Vocational Technicians' Emic Vision for an Automated Future

Why It Matters

This research underscores the importance of involving end-users, especially vulnerable populations, in the design and implementation of new technologies. Ignoring their perspectives can lead to exclusion and exacerbate existing inequalities.

Key Finding

Vocational technicians, initially unaware of automation's scope, expressed a desire for a future of work that respects their values and felt marginalized by existing digital tools.

Key Findings

• Vocational technicians were largely unaware of the extent of automation's growth.
• Upon learning about automation, participants developed a vision for the future of work that reflected their own value systems.
• Participants felt excluded by current technological platforms for skill development and job searching.

Research Evidence

Aim: To understand the perceptions and practices of vocational technicians regarding the increasing automation in their field and to explore opportunities for inclusive technological futures.

Method: Participatory Action Research

Procedure: Researchers engaged with vocational technician students to discuss automation and its potential impact on their work, gathering their perspectives and visions for the future.

Sample Size: 38 participants

Context: Vocational education and training, specifically for technicians in Bangalore, India.

Design Principle

Inclusive co-design with vulnerable user groups is essential for equitable technological advancement.

How to Apply

When designing training programs or job platforms for technical roles, conduct workshops and focus groups with the target vocational workers to understand their concerns and aspirations regarding automation.

Limitations

The study was conducted in a specific geographical and socio-economic context, which may limit generalizability to other regions or industries.

Student Guide (IB Design Technology)

Simple Explanation: Even people doing manual jobs can have great ideas about how technology should be used in the future, but they need to be asked and included.

Why This Matters: This shows that understanding the people who will use your design is crucial, especially when new technologies like AI are changing jobs. You need to make sure your designs help everyone, not just a few.

Critical Thinking: How can designers proactively identify and engage with 'vulnerable' user groups to ensure their needs are met in the face of technological change, rather than reacting after exclusion has occurred?

IA-Ready Paragraph: This research highlights that vocational technicians, a group often vulnerable to automation, possess valuable insights into their future of work. Their active participation in envisioning automated futures revealed a desire for technologies that align with their values and a sense of exclusion from current digital platforms. This underscores the critical need for inclusive design practices that actively involve such user groups to ensure technological advancements benefit all segments of the workforce.

Project Tips

• When researching a new product, don't just assume what users want; ask them directly, especially if they are from a group that might be overlooked.
• Consider how your design might affect people who don't have a lot of experience with technology.

How to Use in IA

• Use this research to justify the need for user research with specific, potentially vulnerable, user groups in your design project.
• Reference the findings to support the importance of co-design and user involvement in technology development.

Examiner Tips

• Demonstrate an understanding of how automation might impact different worker groups and how user-centred design can mitigate negative effects.
• Show how you have considered the perspectives of potentially marginalized users in your design process.

Independent Variable: Information about automation and its impact.

Dependent Variable: Vocational technicians' perceptions, practices, and visions for the future of work.

Controlled Variables: Socio-economic status, vocational field (technician students).

Strengths

• Employs participatory action research, giving voice to the target group.
• Addresses a critical and timely issue of automation's impact on employment.

Critical Questions

• To what extent can the findings from this specific group of vocational technicians in Bangalore be generalized to other vocational workers globally?
• What are the practical challenges and ethical considerations in implementing co-designed technological solutions for vulnerable populations?

Extended Essay Application

• Investigate the impact of emerging technologies on a specific vocational trade and propose a user-centred design solution that addresses potential job displacement or skill gaps.
• Conduct a comparative study of how different vocational groups perceive and adapt to automation, using participatory methods.

Source

Towards an AI-powered Future that Works for Vocational Workers · 2020 · 10.1145/3313831.3376674