Rodney J. Clarke School of Computing, Staffordshire University

Clarke, R. J (2002) Staffordshire: 1

Rodney J. ClarkeSchool of Computing, Staffordshire UniversityBeaconside, Stafford ST 18 0DG, United Kingdom +44 (0)1785 35 3334 office +44 (0)1785 35 3497

www.dsl.uow.edu.au/~rclarke/contact.htm

[email protected]

Intertextuality at Work:Large-Scale Structure of Information Systems

School of Computing Seminar Series: June 26th, 2002

Blue Theatre, Staffordshire University


Agenda

Introduction: Research Problems and Approach Case Study: ALABS at the Microcomputer

Laboratories Workpractice Theory: Systemic Semiotic

Workpractice Framework Methodological Issues Systems Use: Workpractice Texts in Context Workpractice Change:

Individual Elements Sequence Copying and Elaboration

Intertextuality and Systems


IntroductionResearch Problems and Approach


IntroductionResearch Problems and Approach (1)

although users of information systems do not have unmediated access to systems features, an elision exists in the literature between features and workpractices

in contrast, systems features are negotiated through the enactment of workpractices in workplaces



failure to recognise the differences between them means that diachronic studies of systems can only be described in terms of acontextual changes to technical features

if we want to study diachronic changes to information systems then this must be done by studying workpractices (pragmatics)



attempt to describe the relationships between organisations and systems development or utilisation of common

theory, methods, and notations without reducing one to the other

provision of a contextual and communicative framework

creation of synoptic and diachronic levels of description



including:development of a semiotic/contextual

framework for workpractices associated with information systems comprising both theory and methods

apply it to a case study of an information system that has been used for a lengthy period of time- greater than the average half-life of an operational information


Case StudyALABS at the Microcomputer Laboratories


Microcomputer Laboratories High Demand- TES Incident (1998)


Microcomputer Laboratories Virtual Reality- Physical Facility (1996)


ALABSAutomated Library And Borrowing System

commissioned in 1986- crucial to supporting MCL day-to-day operations

standalone system for the provision of disk-based software, manuals and hardware to students & staff

used barcode technologies as used in shopping centres and spoken language service encounter genres to realise service transaction

Novell Netware Servers ALABS


Workpractice TheorySystemic Semiotic Workpractice Framework



in use an information system consists of many system features negotiated through the enactment of workpractices

apply a composite of two semiotic theories to explain the structure and function of workpractices- referred to as systemic semiotics (Fawcett 1986)



systemic semiotic workpractice framework utilises: systemic functional linguistics- a semiotic

model of language, andsocial semiotics- a general semiotic theory

which has developed out of systemic functional linguistics

an exploratory study (Clarke 1996) revealed that both theories may at times be required



to develop a suitable systemic semiotic workpractice framework requires a detailed understanding of exactly what each of these theorists is claiming many of these terms are not exact

matches- use the concept of theoretical affinities

at certain times we must drop one theory in favour of the other- conditions of use



Social Semiotics (Bakhtin, Foucault, Althusser)

Systemic Functional Linguistics (Halliday, Martin, Hasan)

the model itself is a product of discourse

context of culture and situation

texts as product & process

tenor relations

discourse

social context

text emphasising process

social subjectivity

theoretical affinities


Workpractice TheoryBakhtin’s Dialogism (Clarke 1997)

using social semiotic theory (Bakhtin), workpractices are considered as having a dialogical relationship to system features

a monologic condition arises when users comply with the discourses negotiated in the workpractice

a dialogic condition arises when users resist and attempt to renegotiate the discourses associated with the workpractice


Workpractice TheorySocial Semiotic Theory

SOCIAL SUBJECT

TEXT

DISCOURSE/S

Texts are informed in and by discourses. Discourses produce a dominant Reading Position in texts.

