Aisling O’Kane on radical participatory decision making (Part 2)

Changing Academic Life

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1+ y ago 43:43

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Dr. Aisling O’Kane is an Associate Professor of Human-Computer Interaction in Health at the University of Bristol in the UK. In Part 1 of our conversation, she talked about her very diverse background ad reflected on issues like the importance of mobility, the challenges being part of an academic couple with family, and the impact of COVID. In Part 2 here, she goes on to talk about how she came to take on an acting Head of Department role as a relatively junior faculty member, motivated by wanting to try to make a better workplace for herself and others. She also talks about issues of power and engagement and what she terms ‘a radical participatory decision making’ approach as way to try to engage people in being part of the change.

“[Prev HoD] was the poster child of what you want for leadership, just his emotional intelligence, his empathy, his view on things engaging with people is fantastic.”

“You might think…what to sacrifice, what a volunteer. It was entirely selfish. I wanted a better workplace.”

“I certainly wasn’t the authority figure.”

“So that was pulling on…my research, which involves co design…participatory design, and treating that year…as a big co design activity and making decisions that way. “

“I remember arriving and being new and female and and not feeling like I could talk about things.”

“I am much more confident going into it and knowing that I don't know things and it's okay… And to be able to reach out and ask the stupid questions and not be ashamed of what you don't know.”

“I'm happier here now. It's more collegiate place in a nicer place to work.”

Overview (times approximate):

00:28 Episode introduction

0:05 Introduction to Part 2 of this episode.

2:24 The current situation in computer science at Bristol

5:21 The transition from a department into a school and the need for leadership.

10:51 The wild west of the university system.

17:15 The key things that made it work for a year.

23:24 The importance of being part of the change and the cost of being selfish.

27:12 The move to online discussions and decision making and how people feel about it.

32:51 What Aisling learned from this year as head

38:09 Being proud of what she has achieved and also reflecting on the mistakes

41:00 My final reflections

43:43 End

Download a full transcript of the conversation