5. The intervention phase: testing in practice

In the intervention phase the aim is to involve participants from practice to test and prepare a design solution

The intervention phase is the phase where a design in the form of a mock-up is tested on relevant stakeholders that may be potential users of the final design. In the lab phase the involvement of actors has as its aim to obtain input that may nuance analytical research findings in the idea development and tool drafting, while in the intervention phase the tool´s concept and design is being tested. Tests include usability, for instance whether it is easy to understand how the tool works, as well as practice relevance, for instance if the tool seems relevant for its purpose. Into the research team we have invited some of the managers and employees that participated in the context phase, to test the mock-up developed. We would like to get feedback on how the authentic narratives in the vignettes may work to initiate reflections and conversations in the enterprises. Likewise, the testing of the vignettes should prove their relevance to practice, in whether the topics, that are based on a holistic view on digital transition and skills development, would be recognisable for the users of the tool.

During the intervention phase of the research project five interviews were held. The interviews had a duration of between 25 and 45 minutes. The interviews had the character of follow-up since all respondents either had participated in the first round of interviews or been in dialogue with the researchers as a part of the field visits. The aim of the interviews was to test the tool solution developed (the mock-up), that the same respondents had contributed to in the context phase (cf. field visits and first round of interviews).

The respondents represented six different enterprises across the five Nordic countries. One enterprise from Denmark, Sweden, Iceland, and Norway, respectively, and two enterprises from Finland participated. We interviewed one middle manager and one employee in the Danish as well as the Swedish enterprise. From the two Finnish enterprises local union representatives participated in the interviews, while from the Icelandic, Finnish, and Norwegian enterprises one manager participated. The five interviews were conducted digitally via Zoom, recording the sound for later use.

In preparation for the interviews, we had distributed via email the two evidence-based vignettes, and a text that outlined the objective of the interview and the vignettes. The research team was specifically interested in whether the respondents recognised the topics presented and the challenges they represent, and whether the vignettes, as a part of the dialogue tool, is a productive tool to use for navigation and making priorities in the digital transition, and thus support future skills development approaches.

Feedback from respondents made us aware that the pre-produced vignettes have advantages and limitations. The main advantage is that the generic and general form of the vignettes, as they appear in the mock-up, makes it highly probable that employees and managers in enterprises across the Nordic region recognise themselves. However, our respondents highlighted that the same advantage may also be a limitation as the generic vignettes are not concrete or precise enough, and not adjusted to local circumstances. This testing and analysis of the interview data contributed to a deeper awareness of local narratives and resulted in a final design that encompassed these as well. The second iteration of the tool thus consisted of the dialogue tool “exploring local practice stories”.

As outlined above, one of the aims of the intervention phase is to investigate whether the pre-produced vignettes of our dialogue tool are sanctioned by the actors of the practice field. The respondents confirmed in several ways that they recognise the topics and tensions described.

The vignette “Stories as powerful drivers” was recognised by most respondents and thus exemplifies the worry that various workplace prejudices may turn out to be self-fulfilling prophesies where for instance older employees tell themselves I cannot do this or understand this – which potentially contributes to older employees experiencing digitalisation as more difficult than what it is really is. 

The vignette “Professional identities under pressure in the digital transition” was also recognisable. Respondents highlighted several nuances of this pressure, for instance shameful feelings related to not being able to master “the digital aspects”, and experiences of partly having lost one´s independence through digitalisation, because one constantly must seek help with a colleague. There is an experience of changing from an expert into an apprentice.

In the intervention phase the respondents produced other relevant topics from the practice field, that could be included in the dialogue tool part 1 (pre-produced vignettes). They are briefly presented below:

Work-life balance: This tension relates to how digitalisation contributes to the sliding transfer between work and free time. This topic is not explicitly relevant for employees on the floor, but rather employees in manufacturing companies that for instance experience requirements to constantly keeping themselves updated on new information, also during their free time, or requirements to constantly being available and replying to emails at all times. 

Voluntary versus mandatory: This tension relates to the ways training and skills development are designed, and the downwind and headwind factors that may appear if for instance the upskilling is mandatory, or whether it is a voluntary offer.

Increased time and efficiency pressure: This topic is related to the importance of involving employees when enterprises are to embark on large change processes, as well as various changes related to automation and control mechanisms – like for instance monitoring or built-in quality assurance systems.

Simulation as a safe place of learning: This topic relates to the opportunity of using various types of simulations. Through simulations of work processes employees may for instance be given the possibility to learn new technology within a safe environment and in a tempo that fits their personal preferences.

Indirect changes: This topic addresses how the digital transition multiplies itself in the enterprise with small changes in one place influencing something somewhere else. This means that the digitalisation of a task indirectly influences other work tasks, even if they are not connected. This may lead to uncertainty among employ­ees since changes that are not in themselves digital still may be influenced by digitalisation.

As a part of the progress of DBR research a tool´s life continues also after the research project has ended. Within the present project´s resources it is not possible to develop the topics listed above into vignettes. The research team however assesses that these topics are obvious “raw material” for the dialogue tool element 1 in the future (see below on “The future of the tool”).

In more ways than one, the respondents confirm that they recognise the topics and tensions of the pre-produced vignettes. In general, the vignettes are viewed as good examples of stories that most probably can initiate discussions on possibilities and limitations in the digital transition.

The Norwegian enterprise is the only one among the five enterprises that expresses difficulty in recognising the topics of the vignettes. They do however contribute with ideas to other, and for them more relevant, topics in the digital transition. These are among others listed in the section “Practice relevance: new topics defined by the practice field”.

The respondents highlight in various ways that the usability of this type of vignettes is linked to how they function as a starting point for talking about and reflecting on company circumstances, that often go “below the radar”. The research team also believes that the conversations that happened during the interviews with the respondents illustrate exactly this point. Colleagues being prejudiced and how rapid changes can put identities under pressure are, according to the respondents, good examples of circumstances that are easy to forget or overlook in a busy workday. The respondents also highlighted that a dialogue tool based on vignettes may be a good basis for performance and development interviews, but that translating valuable conversations into action potentially is a challenge in the enterprises.

The intervention phase has thus contributed to a nuancing of the problem identifi­cation – the working life image and challenges therein – and resulted in a solution iteration in developing part 2 of the dialogue tool: “Exploring local practice stories”. This phase has however also contributed with insight into a potential limitation and thus highlighted a need for further development, since a plan for operationalising the output of conversations is necessary if the insights are to lead to more agile change processes, more well-being, and growth.