Subjectivity is continually being formed and reformed under changing social, economic and historical circumstances

Genre and Conventions

Reading Position (single) position from which the text appears meaningful and coherent (obvious)

Social Context/s

Subject Positions (multiple) subject is familiar with the conventions and identifies with, or contests, the most obvious reading constructed in the text (ie. Reading Position)

Because social subjects are multiple; discourses are contested in social contexts- they can also be changed in social contexts

Discourses must address Social Subjects, referred to as interpellation

incorporated recent social semiotic theory (Foucault, Althusser and Kress) together with dialogism (Bakhtin) to form a descriptive model of workpractices

must be supplemented with compatible semiotic methods- systemic functional linguistics

operational definition of workpractices as one or more texts together with zero or more actions


Workpractice TheorySFL Semiotic Model of Language

used Systemic Functional Linguistic (SFL) theory to provide actual methods for conducting applied linguistic analysis of texts (Halliday 1985)

the Stratal Model of SFL (Martin 1992) is derived in subsequent slides- useful in identifying which strata, systems, and units to consider in a specific study


Workpractice TheorySFL Context and Text

solidary relationship- that is a relationship of unity- between texts and contexts

context predicts text, text construes context

note the similarity to Hjelmslev’s concepts a major influence for Martin’s reformulation of Halliday

Context

Text


Workpractice TheorySFL Bi-stratal Organisation of Context

two types of context recognised by the theory (after Malinowski) Situational Context which

provides secific situational ‘values’ to the text

Cultural Context which provides a pattern or template that is portable across different situations within a national or organisational culture

Language

Cultural Context

SituationalContext


Workpractice TheorySFL Contextual Strata

Situational Context is represented in SFL by Register consisting of field- social action

and activities, tenor- who is involved in the language, and mode- how language is used

Cultural Context is represented in SFL by Genre text staging involving sequence,

selection, and iteration

Language

Genre

Register


Workpractice TheorySFL Tri-stratal Organisation of Language

unlike most semiotic systems, the meanings in language (content) are not directly realised into sounds or letters (expression)

language is tristratal; the content (signified) involves meanings and wordings

Genre

Register

Meanings

Wordings

Expression


Workpractice Theory SFL Language Strata

meanings of a text are associated with the strata of Discourse Semantics…

…are in turn realised in wordings (words and grammar) are associated with the strata of Lexico-grammar

…are in turn given expression (sounds and letters) with the strata of Phonology/Graphology

Genre

Register

Discourse Semantics

Phonology Graphology

Lexico-grammar


Workpractice TheorySFL Metafunctions

while strata are responsible for major language units, metafunctions are responsible for the kinds of meanings simultaneously conveyed in texts: ideational metafunction-

concerned with action interpersonal metafunction-

concerned with reflection textual metafunction-

concerned with connection

Genre

Register

Discourse Semantics

field


Lexico-grammar

experiential

TransitivityMood Theme

textualinter- personal

tenor mode


Workpractice TheorySFL Ideational Metafunction

resolved in language as two distinct components- experiential meaning:

expression of processes and other phenomena in the social world including the speakers’ own consciousness

logical meanings: involves the mapping of experiential meanings into language

Genre

Register

Discourse Semantics

field


Lexico-grammar

experiential



tenor mode


Workpractice TheorySFL Interpersonal Metafunction

the metafunction of language by which: social groups are delimited and the individual is identified,

represented and reinforced

Genre

Register

Discourse Semantics

field


Lexico-grammar

experiential



tenor mode


Workpractice TheorySFL Textual Metafunction

refers to the way the text is organised as a piece of writing

Genre

Register

Discourse Semantics

field


Lexico-grammar

experiential



tenor mode


Workpractice TheoryAppropriate SFL Methods

stratal SFL model has useful properties, eg. for a given study appropriate linguistic methods can be determined in advance

for workpractices associated with IS, metthods must be selected that emphasise the relationship between a text and its context, rather than the language system

methods associated with the (organisational) of IS are used in the case


Methodological Issues


Methodological Issues Workpractices: Operational Definition

workpractices are defined in terms of:one or more texts which can be described

by text types (genres), or zero or more action types described using

qualitative sequences formed by direct observation or activity reconstruction

theoretical, methodological and notational similarities between genres and actions are described in Clarke (1999)


Methodological Issues Empty Corpus Problem

empty corpus problem (Andersen 1992)- what can you do when you have no language to analyse- exactly the conditions in this project

its partial resolution- is to ask stakeholder- elicit using a probe

transform a potential empty corpus situation into a non-text situation


Methodological Issues Work Situations

Text Situation (Spoken) Non-text Situation Text Situation (Written) Service Encounter Genre Action Sequence Instructional Procedure Genre


