COST269 WORKING GROUP

Capabilities
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News

News 'The Kitchengate Project' Demonstration and presentation by Lajla Rita Klamer (Tele Denmark) Copenhagen (Denmark), 1 February 2001

'Domestication of ICTs - Current practices & Future uses' Presentation by Yves Punie (SMIT-TNO Free University of Brussels): Copenhagen (Denmark), 2 February 2001

Definition & Scope

The aspect of 'competencies', 'skills' or 'capabilities' of the (non) user can be seen as the common ground in the research of the workgroup members with regard to the appropriation of ICT. We prefer to use the term 'capability' because it encapsulates our key focus more adequately.

This concept is in line with the distinction made between the axial principles 'design' and 'capabilities', as described in: Mansell, Robin (1996) "Communication by design?" in: Robin Mansell & Roger Silverstone (Eds.) "Communication by design - The politics of information and communication technologies." New York: OUP, 15-43.

'The first [design] is used to draw attention tot the importance of human agency and its complexity. The second [capabilities] is used to focus on the dynamics of the communication process and the formation of human capabilities through the processes of technical and institutional change.' (p. 21)

With regards the capabilities principle Mansell stresses that:

'[It] draws attention to the centrality of human capabilities in the development and use of technical systems and the fact that such capabilities cannot be taken for granted in an inquiry into the social and economic implications of information and communication technologies.' (p. 27)

So the workgroup concentrates on users' capabilities to adopt and use ICT in the home and at work. The full title of our workgroup is therefore 'ICT capabilities - from adoption to use'. The scope will be defined more in detail based on the research input from the workgroup members.