Periodic Reporting for period 1 - TechConnect (TechConnect: Assessing and Strengthening Human-Tech Skill Complementarity in the Digital Landscape)
Période du rapport: 2024-10-01 au 2025-12-31
Digital technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics, advanced data systems and automation are transforming workplaces across Europe. In sectors such as healthcare, these technologies promise improved efficiency, enhanced decision-making and better service outcomes. However, digital transformation is not purely a technical challenge. Its success depends on how technologies interact with human skills and organisational systems.
In many cases, there is a gap between what the technologies is intended to do and what it actually performs when mobilized in daily work. These gaps can reduce effectiveness, create unintended workload pressures, and undermine trust in digital innovation as well as in management. Ensuring that advanced technologies complement rather than disrupt human expertise is therefore a key challenge, across industries.
TechConnect addresses this challenge by examining how digital technologies and human skills interact in real operational environments. The project develops a systemic understanding of “human–technology skills complementarity”, analysing how digital systems align with the work performed in individual tasks, by professional roles, teams, departments and organisations as a whole.
The project pursues three core objectives:
To develop a scientifically grounded framework for understanding human–technology skill complementarity;
To design and validate a practical assessment tool capable of identifying gaps between intended and actual technology use;
To create guidance and intervention models that support organisations in implementing digital technologies in ways that strengthen human capabilities.
By combining social sciences, management research, healthcare practice and digital innovation studies, TechConnect contributes to Europe’s priorities on digital transformation, skills development and responsible, human-centred technological change.
In many cases, there is a gap between what the technologies is intended to do and what it actually performs when mobilized in daily work. These gaps can reduce effectiveness, create unintended workload pressures, and undermine trust in digital innovation as well as in management. Ensuring that advanced technologies complement rather than disrupt human expertise is therefore a key challenge, across industries.
TechConnect addresses this challenge by examining how digital technologies and human skills interact in real operational environments. The project develops a systemic understanding of “human–technology skills complementarity”, analysing how digital systems align with the work performed in individual tasks, by professional roles, teams, departments and organisations as a whole.
The project pursues three core objectives:
To develop a scientifically grounded framework for understanding human–technology skill complementarity;
To design and validate a practical assessment tool capable of identifying gaps between intended and actual technology use;
To create guidance and intervention models that support organisations in implementing digital technologies in ways that strengthen human capabilities.
By combining social sciences, management research, healthcare practice and digital innovation studies, TechConnect contributes to Europe’s priorities on digital transformation, skills development and responsible, human-centred technological change.
In its first phase, TechConnect established the scientific and empirical foundations required to achieve its objectives.
Extensive observational research was conducted in multiple hospital environments across Europe. Researchers carried out more than 400 hours of structured field observations across 12 case studies and conducted over 100 in-depth interviews with healthcare professionals from diverse occupational groups. This generated a detailed evidence base on how advanced digital technologies interact with professional work in complex real-world settings.
In parallel, a cross-sectoral industry survey gathered insights from employers and employees on digital skills and human–technology interaction. The survey produced several hundred responses and provided an initial quantitative baseline for understanding how organisations prioritise digital and human skills in practice.
Building on this evidence, the project operationalised its conceptual framework and began developing a Human–Technology Skill Complementarity Index. This tool is being designed as a practical diagnostic instrument to help organisations identify where technology implementation diverges from intended use and where targeted improvements can enhance performance and resilience.
The project also established governance structures, stakeholder engagement mechanisms and open dissemination channels to ensure continuous knowledge exchange with policymakers, healthcare leaders, industry representatives and other European initiatives.
These achievements position TechConnect to move into its next phase, where assessment tools and strengthening models will be applied and validated in practice.
Extensive observational research was conducted in multiple hospital environments across Europe. Researchers carried out more than 400 hours of structured field observations across 12 case studies and conducted over 100 in-depth interviews with healthcare professionals from diverse occupational groups. This generated a detailed evidence base on how advanced digital technologies interact with professional work in complex real-world settings.
In parallel, a cross-sectoral industry survey gathered insights from employers and employees on digital skills and human–technology interaction. The survey produced several hundred responses and provided an initial quantitative baseline for understanding how organisations prioritise digital and human skills in practice.
Building on this evidence, the project operationalised its conceptual framework and began developing a Human–Technology Skill Complementarity Index. This tool is being designed as a practical diagnostic instrument to help organisations identify where technology implementation diverges from intended use and where targeted improvements can enhance performance and resilience.
The project also established governance structures, stakeholder engagement mechanisms and open dissemination channels to ensure continuous knowledge exchange with policymakers, healthcare leaders, industry representatives and other European initiatives.
These achievements position TechConnect to move into its next phase, where assessment tools and strengthening models will be applied and validated in practice.
TechConnect advances the state of the art by shifting attention from technology adoption alone to the dynamic relationship between technology and human skills.
Much existing research focuses on technical performance or user acceptance. TechConnect instead conceptualises digital transformation as a multi-level socio-technical process. It demonstrates that successful implementation depends on how technologies align with professional expertise, organisational structures and the tacit knowledge of workers.
Methodologically, the project combines ethnographic observation, systems thinking and large-scale survey analysis. This integrated approach enables deeper insight into how digital systems function in complex operational environments rather than isolated experimental settings.
A key innovation is the development of a structured assessment index that translates theoretical insights into a practical diagnostic framework. By connecting conceptual analysis with actionable measurement, TechConnect bridges the gap between academic research and organisational application.
Through its interdisciplinary integration of social sciences and technological analysis, the project strengthens Europe’s capacity to manage digital transformation as a socio-technical challenge rather than a purely technical upgrade.
Much existing research focuses on technical performance or user acceptance. TechConnect instead conceptualises digital transformation as a multi-level socio-technical process. It demonstrates that successful implementation depends on how technologies align with professional expertise, organisational structures and the tacit knowledge of workers.
Methodologically, the project combines ethnographic observation, systems thinking and large-scale survey analysis. This integrated approach enables deeper insight into how digital systems function in complex operational environments rather than isolated experimental settings.
A key innovation is the development of a structured assessment index that translates theoretical insights into a practical diagnostic framework. By connecting conceptual analysis with actionable measurement, TechConnect bridges the gap between academic research and organisational application.
Through its interdisciplinary integration of social sciences and technological analysis, the project strengthens Europe’s capacity to manage digital transformation as a socio-technical challenge rather than a purely technical upgrade.