Qualitative and Critical Research in Information Systems and Human-Computer Interaction

Information Systems (IS) and Human Computer Interaction (HCI)–including Computer-Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW)–address the development and adoption of computing systems by organizations, individuals, and teams. While each has its own emphasis, the timelines for adopting qualitative and critical research differ dramatically. IS used both in the late 1980s, but critical theory appeared in HCI only in 2000. Using a hermeneutic literature review, the paper traces these histories; it applies academic cultures theory as an explanatory framework. Institutional factors include epistemic bases of source disciplines, number and centrality of publication outlets, and political and geographic contexts. Key innovations in IS are covered in detail. The rise of platformization drives the fields toward a common scope of study with an imperative to address societal issues that emerge at scale.