CRITICAL HCI RESEARCH – A RESEARCH POSITION PROPOSAL (original) (raw)

The ongoing development of digital technology creates new and immensely complex environments. Our lifeworld is drastically influenced by these developments. The way digital technology is intertwined in our daily life raises new issues concerning the possibility of understanding these new configurations. This text is about the ways in which HCI (Human Computer Interaction) research and other information technology disciplines can contribute to a deeper understanding of technology and the ongoing transformations of our lifeworld. As such, the text is a conceptual exploration driven by a sincere and authentic strive for the possibility of making a real difference in the way research is carried out on the societal influences of digital technology. The article is based on the assumption that there are some foundational decisions forming any research endeavor: the question of methodology, the question of object of study and most importantly-the question of being in service. In the text we explore and propose a research position by taking a critical stance against unreflective acceptance of digital technology and by acknowledging people's lifeworld as a core focus of inquiry. The position is also framed around an empirical and theoretical understanding of the evolving technology that we label the digital transformation in which an appreciation of aesthetic experience is regarded to be a focal methodological concept.