François Daniellou

Activity analysis in participatory design and analysis of participatory design activity

Abstract Most ergonomic publications from French-speaking countries refer to Activity Analysis as the core of their rationale and their methodological approach (De Keyser, 1991; Wisner, 1989). On the other hand, the same ergonomists are increasingly involved in the participatory approaches to industrial design processes. The aim of this paper is to discuss some questions, or even some paradoxes, raised by this development: (1) To what extent can any reference to Activity Analysis be useful when design is concerned, since activity in future situations cannot be observed? (2) Is ergonomic Activity Analysis necessary when a participatory approach is involved, assuming the fact that the workers involved know everything about their own work? (3) Is there no contradiction between Activity Analysis as a bottom-up approach, and systemic design, which is more a top-down process (Hendrick, 1993)? This contribution is based on two long-term participatory interventions in the design of complete plants that are fully presented and discussed elsewhere (Daniellou and Garrigou, 1990; Daniellou et al., 1990). Section 1 discusses the role of Activity Analysis in a participatory design process. Section 2 presents the results of an a posteriori analysis of the participatory process in one of the two interventions.

Work debate spaces: A tool for developing a participatory safety management.

In recent years, various studies have shown the importance of instituting work debate space within companies in order to address constraints within the organization. However, few of these studies demonstrate the implementation methods of discussion spaces and their contributions. Based on the action research developed in an electric company, this article demonstrates how work debate space (WDS) contribute to the development of an integrated safety culture. After describing the establishment methods and function of WDS within a technical group, we will present the main benefits of these spaces for the organization and its employees, and then discuss the minimal conditions for their implementation.

From prescribed to real rotations: a means of collective protection for the health of workers in a soft drink factory.

This article describes a particular way developed by employees to respond to the constraints of a very restrictive manufacturing plant: the mutual cooperation. Facing a very strict organizational context, the production workers can only rely on themselves to cope with the constraints of work. In this context, a complex system of strategies is deployed, resulting in a work environment governed by the sense of collaboration and mutual cooperation. The objectives of the implemented strategies, however, go beyond the attempts to reduce the work overload. They may be linked to a way of maintaining high levels of productivity and a way for workers to keep their jobs. We hope to contribute, through this study, to the general knowledge of the strategies developed by workers in production lines in order to minimize the pains.

Ergonomic Contribution to Architectural Programming in Healthcare

Ergonomic methodologies are developed to gain upstream influence on the architectural design projects of healthcare systems. Two steps are described: 1) reaction to existing drawings, by means of simulations of future possible activity; 2) ergonomic contribution to the architectural programming.