Methodological Issues Genre

changed traditional SFL theory of genre:removed obligatory/optional element distinction

and altered it from crisp to fuzzy formulation- still in

progress!

altered the classical notation to show:differences between successive versions of the

same workpracticesimilarities between distinct workpractices


Methodological Issues Work Situations & Genre

Text Situations

Non-Text Situations

Empty Corpus Situations

direct text 'language-in-work'

indirect text 'language-about-work'

non-text

+Activity Structured Factual Genre - Activity Structured Factual Genre Narrative Genre

Service Encounter +Activity Structured Factual Genre - Activity Structured Factual Genre

Activity Sequence

Qualitative Activity Sequence

A G1

A''

G2B

direct observation


activity reconstruction


G'

G''

+ probe

+ probe

- probe

C

Genre Diagram merge

ablate


Methodological IssuesRegister (1)

field- whats going onLexical and Indexical Lexical ItemsSystem Networks

tenor- who is doing itPower (Equal/Unequal)Affective Involvement (High/Low)Contact (Frequent/Occasional)


Methodological Issues Register (2)

mode- the role of languagespatial/interpersonal distance (casual

conversation/novel)experiential distance language as

action- accompanying the social process / language as relection- constituting the social process


Methodological Issues Work Situations & Register

Text Situations

Non-Text Situations

Empty Corpus Situations

direct text 'language-in-work'

indirect text 'language-about-work'

non-text

Field Lexical & Indexical Lexical Items Field Taxonomies

A

A''

B

direct observation observed social actions & activities observed role relationships

R'

R''

+ probe

+ probe

- probe

C

activity reconstruction inferred social actions & activities inferred role relationships

System Network

Tenor Power Affective Involvement Contact

Mode Spatial/Interpersonal Distance Experiential Distance

R


System Use: Workpractice Texts in Context


ALABS Student Loan


FGg SRq ISq FqMOq

REq Eq

SRq

(a)

(b)

Gq SRq VIq MOqF

Fq

Negotiated SeparationStudent Loan Version 1 (a) into new form (b)


Workpractice Change: Individual Elements


Workpractice ChangeCutting, Pasting, Elaboration (1)

ALABS provides evidence for the purposeful manipulation of individual genres associated with workpractices

three basic operators were operationally identified: cutting: the removal of genre elementspasting: the addition of genre elementselaboration: both of the above



the evidence for purposeful manipulation of genres:changes are minimal and ‘optimal’some genres appear to change togetherwith respect to information systems

genre re-use is preferred to genre reinvention- it may also be a general mechanism for genre change



implications for end-user programming practices: was the programmer so intimately

familiar with the code that they knew exactly which lines to add/remove

or was the programmer so intimately familiar with the workpractice that they knew which code implemented which genre element


FGq SRq ISq FqMOq

REq Eq

SRq

(a)

(b)

FG SR IS FMO

RE E

SR

LO

Element PastingStudent Loan (a) Version 2, (b) Version 3


Workpractice Change: Sequence Copying and Elaboration


FGq RAq IFq FqMOq

FGq SRq ISq FqMOq

REq Eq

SRq

RAq

(a)

(b)

Sequence Copying(a) Student Loan Version 1 (b) Append


Sequence Elaboration(a) Student Append (b) Student Renewal

FGq RAq IFq MOq

RAq

(a)

(b)

Fq

FFqGq RLq IFq

Chronemic


Sequence Elaboration(a) Student Loan Version 2/3 (b) Move

(a)

(b)

FG SR IS FMO

RE E

SR

LO

FGq RMq IFq FqSLq

Chronemic


Intertextuality and Systems


Structural Complements: Co-variation of System Features over Time

structural complements evidence for the large scale structure of workpractices associated with ISelements in distinct but related

workpractices that appear to enter into a kind of systematic co-variation- addition, persistence, and removal

for example LO in Student Loan and LI in Student Return


Genre Assemblages (1)

workpractices never exist by themselves- and so the texts associated with these workpractices never exist in isolationConditions of Use form is associated with the

Regulations & Enrolment (RE) element in Student Loan genre.

