Technologies, World, and Societies

Sociotechnology, as the name suggests, is the study of the interactions between society and technology. Sociotechnology offers people and society “the malleability of technology, the opportunity for choice, and fundamental knowledge that things may have been different” (Larose, 2017). The use of mobile phones and personal computers has resulted in the development of multifunctional technologies, as several academics have noted, and socio-technology allows us to recognize these consequences. Technology improvements have had a profound impact on information and communication at the individual, family, and societal levels (Hopkins, 2016). Sociotechnical refers to the process of harnessing the technical performance and aspects of organizations with the aim of achieving maximum performances. This is an approach that assists individuals to reflect on the external social structures when seeking explanations for crude reductionism of social realities. Social-technical is a complex approach because it brings together many social units to form large level. This system adds up to the complexity of technical medium and creates a platform which can allow people to interact through technology to create a community (Silver, 2013). About sociotechnical ensemble, we can define a boundary that exists between two important social groups in a technological frame. This approach is obtained through consideration from the socio-political context of an organization. According to Larose (2017), the sociotechnical ensemble provides a new unit of analyzing artifacts to allow altering of social dimension and come up with a new product without changing the technical components (Larose, 2017). Similarly, configuration model is a term that is very vital in the world when relating societies and technology. It allows individuals to conduct investigations on the family of random graph null models and with the aim of quantifying the meaning of the empirical network properties present. According to Larose (2017), this concept allows the application of alternative configurations of technological frames with the aim of guiding the study of all networks that can be studied using random graph null models. About the SCOT approach, which brings together the above models, it’s possible to analyze the impacts of keyboards on the human society. The invention and evolution of keyboards was a tremendous step in bringing changes in the world of journalism and politics. As stated in the document explaining the “history and manufacture of artifacts,” the journey that led to the keyboards we present today was long with lots of inventions (Zhang H. et al., 2017). The journey started with the invention of telegraph’s keyboard machine by Frederick G. Creed which was the first technology to be installed on the computer keyboards (Zhang H. et al., 2017).The functioning of telegraph keyboard was very slow although it assisted in bringing speed and accuracy in newspaper’s editing. Since evolution was still taking place, VDT technology and electric keyboards were designed later on, and this assisted in eliminating many of the problems that were associated with typing. Similarly, it assisted in shaping the layout of the keyboards we have today. There is no doubt that the artifact keyboard has assisted in shaping the human society. As the authors state, “keyboards give users more secured context of recording information” (Zhang H. et al., 2017). However, the keyboards have also assisted in bringing social problems to the society through the carpal tunnel syndrome. This is a complication that causes numbness of the fingers, nerves, and hands especially to those who use the keyboard more often (Barnes, 2017). This issue has resulted in the eruption of criticism from the society regarding the social structure and relations that have occurred as a result of technological change (Larose, 2017). However, there is a possible solution to these problems based on conducting more innovations in order design virtual keyboards.

2. The I-methodology in designing of keyboards and other artifacts can be explained as the prospective process that a designer comes up with a creation that soot his or her needs. The designer at this point fills in the gap between the users and tends to imagine what he or she requires to have a comfortable experience or to solve the existing problem. Since designing is a social process, the idea forces the designers to end up designing for themselves. We methodology involves brainstorming and coming up with Ideas that can solve the problems within the society. The process involves understanding the need for the new creation and realizing the possible ways of fixing them. The designer at this point understand the need of the people rather than making him or herself the user of the product. The question based on the theory is“ how might we” this involves coming up with ideas that suit the consumer and his demands. Hooleon Corporation even offers key artworks which could make keys in different colors. This feature is applied on certain types of keyboards such as gaming keyboards or store POS machine keyboards where a few keys are highlighted in color since they are used most often (Zhang H. et al., 2017). The idea of the technology is to create a different experience for the gaming geeks. The I-methodology applies in a way that designers realize the mood they would want to be introduced in the gaming world. What captivates a gamer to spend more time on his keyboard? Show the ideology of We methodology. The keyboard designers spend time thinking about what the customers in the gaming industry need. The creation of joysticks on keyboard, rubber touch keys to increase grip and better control influencing more creation. Some customers prefer physical keyboards instead of virtual keyboards. The idea of the two taste and preference makes an inventor want to understand what he really needs between the two choices on the I-methodology. The opinion depends on his love between typing and coding. He fills in the place of the users and examine the options and bases it on the comfortability of the two options then he or she designs what fits his or her needs.

