Table 3 Potentially valuable contributions of the ANT approach in a study exploring the introduction of electronic health record software
Key notion | Valuable contributions of this notion | Implications for our study | How the study would look if it was not informed by ANT |
|---|---|---|---|
Translations | Detailed insight into the complexity of different forces at play when artefacts are introduced in a new context - this can also help to inform sampling considerations | Insight into how the software (which was designed by computer scientists) is integrated into the healthcare environment | Might be tempted to neglect the design context and examine the adoption context in isolation |
Active role of objects | How objects can actively transform established practices by influencing the way human actors are associated | The software is viewed as actively transforming the way care is delivered rather than being a relatively passive piece of equipment | Software may be viewed as passive, which may lead to underestimating its influence |
Analytical method and theory development | As a conceptual tool to guide the research process, frame the research questions, collect and interpret data and theorise about potential explanations | Focus on a certain technology as a case and sampling different human parties associated with it, notion of networks can help to conceptualise connections and active role of objects can help to theorise about potential outcomes | Sampling may neglect potentially important actors, may result in a limited and a-theoretical approach |
Generalised symmetry | Can help investigators to resist imposing a priori differences between actors | Helps to recognise that objects can create unpredictable outputs and have agency | Prior assumptions of dualism between humans and objects may distort the analysis |
Enrolment | Can help to explore how different parties/actors are enrolled into a network and how relationships are formed over time | Helps to map out interests of different parties and how the most powerful (e.g. managers) try to enrol the users in adopting the software | May not be able to capture the different effects and stages of change in detail |
Flux and changing nature of reality | A tool for exploring how complex relationships between actors and effects come about through movements in the network (e.g. power relationships, social effects) | Helps to conceptualise how change is a process and context dependent | A rigid view of reality may be too simplistic and mask the complexity of change |