IISI-EUSSET Lifetime Achievement Award 2023 to Volkmar Pipek.
Volkmar Pipek studied Computer Science and Economics at the University of Kaiserslautern and got a PhD at the University of Oulu. Since 2007, he was faculty member in “Computer-Supported Cooperative Work and Social Media” at the University of Siegen. He passed away in early 2024.
Volkmar Pipek was a pioneer in the field of Socio-Informatics. With brilliancy and creativity, he pursued his intellectual vision: the application of computing in the service of societal emancipation and democratization. Together with Mark Ackerman and Volker Wulf, he developed already early on in his career an understanding of knowledge management that placed the practical skills of employees and their exchanges for learning at the center of computer support. The book “Expertise Sharing: Beyond Knowledge Management” published by MIT Press shaped the respective academic discourses.
Starting with his PhD thesis, he investigated how people collectively make use of IT artefacts and how these activities could be supported technically. Taking a practice perspective, Pipek termed the concepts of “appropriation” and “appropriation support” which became central to the Siegen School of Socio-Informatics. Later on, he generalized these concepts from the world of software artefacts towards the one of physical artefacts. A 3D printer equipped with an interface containing context-specifically projected information and integrated communication channels towards a user community and a hotline is an example of a ‘sociable technology’. Pipek also embedded the concept of appropriation in a broader understanding of theory formation. “Infrastructuring” describes the interrelated development of social practices and IT artefacts equipped with technical and interpretative flexibility. The moment of appropriation, the point of infrastructuring, becomes a creative event that enriches the actors’ repertoire of actions.
Volkmar Pipek’s concept formation was always nourished by a pool of design case studies. He was interested in a broad variety of different areas of life and work – always with the perspective of exploring the emancipatory effects of suitably designed IT artifacts. He made a major contribution to the field of civil security research where he investigated how social media can help people in emergency situations to organize themselves. Pipek’s work has impacted many scholars worldwide. His publications are used extensively by academic teachers to educate the next generation.
Read an interview with Volkmar, conducted on the occasion of his receiving the award. Unfortunately, due to his sudden passing, Volkmar was unable to complete the editing of the interview. However, considering the profound insights and guidance he shared, we decided to publish it after careful internal consultation.