genre assemblage diagrams show how texts associated with workpractices relate to each other


Genre Assemblage (2)

Conditions of Use

G SR IS

EALABS Student Loan RE

SR

MO F



the Conditions of Use Regulatory Genre which dictates the rules and regulations involvedsolid line joining this genre to the service

encounters is referred to as a genre association and is actually an intertextual relationship

the association never obvious until a problem specified in the Conditions of Use form occurs



in addition, the relevant people, agents, interactants or social subjects addressed by the genres can also be indicated on the genre assemblage diagram

these social subjects are signaled by identifying tenor relations- use square boxes with the tenor role included



become a significant organising principle for information systems

multiple genres linked by common sets of social subjects

organised using interterxtual relations of various kinds (the selection of which is bothe discursive or ’ideological’ as well as historical)



the kinds of assemblage shown are also referred to as ’direct’ because all genres relevant to it are shown

another form of genre assemblage can be formed, referred to as dependent assemblages, which seem to require other genres in other assemblages

seem to be related to management work


Student Loan

Condition of Loan

Student Return

Labstaff

Student

do dCD

give Reps

Daily Proc's

OpsSuper

Mgmt C'mte

Notice/ Agenda

ReportsJob Duty

Microcomputer Laboratories Management Committee Meeting

Service Desk

Ws13sp.wk1

Faculty Usage Report

(a)

(b)


Genre Assemblages (7)Reproduction of Social Subjects

political problems ensued for the MicroLabs as they tried to get academic staff to return items promptlyacademics often needed to have an item

for an entire sessionin response the ALABS system was

altered by adding a completely new type of social subject Long (term) Staff member


Staff Loan

Yearly Form

Staff Return

Labstaff

Long Loan

Long Return

Overdue Staff

Overdue List

Long List

Staff List

a'

af

b

i, j, k, l, m, n, o

g

ce d

h

[Normal] Staff

Long Staff

Long Loan

Long Return



(a)

Loans & Returns (Non-Students)

Staff

Tutors

Long Term

(b)

[Normal] Staff



Use

TutorTutor

Labstaff

1 Class Loan 2 Lab Loan

Student

Class Set Class Loanof Disks Form

Service Desk

Teaching Laboratory

Class Loan Class SetForm of Disks

Tutor

3 Lab Return

StudentTutor

Labstaff

4 Class Return

Service Desk

Teaching Laboratory

ALABS Tutor Loan


Class Loan

Tutor Form

Class Return

Labstaff

Tutor

e

f, g, h

Class Form

d

b a,c

Student

Lab Loan

Lab Return

Class Form

Service Desk

Teaching Laboratory

Tutor ReturnClass Loan

Tutor ReturnClass Return

Tutor Return

Lab Return

Tutor Return

Lab Loan


IntertextualityDefinitions

Systemic Functional Linguistics: intertextuality is the direct reference one text can make to another

Social Semiotic (Bakhtin): the ways texts embody meanings that have already been made, in one form or another in other texts- conventional, requiring familiarity not intuition- users understand specific workpractices (texts) because they have prior experience of them


IntertextualityType of Reference <> Persistence

No correlation between the persistence of workpractices and the type of intertextual references used For example, Class Loans & Returns did not

have any direct or elliptical intertextual relations

yet it was one of the most complicated assemblages and also one of the most persistent


IntertextualityType of Reference & Order of Development

is a relationship between the type of intertextual references and workpractice development initial workpractices employed direct intertextual

references in their associations once established, additional related workpractices

utilised elliptical intertextual relations dialogic intertextual references were used to associate

additional workpractices assemblages which did not undergo changes to

workpractices did not employ dialogic intertextual references


IntertextualityStudent Loan/Return Assemblage

Student Renewal

Student Loan

Condition of Loan

Student Return

Student

Student Append

Labstaff

Student List

Student Move

Student Booking

Offense Listh, i g

f

l

a, j, kbcde

m, n, o, p, q, r, s, t, u, v

Student Renewal

Student Append

Direct

Elliptical

Elliptical


Intertextual RelationsAssemblage Direct Elliptical Dialogic

Student LoanStudent Return

Student AppendStudent Renewal

Student MoveStudent BookingA: Student Loans/Returns

Conditions of LoanStaff LoanStaff Return

Long LoanLong ReturnB: Staff Loans/Returns

Yearly Form

C: Tutor Loans/ReturnsTutor LoanTutor ReturnTutor Form

D: Class Loans/ReturnsClass LoansClass ReturnsClass Form†

Lab LoanLab ReturnClass Form†

E: Report Genres‡Notice/AgendaJob DutyReports

† shared material counted twice (once per material setting)‡ dependent Assemblage

