This article investigates how the core features of narratives and the logic of storytelling are manifested in stories told by the developers and users of an information system and how they may adversely affect their perceptions of the ongoing implementation process. Information systems and the way they operate create a negative cycle where primarily problems possess tellability. We identify a negative masterplot dominating the narratives surrounding information system projects. We examine an ongoing public sector healthcare information system project by analysing both the written narratives of frustrated health and social care professionals on a social media channel and the oral narratives told by employees of the project organisation. These stories reveal a narrative struggle and various strategies, such as positioning, used in sense-making. We suggest that a better understanding of how narratives function could help disentangle the sociotechnical issues involving information system developers and users.

中文翻译：

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叙述社会技术混乱


本文研究了叙事的核心特征和讲故事的逻辑如何在信息系统的开发人员和用户讲述的故事中表现出来，以及它们如何对他们对正在进行的实施过程的看法产生不利影响。信息系统及其运行方式创造了一个负面循环，其中主要问题是具有可解释性的。我们确定了一个负面的主情节，主导着围绕信息系统项目的叙述。我们通过分析社交媒体渠道上沮丧的卫生和社会护理专业人员的书面叙述和项目组织员工讲述的口头叙述，来检查正在进行的公共部门医疗保健信息系统项目。这些故事揭示了叙事斗争和用于意义建构的各种策略，例如定位。我们建议更好地了解叙事的运作方式可能有助于理清涉及信息系统开发人员和用户的社会技术问题。