Filling the Holes with Workarounds: Watching Maps Work in the Terrain

Abstract

The actual, situated use of a computer system differs from the use planned by the developers in a range of ways. This masters thesis explores some of the ways in which situated use takes place. Using grounded theory methodology, a series of interviews conducted at a large Norwegian government organization is analyzed, and then complemented with quantitative data from an opinion poll. The thesis identifies several ways of using the system, building on and extending Gasser’s (1986) notion of workarounds and Lévi-Strauss’ bricolage. The thesis further develops a set of characteristics for these constructs, and argues that this presents a useful vocabulary in discussing how situated use of a formal system actually takes place. The thesis concludes that situated use necessarily has to differ from the planned use of a system, and that this is a generative benefit that developers can learn from and facilitate by improving the system to better support situated use.