me that far.
I would like to express my deep gratitude to Mid Sweden University department
of information technology and media for admitting me as a PhD student and for the
creative and supportive intellectual environment for my research.
Finally, my special thanks goes to my daughter Saron. You have become another
reason to feel a strong sense of belonging and thanks for being a constant reminder
of what it is to be human. It gives me warmth to dedicate this work to my wife and
my daughter.

Nathan Lakew
Karlsdalsallén, Örebro
November 08, 2016

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABSTRACT ...................................................................................................................... III
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ................................................................................................. V
LIST OF PAPERS ............................................................................................................. IX
1. INVITIATION ............................................................................................................ 1
1.1. MY UNDERSTANDING OF DESIGN ............................................................................. 3
1.2. RESEARCH PROBLEM AND RESEARCH QUESTION .................................................... 5
1.3 MY RESEARCH JOURNEY ........................................................................................ 6
2. POSITIONING MY RESEARCH WORK .............................................................. 8
2.1. HISTORY AND BEING-HUMAN .................................................................................. 8
2.1. TECHNOLOGY AND OUR TWO-FACET OF EXISTENTIALITY ...................................... 12
2.3. THE DESIGN ROLE – DESIGN AS MEANS TO ALIGN TECHNOLOGY
WITH TWO-FACET OF EXISTENTIALITY .................................................................. 15
2.4. LITERATURE FOUNDATIONS FOR EXPLORING BEING-HUMAN ................................. 18
3. METHODOLOGICAL REFLECTION AND EMPIRICAL EVIDENCES ...... 22
3.1. THE RESEARCH TOPIC – ‘THE DESIGN ROLE’ AS A RESEARCH INTEREST ................. 22
3.2. RESEARCH DESIGN ................................................................................................ 23
4. PRESENTATION OF PAPERS ............................................................................. 39
5. THE PHILOSOPHICAL DIMENSION OF MEDIATING ALIGNED
EXISTENTIALITY …………………………………………………………………47
5.1. PHILOSOPHICAL IDEAS FOR THE DESIGN ROLE ...................................................... 48
5.2. TOWARD A PRAXIS ANALYTIC FRAMING OF THE DESIGN ROLE ............................... 78
5.3. EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE TO EVALUATE PRAXIS PHILOSOPHICAL TRADITION ............. 80
5.4. IDEALIZING THE PHILOSOPHY OF PRAXIS INTO EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE ................... 80
5.5. REPRESENTING THE DESIGN ROLE PHILOSOPHICAL BASE AS PRAXIS ..................... 82
6. THE THEORETICAL DIMENSION OF MEDIATING ALIGNED
EXISTENTIALITY ................................................................................................... 84
6.1. THEORETICAL DESIGN KNOWLEDGE IDEAS FOR THE DESIGN ROLE ......................... 85
6.2. TOWARD AN ONTOLOGICAL ANALYTIC FRAMING OF THE DESIGN ROLE ................ 99
6.3. EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE TO EVALUATE ONTOLOGICAL DESIGN .............................. 100
6.4. IDEALIZING ONTOLOGICAL DESIGN INTO EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE .......................... 101
6.5. REPRESENTING THE DESIGN ROLE THEORETICAL BASE AS ONTOLOGICAL ........... 104

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7. THE PRACTICE DIMENSION OF MEDIAING ALIGNED
EXISTENTIALITY ………………………………………………………………. 106
7.1. DESIGN PRACTICE IDEAS FOR THE DESIGN ROLE .................................................. 107
7.2. TOWARD ACTIVITY BASED ANALYTIC FRAMING OF THE DESIGN ROLE ................ 112
7.3. EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE TO EVALUATE ACTIVITY BASED DESIGN PRACTICES ......... 114
7.4. IDEALIZING ACTIVITY BASED DESIGN PRACTICE INTO EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE ...... 114
7.5. REPRESENTING THE DESIGN ROLE PRACTICAL BASE AS ACTIVITY ....................... 116
8. BEING-HUMAN IN THE WORLD OF DIGITAL ARTIFACTS –
HOLISTIC ORIENTATION OF DESIGN PRACTICES ……………………119
8.1. BEING-HUMAN IDEAS AND THE DESIGN ROLE ...................................................... 120
8.2. TOWARD A HOLISTIC FRAMING OF THE DESIGN ROLE .......................................... 121
8.3. EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE TO EVALUATE HOLISTIC DESIGN APPROACH ..................... 134
8.4. IDEALIZING HOLISTIC DESIGN APPROACH INTO EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE ................ 134
8.5. REPRESENTING THE DESIGN ROLE FOUNDATION AS HOLISTIC STRUCTURE ......... 139
9. CONCLUDING REMARKS ................................................................................. 141
9.1. RELATED CONTRIBUTION OF THE RESEARCH ....................................................... 142
9.2. LIMITATIONS ...................................................................................................... 143
9.3. FUTURE RESEARCH, REFLECTION, AND CONCLUSION .......................................... 144
REFERENCE .................................................................................................................... 145

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LIST OF PAPERS
This thesis is mainly based on the following ten papers, herein referred to by their
Roman numerals:

Paper I Truex, D., Lakew, N., Alter, S., and Sarkar, S. 2011. "Extending a
Systems Analysis method for Business Professionals," European
Design Science Symposium: Springer, pp.15-26

Paper II Lakew, N. 2013c. "Sustaining It Usefulness–Re-Defining End Users’
Role as Contextual Designers, "European Design Science Symposium:
Springer, pp. 123-134

Paper III Lakew, N. 2013a. "The Residual Effect of Imbrication–How User’s
Past socio-Technical Entanglement Affects Is Adoption," 36th
Information Systems Research Seminar in Scandinavia–IRIS 2013

Paper IV Lakew, N. 2013b. "Sustaining It Investment Value-Using It Artifacts
as a Knowledge Generative Tools," European Conference on information
Management and Evaluation (ECIME 2013): Academic Conferences
International, pp. 222-228

Paper V Lakew, N., and Lindblad-Gidlund, K. 2013. "The Equipment Nature
of ‘the So-Called’ IT artifacts–Holistic Ontology Based Is Design
Principles," 2nd International Workshop in”IT Artefact Design & Work
practice Improvement” 2013

Paper VI Lakew, N., and Aryal, A. 2015. "Secondary Design–as a
Supplementary Knowledge Base for HCI Design," published in
Americas Conference on Information Systems (AMCIS) 2015 Proceedings

Paper VII Lakew, N., Lindblad-Gidlund, K. "Aligning IS design activities with
technology appropriation Holistic philosophical foundation for
design practices,"(under review: International journal technology
human interaction Journal. Workshop version is published as paper V)

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