Tinkering with technology: Human factors, work redesign, and professionals in workplace innovation

Professionals in workplace innovation operate in practice as collective designers and political entrepreneurs as well as applied scientists. They apply and adapt human factors and organizational knowledge and techniques to enable projects to succeed in complex, culturally diverse, and politically charged change processes. This creates a major challenge for their professional training. They require a self-understanding, ability, and will that enables them to act as reflective practitioners continuously improving the practical skills of their “craft.” This article draws on the reflections of professionals in workplace innovation to argue this case, and seeks to inform further reflection by presenting a view of their role as professional bricoleurs.