Rethinking Software Development for Collaboration Technologies

Digital data can be used to optimize manufacturing and create new business models. Becoming a digitally operating business not only requires introducing software but also making extensive process changes. This paper presents a design approach to participatory technology development that is human-centered in terms of changes required of users, their collaboration partners and organizational challenges confronting a company. The method was developed in a research project that implemented a complex cognitive assistance system in different manufacturing companies.