Abstract
Organizations are increasingly immersed in automation programs aimed at enhancing operational efficiency, yet these initiatives fundamentally impact and reshape traditional workplaces. Prior research has examined automation's effects on workers who directly interact with it, but less attention has been given to how broader worker ecosystems are impacted. To address this gap, we investigate an autonomous shuttle bus project at an international airport. We conduct an interview study with nine external experts holding prior experience in similar automation contexts. To engage participants in discussing the impacts of a future autonomous bus operation, we utilize systemic design as a lens and conduct co-design activities with them. Our findings surface key tasks, responsibilities, scenarios, and implementation considerations that affect workers within the broader ecosystem. Through this empirical case, we intend to move beyond techno-centric approaches to automation and illustrate the value of incorporating systemic perspectives in worker-centered automation efforts.
Keywords
Automation; Workers; Systemic design; Organizations
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2026.1831
Citation
Gomez-Beldarrain, G., van Dam, F., Kim, E., Verma, H., and Bozzon, A. (2026) How automation impacts worker ecosystems in organizations: a case study of autonomous bus operations at an international airport, in Simeone, L., Gray, C. M., Verhoeven, A., de Götzen, A., Bakırlıoğlu, Y., Zohar, H., Stead, M., and Buwert, P. (eds.), DRS2026: Edinburgh, 8–12 June, Edinburgh, United Kingdom. https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2026.1831
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Included in
How automation impacts worker ecosystems in organizations: a case study of autonomous bus operations at an international airport
Organizations are increasingly immersed in automation programs aimed at enhancing operational efficiency, yet these initiatives fundamentally impact and reshape traditional workplaces. Prior research has examined automation's effects on workers who directly interact with it, but less attention has been given to how broader worker ecosystems are impacted. To address this gap, we investigate an autonomous shuttle bus project at an international airport. We conduct an interview study with nine external experts holding prior experience in similar automation contexts. To engage participants in discussing the impacts of a future autonomous bus operation, we utilize systemic design as a lens and conduct co-design activities with them. Our findings surface key tasks, responsibilities, scenarios, and implementation considerations that affect workers within the broader ecosystem. Through this empirical case, we intend to move beyond techno-centric approaches to automation and illustrate the value of incorporating systemic perspectives in worker-centered automation efforts.