• Katrine Østergaard Knudsen
This study contributes to the knowledge on farmers digital use and know how on digital instruments. The assignment will contribute to an improvement of farmers work process. Hereby improving the decision-making process with help by digital tools. In this thesis the digital tools are characterized on the Decision Support Tools (DST) that supports the farmers individual business. This is achieved through effective information access or registration of data, all of which will help improve the farmer’s decision-making process. For this purpose, it is desired to explore the farmer’s use of digital tools in order to create knowledge about how the farmer is supported best possible. Based on the area of research Human Computer Interaction is used focusing on the interaction between the individual and the technology on the basis of qualitative case study, which is delimited to address the two target areas. The first being agricultural assistants and the second being the experienced operator’s use of digital tools. In order to explore what characterizes the farmers digital use the thesis is based on 11 individual interviews. The theoretical framework is based on Engeström’s interpretation of an activity system as well as Kaptelinin & Nardi’s layout of the activity structure both of which provide a useful framework for characterizing and defining the use of digital tools. Findings The results of this analysis provide insight in what characterizes the farmer’s use of digital tools. It is illustrated through the analysis that the motive for agricultural workers needs to be defined as the following: ”Minimizing time spent and simplification of workflow”. The experienced operators motive can be defined as: “A more effective work process and complied with legal requirements”. This helps to explain why the farmers make use of digital tools in their work process. The analysis also illustrates how the digital work practices take place. In this part of the analysis there were a number of external elements showing to influence the farmers work process with the use of digital tools. Among other things it is mentionable that farmers differentiated views on digital collaboration, potentially influenced the use of digital tools. In addition to the above it turned out that it was important for the digital work practices who had access to use the digital tools as well as which legislative rules – formal and informal - that affected the agricultural workers and the experienced operators in connection with the use of digital tools. Based on these findings in the analysis it became possible to discuss how to develop the use of digital tools for farmers in general. Different motivation types unfold this discussion and in addition to that the thesis discuses how different tensions can occur when two potential target groups interact with each other in a digital work practice in agriculture. Keywords: Agriculture, Decision Support Tools, Digital tools, Digital work practice, Human Computer Interaction, Activity Theory, Motivation
SprogDansk
Udgivelsesdato2017
Antal sider70
ID: 261738440