SESSION 21Theorizing Peer Production

(1) Virtue, Value, and the Ethics of Design

(2) Social Translucence and Transparency

Articulation Work vs. Articulations of Work

“Barnstars are observations of the activities of others, but they do not explicate how tasks are divided, scoped, and recomposed. On the other hand, barnstars – as a practice – are articulations of the work of recognizing the contributions of others.” (Kriplean et al. 2008, p. 49)

Articulation Work vs. Articulations of Work

Articulation work is:

"the specifics of putting together tasks, task sequences, task

clusters -- even aligning larger units such as lines of work

and subprojects -- in the service of work flow” (Strauss,

1988)

“articulation is the work of pulling together everything that is

needed to carry out production tasks: planning, organizing,

monitoring, evaluating, adjusting, coordinating, and

integrating activities” (Fujimura, 1987)

Why the confusion?

Making articulation work visible is a longstanding concern to CSCW researchers, particularly those who focus on invisible work and workers (Suchman, Star).

Articulation work, in order to coordinate and synthesize more traditional kinds of work, often involves explicitly talking about work practices.

THEORIZING PEER PRODUCTIONmodels and values of production

Models vs. Values

Models of peer production describe how and in what ways people work and coordinate with each other.

Values of peer production refer to the ethical, ideological, or political aspects of how and why people work and coordinate with each other

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Models vs. Values

Models of peer production describe how and in what ways people work and coordinate with each other.

Values of peer production refer to the ethical, ideological, or political aspects of how and why people work and coordinate with each other

These two concepts are often quite related!

Light and Heavyweight Models

Light and Heavyweight Models

Light and Heavyweight Models

Light and Heavyweight Models

How are other online platforms differently designed for different models of participation?

Light and Heavyweight Models

How are other online platforms differently designed for different models of participation?

What different designs would you choose based on your experience of how collaboration takes place in each system?

VALUES?in my design?

it’s more likely than you think.

Values in online platforms

Why are the platforms that support slashdot and Wikipedia built the way they are?

What values towards anonymity, participation, and regulation are these systems built upon?

Are these systems only possible when a community has shared values?

Designing for virtue

How are Wikipedia and Slashdot differently designed based on different values and ideals of participation, community, and collaboration?

Is this the same as designing for lightweight or heavyweight models?

Values in online platforms

How are other online platforms differently designed for different values?

What different designs would you choose?

Designing for virtue

Two arguments about peer production and virtue in Benkler and Nissenbaum (2006):

1. Wikipedia, Linux, slashdot, etc., are public goods and their existence makes the world a better place

2. But is there something about peer production itself that is good or virtuous, independent of what is produced?

Designing for virtue

Does peer production as a system support?

•Autonomy, Independence, Liberation

•Creativity, Productivity, Industry

•Benevolence, Charity, Generosity, Altruism

•Sociability, Camaraderie, Friendship, Cooperation, Civic Virtue

Social Transparency and Translucence

 Concept from Thomas Erickson and Wendy Kellogg, based on building systems that:

• make socially significant information visible and salient;

• support awareness of the rules and constraints governing the system

• support accountability for actions.

Social Transparency and Translucence

Is there a problem of making work practices and workers too visible?

Social Transparency and Translucence

Is there a problem of making work practices and workers too visible?

•Information overload

•Privacy concerns

•More autonomy when invisible (Bowker and Star)

•Good organizational reasons for ‘bad’ organizational records? (Garfinkel, 1967)