Objects, Practices, Experiences and Networks
Uber and Language/Action Theory
Michael Arnold Mages
Carnegie Mellon University
michaelam@cmu.edu
Keywords: conversation; Language/Action theory; systems design; behavior shaping
Abstract
Mediated communication is the way that distributed and proximate work teams communicate, and is structured nearly completely through software. Users request and make commitments, collaborate on and complete projects, and develop new software systems through software-based conversations. Yet, software designers and developers approach designing conversation software as a series of generic submissions, rather than as an iterative and reflexive process of specific and varied types of speech-acts. This paper examines two pieces of software: The Coordinator and the Uber Partner (driver) app, and a summary of the dialog surrounding the release of the Coordinator as an implementation of Language/Action Theory.
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Cite this paper: Arnold Mages, M. (2016). Uber and Language/Action Theory. Proceedings of DRS 2016, Design Research Society 50th Anniversary Conference. Brighton, UK, 27–30 June 2016.
This paper will be presented at DRS2016, find it in the conference programme