Foundations of Work Informatics – must read!
Must read!
Now—at a time when AI permeates every corner of working life—is the perfect moment to bring the foundations of Work Informatics (WI) into action. Get familiar with these essential concepts, and start using them to study, understand and improve information and work systems in a sustainable and human‑centred way.
The book is now available in stores (Book on Demand and other stores). An e‑book version will be released soon.
Professor emeritus Markku I. Nurminen and his team—Aimo Heikkilä, John Stotesbury, Susanna Eerola and Jukka Heikkilä — have done it again. This publication brings the fundamentals of Work Informatics to a worldwide audience in Information Systems, management, organizational studies and among ICT professionals. Look, read, act and share.
The core team includes English language expert John, AI-specialist Aimo, visual and layout Susanna (see the picture).
On the afternoon of 22 January, a classroom at Turku School of Economics filled with anticipation. We were eager to hear how Work Informatics brings value to Information Systems and to today’s AI‑driven working life. Our expectations were more than met.Three professors showed how Markku’s five‑decade journey in improving work, systems thinking and purposeful activity has truly paid off.
Professor Jukka “Jups” Heikkilä opened the event by elegantly weaving WI, IS and AI into a coherent whole. Next, Markku and his team shared the story of the translation project—one that, by all accounts, progressed smoothly. Finally, Professor Matti Mäntymäki, Head of Information Systems, positioned Markku’s contribution within the broader academic landscape.
To conclude, Mikko Saario supported the message by creating a cartoon linking WI and AI.
From Markku’s Facebook post: ”Work Informatics makes an approach to Social Informatics with work as its point of departure. A human-centred conceptual framework of the use and development of information systems is composed using narratives originated in case studies. The focus in work and other purposeful activity makes the framework relevant also for understanding and managing the development of the Artificial Intelligence. The figure of the caricature below has been created by Mikko Saario. He has used Google Gemini’s photo app.”
All is well that ends well. This publication is a strong foundation for thinking ahead—just as we say at TSE.
Really: Start thinking (by reading the book).
AI won’t do it for you.
BR, Antti Tuomisto
Lecturer, Information Systems & Work Informatics
University of Turku