Agency as Tuning

Tuning can be a useful metaphor for designing for agency. I've been talking about different forms of agency since the beginning of my research. Tuning metaphor can be helpful for describing emergence and evolution of different forms of agency. According to the context, we can define a set of tunable properties of relation (between two agents or more...) , the extent the transforming assemblage enables/constraints tuning of those properties will explicate whether relational agency is promoted or not!?

What can be the tunable properties of an interaction? are they properties/attributes that an agent has? or are they properties emerging out of  interaction? ANT claims that everything is an "effect"! i.e. emergent. Thus, even the properties we think that belong to humans or material things might be emergent. This can be partly true for analytical purposes. However, what kind of stance would be useful for this research? Relationality of agency is the key concept of the research, but ultimately we in a way need to relate results to humans, their motives, needs, intent, joy etc.. That is a kind human-centrism or human-orientation seems inevitable. As a result we, as designers/researchers find ourselves in a position, which asks us to ultimately focus on transformations of ways humans perceive and act. What extent can humans tune their capacity in relation to other humans/artefacts and environment and their materialities.
 
Again, What can be the tunable properties of an interaction ( in use phase )?
these properties are dependent on the type of case and activity.  Anything can be seen as a tunable property but we can delineate some important properties. This list is neither extensive nor complete just a start point of defining and working with some common properties of relational agency...

- Forms of the assemblage: relative position and roles of agents in the assemblage
 what could be the ranges of tuning.. tuning could be at a metaphorical level as well.

- Patterns of acting: movement patterns of humans
- Modes of perception: and awareness of humans
- Modes of engagement: transparent and reflective

What can be the tunable properties of an interaction ( in design/production phase )?
This question is related with the design time agency..


representations of forms of relational agency?? - may not be needed!