Collaborative Design Methods and Macroergonomics as Organizational Tools for Distance Education’s Design Teams

Abstract

This paper discusses the possibility of using collaborative methodologies of Design and Ergonomics, such as Participatory Design, Design Thinking, Management Design and Macroergonomics, among others, as tools for solving organizational challenges faced by multidisciplinary teams that produce educational material. Distance Education can present, due to its intrinsic characteristics and cultural issues, difficulties of adoption and implementation by students and professionals. On top of that, new technologies have changed social and educational paradigms, requiring the educational institutions to form multidisciplinary teams and to invest in equipment to keep up with the development of information and communication technologies (ICTs). Therefore, this paper contextualizes the process of educational content creation, based on current technological and pedagogical demands. It also points out the importance of choosing management options that help the multidisciplinary team to reach its full potential and produce high quality material. For that, this paper addresses Design and Ergonomics as collaborative tools to achieve the management guidelines required to improve the multidisciplinary processes. Finally, it proposes a case study to ascertain the applicability of the theoretical concepts raised.