Appropriation of Information Technologies and empirical reading of appropriation paths: some elements for a methodology

To understand collective appropriation phenomenon of information technologies, it is proposed a methodology of appropriation paths identification through an implementation of management tool in the teaching world. This paper outlines a typology of appropriative path around an action research: the NotePlus project. For this, we consider that an interplay approach can reveal the complexity of technology and work practices relationship. The crossbreeding with the structurational model of technologies (Orlikowski, 1991, 1992, 2000) and Actor Network Theory (Callon, 1986; Akrich, Callon & Latour, 1988 (a&b); Latour, 1989) brings interesting elements to identify appropriation paths. Therefore, we present the “enactment” and the “engines of appropriation” to describe the “iterative paths of appropriation”. Also, we mobilize the phenomenon of iteration, which suppose an interaction between Information and Communication Technology (ICT) properties, users, and organization. This approach considers that practices evolution, design evolution resulted of compromises around “boundary objects” determination which people find a satisfactory “interessement”. For one year, our program has focused on the emergence of appropriation paths of pedagogic software to the teachers. We will show how the “enactment” form has evolved during the different iterative loops.