Entry requirements

90 credits in information systems or equivalent

Learning outcomes

In terms of knowledge and understanding, after completed course the student should be able to:

- identify and differentiate between different digital infrastructures,

- explain how digital infrastructures affect behavior, norms, and attitudes of individuals, groups, and organisations,

- explain the relationship between digital infrastructures, digital practice, and institutions, and explain the concept of institutional facts,

- anticipate, explain and provide examples of different levels of interoperability problems and solutions,

- anticipate, explain and provide examples of ralationships between material and digital resources in digital infrastructures.

In terms of skills and abilities, after completed course the student should be able to:

- analyse and design digital infrastructures for specific purposes in given contexts,

- analyse development of operations and management in a distributed environment,

- analyse digital infrastructures from an ownership, design and use perspective,

- analyse and design digital infrastructures that enable digital practices,

- analyse different management and power relations in connection with digital infrastructures,

- apply case studies to analyse a design and research problem relating to digital infrastructures and their effects.

In terms of judgement and approach, after completed course the student should be able to:

- critically evaluate existing and planned infrastructure solutions based upon individual, organisational, and societal effects,

- critically evaluate different design theories based on different assumptions and preconditions,

- evaluate different preconditions for the development of digital infrastructures,

- evaluate different governance forms for ownership, development, management and operation of digital infrastructures.

Content

The course introduces students to today's digital infrastructures and how they affect the interaction between individuals, physical things, and organisations. The course begins with an overview of the concept of digital infrastructures as well as different types of digital infrastructures. Theory relating to digital infrastructures is dealt with, as well as their ontology and materiality, prevalence in time and space, and their importance in various social and institutional contexts. Institutional facts and their ontological status are analysed. The difference between formal and institutional languages ​​is discussed, as well as how the digital media affects the language, social interaction, and institutions. The relationship between institution, digital infrastructure, and digital practitices is discussed. Different forms and levels of interoperability are analysed, including legal, organisational, linguistic, and technical interoperability.

Today's modern digital infrastructures as well as their structure and constituents are analysed in detail. Different technologies, and their impact on the emergence of different digital interfaces, are discussed. Various design theories and conditions for the development of digital infrastructures are dealt with. In connection with this, digital infrastructures are discussed both from an ownership, design, and usage perspective. Different forms of governance and power relations for ownership, development, management and operation of digital infrastructures are discussed. Methodology for analysing digital infrastructures, with the purpose of giving the students a deep understanding of how digital infrastructures, is introduced. Different forms of governance for development, management, and operation of digital infrastructures are dealt with, as well as critical analysis of power relations. Methods for analysing effects on individuals and organisations, as a basis for evaluating different strategies for spreading digital infrastructures, are introduced. Security and ethical aspects are discussed in relation to the benefit of digital infrastructures. The case study as a research method, introduced in the second course of the program, forms the basis for the analyses of digital infrastructures performed during the course.

Instruction

Lectures, seminars, and laboratory sessions.

Assessment

Essay, seminars, assignments, laboratory sessions. Compulsory attendance is required for some elements.

If there are special reasons for doing so, an examiner may make an exception from the method of assessment indicated and allow a student to be assessed by another method. An example of special reasons might be a certificate regarding special pedagogical support from the University's disability coordinator.