CHIFOO Meeting: Understanding, Fostering, and Supporting Cultures of Participation June 3, 2009

Presented by Gerhard Fischer, University of Colorado

A culture’s penchant for participation is not dictated by technology; rather it is the result of changes in human behavior and social organization including innovative design, adoption, appropriation, and adaptation of technologies. Gerhard will share his experiences designing and assessing socio-technical environments for cultures of participation. His approach is grounded in the basic assumption that innovative technological developments are necessary for participation cultures, but they are not sufficient. Socio-technical systems are needed because the deep and enduring changes of societies are not just technological, but social and cultural as well.

Throughout the evening, Gerhard will encourage the audience to explore two themes: meta-design (a framework aimed at defining social and technical infrastructures in which new forms of collaborative design can take place) and social creativity (focused on harnessing the complex problem-solving power of our interactions with other people and shared artifacts).

Learn more about Gerhard Fischer and his work at
http://www.chifoo.org/index.php/chifoo/events_detail/247/

Registration begins at 6:30 pm.
Program followed by questions from 7 - 9 pm.
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We will meet for CHIFOOd, our traditional no-host dinner and chat session, at La Merde at Bistro Montage -- 301 SE Morrison (directly under the Morrison bridge) between 5 and 6:30 pm.