The we-methodology on the other hand will force him to determine what the customers are looking for depending on the changes of the technology. For instance in the mobile industry the quart keyboards may be present on some cell phones in the form of physical keyboards while in others it may be a virtual keyboard. The desire of the people is what drives the designer on the invention of his keyboard. Customized keyboard and normal keyboards may influence a great deal on the two methodology .A designer may decide to create something that soot his typing habits to save him the troubles. He may as decide to come up with a creation that soot the clients that he is handling. This is mostly applied in the disabled sector. The appearance of classic keyboard is not ideal for designers. Therefore, acts and fantasy designs were brought into new keyboards (Razer, 2017). The idea to the creation may have been influenced by the two aspects within the I-methodology and We-methodology. A designer who wants to feel on a different higher class, May influence the production of a design. On the other hand a designers may brainstorm and think on what different people would want, coming up with their own type of creation to fill in this gap.

3. Actor-network theory is a research based on the connection between the human perception and non-human entities. The research comes up with possible approaches to an outcome which could be caused by occurrences that are not yet scientifically proven but could be a possible thesis. ANT is mostly used in movie casting, as it creates a greater field of thinking as compared to scientific facts. The reasoning of the actor analysis theory assists in the scientific research programs in many ways: it influences more research and acts as an inspiration for both inventions and scientific research programs. The opening question from the students in the film was a great call to the professor. Wondering whether their children will ever have a chance to fly on a plane. The reality is here and we do not understand how to solve it. Considering the actor theory of the movie that the fuel level in the world is diminishing is something we need to consider as the human race. The actor theory at this point assists us to understand the ignorance we have at the rate we are consuming the natural gas and fossil fuel. We can consider using the theory to understand how to control the rate of consumption of fuel and the possibilities of considering other methods of energy production. The movie explanation about how fuel is cheap than water in the States explains how people should change the perception of the value of the product. The actor’s theory can apply to explain the time frame required to create the crude oil. As explained by the movie it has taken millions of years for the deposit of crude oil to be created meaning that it’s next to impossible to renew the mineral or come up with a chemical conversion of its carbon atoms. The reference of this theoretical ideology can assist the thinking of scientist to figure out ways in which they can fasten the process or come up with other possible procedure to reconvert the crude oil for energy production. The oil mines are running dry and most of the fuel is being used by the transport sector as explained in the movie, this drives us together with all stakeholders to try and come up with other forms of fueling motor vehicles so as to reduce the rate of consumption. The actors’ theory could assist in influencing scientists to try and become more innovative and create other means of transport that use renewable forms of energy. The actor world focuses on possibilities and has its own way of coming with phases of occurrences. The movie A Crude Awakening explains the first phase where the human race is over-exploiting the natural mineral which is crude oil. The actor distributes his ideas on the importance of the fuel and how it’s difficult to replicate it. The actor world tells of how difficult the world will be after the extinct of the mineral. The first phase is that which currently the professor is at, where people value less of the mineral and all are ignorant to understand its value. The movie explains the breakdown of all possible heroes to replace the fuel extinction. The author of the script introduces each occurrence with a meaning, first he increase the level of fuel consumption. He later shows that all possible replacements of the fuel have been overthrown the only option is solar panel if great investments were made. Each scene of the movie shows a different thinking of the actor and a buildup story of how things may end up after all possible options to handle the crises are exhausted.

Reference

A Crude Awakening, Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odCZpBPfFQk a crude

awakening the oil crash

Razer. (2017). Razer Gaming Keyboards & Keypads: Ergonomic Keyboards, Programmable

Keys & More. [Online] Available at: https://www2.razerzone.com/au-en/gaming-keyboards-keypads [Accessed 4 Dec. 2017].

Hooleon. (n.d.). Learn How Keyboard Keys Are Made. [Online] Available at:

https://shop.hooleon.com/blogs/the-nerdy-side-of-keyboards/2180342-learn-how-keyboard-keys-are-made [Accessed 4 Dec. 2017].