Socio-digital Sovereignty in the Workplace: Supporting the Introduction of Technical Systems

What can be done to ensure that the introduction and operation of digital technologies, e.g. based on artificial intelligence (AI), remains manageable in the company and that the capabilities of people and companies are not restricted but expanded?

What is the method used for and for whom is it suitable?

What can be done to ensure that the introduction and operation of digital technologies, for example based on artificial intelligence (AI), remains manageable in the company and that the capabilities of people and companies are not restricted but expanded? To achieve this, the technical solutions, the organizational forms and processes within the company and the skills of the individual employees must all fit together. The Institute for Innovation and Technology (iit) has developed an approach that helps companies to obtain the right support for this step by step with guiding questions and expert advice.

This offer is suitable for companies in the planning and implementation process of complex technical systems.

How exactly does the method work?

A systematic analysis of the improvement potential of IT systems, but also of organizational structures, enables and helps to identify training needs for personnel and other areas where action is required. The aim is to build on this to achieve greater explainability and controllability as well as more scope for action for employees and organizations and to contribute to the successful implementation of digital technologies.

What is the framework and theoretical background for the method?

The background to the method is the concept of (socio)digital sovereignty. This is based on a socio-technical system view combined with approaches from work psychology theories of action regulation. The areas of human-technology-organization (MTO) are equally included in the analysis and design at workplace and company level in order to create more transparency, controllability and scope for action for employees and the company as a whole.

Reference

This method was successfully tested during the introduction of testing and calculation software at VDE Prüf- und Zertifizierungsinstitut GmbH.

Contact

Dr. Ulrike Schmuntzsch, Dr. Anne Busch, Dr. Ernst A. Hartmann