Interactivity in the Wild

Abstract

Interactivity remains a central and yet notoriously difficult notion in studies of computermediated communication. Compared to most previous research, which has taken theoretical and deductive routes, this article explores interactivity empirically and inductively with particular reference to collaboration within organizations. The study relied on a theoretical sample of interview respondents - designers of web applications as well as end-users, (middle) management as well as rank-and-file employees. The findings, first, help to specify the meaning of ‘interactivity,’ ‘communication,’ and ‘information’ for everyday work practices. Second, the respondents provide contextualized arguments and narratives concerning how media that offer different degrees of interactivity, may substitute or complement each other. Third, the analyses indicate how e-mail, web applications, and other media serve to constitute specific forms of interaction between colleagues and departments within an organization. For further research, the article suggests the relevance of examining interactivity, in part, as a characteristic of the simultaneous use of several media. Finally, the interview discourses bear witness to how the understanding of interactive media forms within organizations is shaped, as well, by the wider social setting embedding both media and organizations.