Using a Participatory Toolkit to Elicit Youth’s Workplace Privacy Perspectives

Abstract

The rapid evolution of technology has enabled us to perform complex, interdependent, and geographically distributed work. As a result, the effective use of communication and coordination technologies is increasingly crucial to success in the workplace, raising at the same time concerns about workplace privacy. In this paper, we present a case study showing how we adapted and used a participatory toolkit to elicit the privacy perspectives of a 3D print shop’s youth employees. Participants expected their managers and co-workers, rather than other third-parties, to see their data, and yet prioritized keeping their co-workers informed rather than being overly concerned about third-parties accessing their data. We found this approach effective at creating an expressive space for the youth to reflect on and share their expectations and preferences on workplace data privacy, a practice that can enhance both their workplace participation and professional communication training. We conclude with thoughts on how using open-ended participatory mechanisms can support employees’ ongoing reflection on the privacy of communication and coordination technologies, leading to increased fluency and participation in workplace decision-making.