A cooperative and transversal methodology to improve the making of prescriptions in a high reliability organization: a constructive ergonomics approach
Résumé
This communication presents an action-research conducted in a French Electrical Power Generation company addressing the making of prescriptions, i.e. the documentation design process intended to ensure the quality of prescriptive documents. This action-research has two goals: fostering the development of a cooperative and transversal collective work and improving the documentation design process. In this way, a methodology was set up based on the principles of the constructive ergonomics approach, i.e. allowing the development of both the individuals and of the organization. 3 one-day workshops were conducted, implying a set of methods (explanation of a case, design of scenarios of organizational change, and organizational simulations) and involving 7 participants who represent the diversity of the actors implied in the documentation process.
The results show that the methodology allows the participants to better comprehend the process and the role of the other actors. This refers to constructive dimension because the development of new elements of knowledge and the construction of a shared frame of reference are prerequisite to develop cooperative work. The highlighting of difficulties leads the participants to design scenarios and organizational simulations. This allows them to think about the organization of their work and lead them to co-constructed organizational solutions taking into account the constraints of all of them.
Now, the main issue is the identification of the implementation conditions of the organizational solutions in order to foster their effective setting up.