Prospective Ergonomics

6Cross-Comparison of Cases

6.1. Introduction

The exchange of goods and services are becoming more intricate because of advanced technologies, complex user demands and stakeholder interactions. This requires design projects to be more context-driven with varied interests due to the (personal) ambitions and limitations of the different stakeholders. This phenomenon indicates that contextual issues and pluralistic objectives dictate the planning and implementation of the respective projects, emphasizing the importance of prospective ergonomic intervention in strategic or systems design projects. Positivist and constructivist worldviews have been adopted in these context-driven projects, supported by problem solving, hermeneutic, participative and reflective modes of design reasoning to anticipate future plural needs and objectives within the systemic quadrant. These plural needs and objectives within the context of business management and design comprise a balance among profit maximization, increased usability, work efficiency and effectiveness, human well-being, etc.

In the first stage of the analysis, cases will be cross-compared within each quadrant of the generic strategy framework [WHI 01]. Comparisons will be made according to the following criteria:

• – positioning (domain, specialization, intervention);
• – worldview;
• – design reasoning mode and method;
• – practice and stakeholder involvement;
• – value creation.

In the second analysis stage, cases will be compared across the ...