The shift from an industrialized information economy (specialized in producing finished goods to be consumed passively) to a networked information economy (in which all people are provided with the means to participate actively in personally meaningful activities) represents unique and fundamental opportunities and challenges for innovative HCI research.
Our research is exploring theoretical foundations by designing and assessing socio-technical environments for cultures of participation. The approach is grounded in the basic assumption that innovative technological developments are necessary for participation cultures, but they are not sufficient. Socio-technical systems are needed because the deep and enduring changes are not just technological but social and cultural as well. Participation cultures are not dictated by technology: they are the result of incremental shifts in human behavior and social organization including innovative adoption, appropriation, and adaptation of technologies to their needs.