IntertexualityTypes and Occurence


Conclusions (1)

fundamental research into the relationship between distinct workpractices

likely to relevant to a broad range of concerns within the IS discipline Organisational impact of IS/IT Systems Analysis Systems Development/Prototyping Systems Maintenance/Change Management


Conclusions (2)

Workpractices don’t exist in isolation: Assemblages and Associations

Users don’t create Systems!: Systems reproduce Users

Knowing how to behave: Social Subjectivity in Organisations

Workpractices Conserve Social Relations of Power


Conclusions (3)

Mutual coexistence of WorkpracticesIntertextuality and workpractices:

How users negotiate IS in Social Contexts

Social Subjects involved in more than one Assemblage can act as vectors for system change


ReferencesBelsey, C. (1980) Critical Practice New Accents, London: Methuen

Clarke, R. J. (1996) “The Persistence of Systems in Organisations: Genre Analysis of Systems Decommissioning” in Holmqvist, B.; Andersen, P. B.; Klein, H. and R. Posner eds/ (1996) Signs of Work: Semiosis and Information Processing in Organisations Berlin: Walter de Gruyter, 59-106

Clarke, R. J. (1997b) “Eliciting current and proposed systems workpractices using genre: results of a pilot study” ASFLA 1997: Australian Systemic Functional Linguistics Association Conference, University of Wollongong, October 3-5, 1997, p.20

Clarke, R. J. (1997a) “Organisational Semiosis: Rethinking Integrationist and Separationist Views of Information Systems” in Sankey, M. R.; Gimate-Welsh, A. and P. Pellegrino eds/ (1997) La semiótica. Intersección entre la naturaleza y la cultura (Semiotics Bridging Nature and Culture): 6th International Congress on Semiotics Guadalaharo, Mexico, July 13-18, 1997, International Association for Semiotic Studies, Association Internationale de Sémiotique, and the Asociación Internacional de Estudios Semióticos pp.102


Clarke, R. J. (1998) “Systemic Semiotic Development Using SFX: Prototyping Genre-Based Representations of IS Workpractices” ISIC/CIRA/ISAS’98: IEEE International Symposium on Intelligent Control (ISIC), held jointly with the International Symposium on Computational Intelligence in Robotics and Automation (CIRA) and Intelligent Systems and Semiotics (ISAS), National Institute of Standards and Technology. Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA, September 14-17, 1998, 846-851

Clarke, R. J. (1999) “Systemic Semiotic relations between Workpractice Actions and Texts” Sign Processes in Complex Systems: 7th International Congress of the IASS-AIS: International Association for Semiotic Studies/ Association Internationale de Sémiotique Dresden, University of Technology, October 6-11, 1999 forthcoming

Clarke, R. J. (2000) “An Information System in its Organisational Contexts: A Systemic Semiotic Longitudinal Case Study” Unpublished PhD Dissertation, University of Wollongong

Freadman, A. and A. Macdonald (1992) What is this thing called “Genre”? Four Essays in the Semiotics of Genre Mount Nebo, Queensland, Australia: Boombana Publications

Halliday, M. A. K. (1978) Language as social semiotic: The social interpretation of language and meaning Melbourne: Edward Arnold


Kling, R. and W. Scacchi (1982) “The Web of Computing: Computer Technology as Social Organisation” Advances in Computers 21, New York: Academic Press

Scacchi, W. (1987) "Models of Software Evolution: Life Cycle and Process" Carnegie Mellon University: Software Engineering Institute SEI Curriculum Module SEI-CM-10-1.0, October

Schirato, T. and S. Yell (1996) Communication and Cultural Literacy: An Introduction Australian Cultural Studies Series, St Leonards, Australia: Allen & Unwin

Rodney J. Clarke School of Computing, Staffordshire University

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