1. Key ideas of SI
1.1. Social context matters
1.1.1. example
1.1.1.1. intranet studies
1.1.2. varied, conflicting consequences in different settings
1.1.3. social context = specific matrix of social relationships
1.2. Socio-technical systems
1.2.1. examples
1.2.1.1. work processes matters with documentary systems
1.2.1.2. electronic journals
1.2.1.2.1. you have to look at interplay of social assumptions and practices that are reflected in technical design features
1.2.2. a complex, interdependent system
1.2.2.1. people
1.2.2.2. hardware
1.2.2.3. software
1.2.2.4. techniques
1.2.2.5. support resources
1.2.2.6. information structures
1.2.2.6.1. content
1.2.2.6.2. content providers
1.2.2.6.3. norms, rules, regulations
1.2.3. systems designers need a discovery process to understand needs and users
1.2.3.1. workplace ethnography
1.2.3.2. focus groups
1.2.3.3. user participation in design teams
1.2.3.4. participatory design strategies
1.2.4. social access vs technologial access
1.2.4.1. examples
1.2.4.1.1. the web and digital divide
1.2.5. system infrastructure as socio-technical system
1.3. Contextual inquiry
2. SI as a term
2.1. coined during a workshop of researchers
2.2. brings together collection of research interests found in different disciplines
3. SI reseach
3.1. analytical
3.1.1. develop theories
3.2. critical
3.2.1. don't take for granted goals of beliefs of people who designed a system being studied
3.3. normative
4. Productivity paradox
4.1. more computerization did not lead to greater efficiency and productivity
4.2. the problem stumped economists
4.3. tech pundits ignored problem
4.4. social explanations for the problem
4.4.1. organizations that develop systems that lead to implementation failures
4.4.2. systems that don't effectively facilitate people's work
4.4.3. underestimations of how much skilled work is required to extract value from computerized systems
4.5. technology alone...is not sufficient to create social or economic value
5. Defintions
5.1. identifies a body of research that examines the social aspects of communication
5.2. interdisciplinary study of the design, uses, and consequences of information technologies that takes into account their interaction with institutional and cultural contexts
5.3. Is not punditry
5.3.1. Doesn't base arguments based on anecdotes or personal experience.
5.3.2. Examples: George Gilder, Esther Dyson
5.4. Term invented to help unify the work of researchers working in different fields
5.4.1. computer science
5.4.2. information systems
5.4.3. information science
5.4.4. social sciences
6. Early SI research
6.1. Tended to techno-determinism
6.1.1. this caused that