Designing disclosure

This research project's main aim was a pragmatic investigation into the process of social techno logy design. Specifically, it was focused on the design of social utilities, which are technologies that enable new spheres of virtual social interaction. This aim was achieve d through the investigation and transcription of the experiences of engaging in the design of a new social technology. The proposed technological system was aimed at addressing computer literacy within the Western Cape, through the design of a virtual learning utility. This project was embedded within an already established learning programme (Western Cape Government's Cape Access Project), which had several limitations regarding g scalability, usability and accessibility. The main research aim therefore was the exploration of these areas of concern through the lens of ontological design. These research goals were achieved through a qualitative approach. The main approach undertaken was a phenomenological one, which was used to grasp the essential experiences present in the situation of context and to understand the experiences of the design process within that context. This phenomenological approach was taken from a researchers point of view while and ethnographical analysis was used in conjunction with phenomenology, to elicit the shared phenomena of the intervention. Design science and design thinking was used to integrate and combine both the phenomenological and ethnographic analysis into a coherent transcription of this design process.

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Graduate School of Business

Year dc:date.issued

2016

Author dc:creator

• Sangham, Irani

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Griffin-EL, Nosakhere

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/11427/20943

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/20943