The sociotechnical walkthrough – a methodological approach for platform studies
The increasing use of platforms and the availability of data are driving the media and communication transformation in society. Platformization, namely “the penetration of infrastructures, economic processes, and governmental frameworks of platforms in different economic sectors and spheres of life”...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | deu |
| Published: |
Seismo Verlag
2022-06-01
|
| Series: | Studies in Communication Sciences |
| Subjects: |
| _version_ | 1818241440926400512 |
|---|---|
| author | Jasmin Troeger Annekatrin Bock |
| author_facet | Jasmin Troeger Annekatrin Bock |
| author_sort | Jasmin Troeger |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The increasing use of platforms and the availability of data are driving the media and communication transformation in society. Platformization, namely “the penetration of infrastructures, economic processes, and governmental frameworks of platforms in different economic sectors and spheres of life” (Poell, Nieborg, & van Dijck, 2019, p. 5), poses enormous challenges for communication research which deals with data flows, data usage, and the media practices intertwined with platform use. Against the background of the change in digital communication brought about by datafication and platformization, we turn to previous research on platforms and studies applying walkthroughs. We discuss the application of the walkthrough approach at the intersection of science and technology studies (STS) and social semiotic technology research (SST), raising methodological questions for the future study of adaptive learning platforms for illustration. We illustrate the sociotechnical walkthrough as a methodological approach, using our analysis of an adaptive learning platform (Area9) and the associated usage practices. Our analysis features the application of different research personae in order to grasp algorithmic personalization. We conclude with a critical reflection on how the sociotechnical walkthrough approach could fit into a toolkit of traditional and digital methods for future interdisciplinary communications research. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T13:29:23Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-36f5c837124d40d691632b4d59b78ec4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-4896 2296-4150 |
| language | deu |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T13:29:23Z |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | Seismo Verlag |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Studies in Communication Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-36f5c837124d40d691632b4d59b78ec42022-12-22T00:23:06ZdeuSeismo VerlagStudies in Communication Sciences1424-48962296-41502022-06-012214352https://doi.org/10.24434/j.scoms.2022.01.3064The sociotechnical walkthrough – a methodological approach for platform studiesJasmin Troeger0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2112-4796Annekatrin Bock1Leibniz Institute for Educational Media | Georg Eckert InstituteLeibniz Institute for Educational Media | Georg Eckert InstituteThe increasing use of platforms and the availability of data are driving the media and communication transformation in society. Platformization, namely “the penetration of infrastructures, economic processes, and governmental frameworks of platforms in different economic sectors and spheres of life” (Poell, Nieborg, & van Dijck, 2019, p. 5), poses enormous challenges for communication research which deals with data flows, data usage, and the media practices intertwined with platform use. Against the background of the change in digital communication brought about by datafication and platformization, we turn to previous research on platforms and studies applying walkthroughs. We discuss the application of the walkthrough approach at the intersection of science and technology studies (STS) and social semiotic technology research (SST), raising methodological questions for the future study of adaptive learning platforms for illustration. We illustrate the sociotechnical walkthrough as a methodological approach, using our analysis of an adaptive learning platform (Area9) and the associated usage practices. Our analysis features the application of different research personae in order to grasp algorithmic personalization. We conclude with a critical reflection on how the sociotechnical walkthrough approach could fit into a toolkit of traditional and digital methods for future interdisciplinary communications research.dataficationplatformizationwalkthrough approachscience and technology studiessemiotic technology researchfocused ethnographyqualitative online research |
| spellingShingle | Jasmin Troeger Annekatrin Bock The sociotechnical walkthrough – a methodological approach for platform studies Studies in Communication Sciences datafication platformization walkthrough approach science and technology studies semiotic technology research focused ethnography qualitative online research |
| title | The sociotechnical walkthrough – a methodological approach for platform studies |
| title_full | The sociotechnical walkthrough – a methodological approach for platform studies |
| title_fullStr | The sociotechnical walkthrough – a methodological approach for platform studies |
| title_full_unstemmed | The sociotechnical walkthrough – a methodological approach for platform studies |
| title_short | The sociotechnical walkthrough – a methodological approach for platform studies |
| title_sort | sociotechnical walkthrough a methodological approach for platform studies |
| topic | datafication platformization walkthrough approach science and technology studies semiotic technology research focused ethnography qualitative online research |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jasmintroeger thesociotechnicalwalkthroughamethodologicalapproachforplatformstudies AT annekatrinbock thesociotechnicalwalkthroughamethodologicalapproachforplatformstudies AT jasmintroeger sociotechnicalwalkthroughamethodologicalapproachforplatformstudies AT annekatrinbock sociotechnicalwalkthroughamethodologicalapproachforplatformstudies |