Informação e conhecimento a partir das práticas do analista-desenvolvedor de sistemas na perspectiva da cognição situada: o profissional, seu lugar e valores na sociedade da informação

Abstract

This study investigates the production of information and knowledge within the professional sphere of Systems Analyst-Developers and Computer Engineers. The research, which is descriptive and qualitative, employs a contextualized approach, integrating theoretical perspectives from Information Contexts and Practices (Info-com) and Cognitive Sciences, with an emphasis on situated cognition. The central research question is: How does the production of information and knowledge occur from the professional-informational practices of the systems analyst-developer in a contextualized approach within the ICT domain and from the perspective of situated cognition? The thesis's objective was to understand and characterize information and knowledge based on the professional-informational practices of the systems analyst-developer in a contextualized approach within the ICT domain and from the perspective of situated cognition. To achieve this, the study's specific objectives were to identify, relate, and classify the main informational practices related to technical processes and the interactive elements that influence information production. It aimed to associate these aspects with Situated Cognition and to analyze the relationships between information and knowledge based on models of informational practices. Finally, it sought to describe and characterize the actual information and knowledge from the perspective of the professionals surveyed, highlighting the relationships and differences identified by the informational models applied to situated cognition. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with professionals in the field from various geographical regions. Content analysis of these interviews enabled the identification of the informational contexts that permeate the activities of these professionals, revealing cognitive and contextual elements often not explicitly stated in formal processes of information and knowledge production. By mapping the existing technical and informational activities, practices, and processes, as well as the technologies and relationships (cognitive, professional, and social) involved, the research demonstrates the complexity and inherent interactions in the production of information and knowledge in this domain. As a result, information and knowledge are understood as dynamic and situated constructs, influenced by a variety of subjective and adjacent factors to the informational processes. The results obtained provide evidence of the diverse variables - whether cognitive, contextual, or social - that intervene in the context and influence the production of information in this technical environment. The relationships and interactions between the subject, actors, technologies, and contexts (internal and external) constitute adjacent processes that are often not considered in the formal production processes of information systems. Therefore, the study identifies a need to deepen investigations into the production of information and knowledge in computer science fields, especially given the emergence of new digital technologies and the challenges they pose to the professional context and society. Future research in Information Science is proposed to explore the interaction between Information Contexts and Situated Cognition in progressively complex and dynamic technological scenarios for the production of information systems, specifically concerning the use of AI technologies.