Designing participation with talk around an organigram

Paper in proceeding, 2018

In this paper I consider the uses of an organigram to encourage conversations about expectations of what participation in inter-organisational activities entails today and could entail in the future. Such conversations are part of the processes of organising for innovation between organisations. I argue that through scaffolding collective sensemaking about participation, an organigram can be design material for co-creation of an organisation-of organisations that brings together people from different organisations. This suggests the practical importance of visual representations in encouraging co-design of ways of joint organising. However, I also caution that rather than a communicative device, an organigram may be a political device. Talk around organigrams may be both a springboard for the renewal of commitments and a way of assisting exits from partnerships. For this reason, it is important to consider who influences design of visual representations of inter-organisational innovation and for what purposes.