Product development as reading and writing doings within sociotechnical practices: the reciprocity between engineers and artefacts

Abstract

This ethnographic study aims at understanding how product development of wind turbine controls unfolds as ongoing engineer-artefact reciprocity. We adopt a Deweyan constructionist and Science-Technology-Society approach to contribute to product development and sociomaterial studies by emphasising the role of reciprocity between engineers' experience and artefacts through reading and writing doings. Reading doings involve texts such as specifications, minutes, sketches and components. Writing doings create/modify the same type of texts. In one project, convergent reciprocity enabled the development. Another project's development was blocked, restarted and completed internally at the producer. Enablers included repositioning of working practices, application of various artefacts/tools, heterogeneous engineers and creation of common ground. Constraints involved lack of openness, too malleable artefacts, no common ground and radical change of the development trajectory. The engineers' learning depends on these constraints and enablers. Three types of reciprocity occur: convergent, faded away and blocked.

Keywords:

• product development
• reciprocity
• reading and writing doings
• Dewey

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes on contributors

John Bang Mathiasen is Associate Professor, Ph.D., in management of technology and business development at Aarhus University. His research is learning processes within sociotechnical practice in which the focal point is the interaction between product development and operations management. Before embarking on his academic career, John Bang Mathiasen was senior manager and consultant for more than 10 years.

Christian Koch is Professor, Ph.D., in process management and innovation. His research adopts a multidisciplinary approach combining interpretive sociology, operations management and strategy and sociology and management of technology. Sectors studies include construction, manufacturing, IT and professional services.