Irina Paraschivoiu (University of Salzburg and Polycular)
This year I took part for the first time in the EUSSET Conference on Computer-Supported Cooperative Work (ECSCW). As a newcomer, I looked with curiosity at how the programme was structured, the mix of topics, and the underlying themes shaping the work of this community. While it’s difficult to cover all the sessions and papers, I’ll use this short article to reflect on my experience at the Doctoral Consortium and highlight the sessions that inspired me most.
The Doctoral Consortium (DC) had a full programme on Tuesday. I must say that while I attended other DCs before (admittedly, during the pandemic), this was the best one! The programme was a mix of input, and small group discussions. The PhD students were divided into groups of three, moderated by one of the Chairs, and we each had ample time to discuss our own research and ask for feedback. The input sessions were focused on key topics, including research within the CSCW community and strategies for publishing. The latter was delivered by Luigiana Colfi and I must say it was both great and terrible to hear that early and late career researcher often struggle with the same painful publishing process.
There were quite a few conference highlights, but the one that spoke most to me was Geraldine Fitzpatrick‘s talk on Crafting People and Culture in Cooperative Work. Geraldine questioned what remains from “work” and the reason we do it, especially as AI becomes increasingly embedded in the workplace. While automation can enhance productivity, it also risks contributing to burnout by raising expectations around performance and multitasking. Geraldine spoke of the relational and emotional aspects of work, as a potential new direction for CSCW research. Her thoughts echoed strongly with me, as recently I have been working on collaborative experiences for team development. Social connection, communication, shared team experiences are a key motivator for individuals to form part of teams. They are also part of our need for self-actualization: we can only be our best selves when working with others. Teams give us a chance to work on our blind spots, and achieving goals together is part of what makes work meaningful.
Another session that stood out to me was the panel on Rural and Industrialized Regions, held on Thursday. The panellists shared diverse challenges from regions in Ireland, France, and Germany, including cultural diversity, energy demand, and aging populations. This brought me back to my earlier work as an urban researcher, when I had the opportunity to collaborate with similar regions and cities. In (E)CSCW, we focus on contextual research—understanding the needs of users within their specific environments. Similarly, in urban and regional development, we recognize that different areas have different planning and investment needs. Some rural regions may thrive due to proximity to growing cities, while others may face population decline. Rural development is inherently tied to policy-making, since both spatial planning and investment decisions are shaped by policy. CSCW can contribute valuable insights to these discussions by highlighting user needs in context—a powerful takeaway from the panel.
Of course, one conference is not enough to fully immerse oneself in a new community, but I feel the ECSCW in Newcastle was a good start. I also want to thank the teams at Newcastle and Northumbria Universities for taking good care of us and making the conference such a lovely experience. And maybe see everyone next year in Munich?