YOURS AND MY DATA QUALITY: a case study of word perception and the influence on transdisciplinary collaboration
Author
Markager, Tinna Kristine
Term
4. term
Education
Publication year
2024
Submitted on
2024-06-06
Pages
75
Abstract
This thesis presents a case study inside an international software company to show how people from different disciplines can attach different meanings to the same words and concepts. These subjective interpretations often cause miscommunication and misalignment when teams try to work together across fields. To explore this, the study uses a phenomenological approach, which focuses on people’s lived experiences and how they make sense of terms in everyday work. It also applies Controversy Mapping, a method that visualizes where stakeholders agree and disagree and what issues are at stake. The findings show large variation in understanding that is shaped by professional background, cultural context, and individual experience. The thesis argues that techno-anthropology (an approach that studies how technology and human practices interact) can help bridge these gaps. Drawing on participatory design methods, which involve stakeholders directly in shaping solutions, the study proposes ways to support shared understanding and more effective transdisciplinary collaboration.
Dette speciale præsenterer et casestudie i en international softwarevirksomhed og viser, hvordan folk fra forskellige fagområder kan tillægge de samme ord og begreber forskellige betydninger. Disse subjektive fortolkninger skaber ofte misforståelser og skævheder, når teams skal arbejde sammen på tværs af fag. Undersøgelsen anvender en fænomenologisk tilgang, som fokuserer på menneskers levede erfaringer og den mening, de tillægger begreber i hverdagsarbejdet. Derudover bruges kontroverskortlægning, en metode der synliggør, hvor interessenter er enige og uenige, og hvilke spørgsmål der er på spil. Resultaterne viser stor variation i forståelser, præget af faglig baggrund, kulturel kontekst og individuelle erfaringer. Specialet argumenterer for, at tekno-antropologi (et felt der undersøger samspillet mellem teknologi og menneskers praksisser) kan bygge bro over disse forskelle. Med inspiration fra deltagende design, hvor interessenter inddrages direkte i at forme løsninger, fremlægges forslag, der kan styrke fælles forståelse og mere effektivt transdisciplinært samarbejde.
[This apstract has been rewritten with the help of AI based on the project's original abstract]