Human Agency in Distributed, Fragmented, and AI-Mediated Workflows
Short description
Work is increasingly divided across people, teams, AI copilots and autonomous agents, often across systems and time zones. This project examines what that fragmentation means for human agency, professional judgement, team cohesion and accountability. It will follow how tasks are allocated and handed over, and where people lose sight of decisions and responsibilities.
Multisite case studies will examine coordination and escalation, with particular attention to junior and middle-level employees. The project will identify arrangements that preserve enough context, authority and connection for people to act responsibly. Intended outputs include design principles, task-allocation guidance and role definitions for organisations introducing flexible AI-mediated workflows.
Interested in this project?
Postings are opening throughout autumn 2026.
The official university vacancy will be linked here as soon as it is published, with its application procedure and deadline.
Job advert coming soonYou may apply to up to four EMANAIRE doctoral projects. Submit a separate application for each position and briefly identify your other EMANAIRE applications, including any you intend to submit, in each motivation or cover letter.
What the project involves
- Examine how work is divided across people, teams, AI copilots and autonomous agents.
- Study the effects on agency, professional judgement, team cohesion and accountability, especially for junior and middle-level employees.
- Use multisite case studies to investigate task allocation, handovers, coordination and escalation.
- Develop design principles and guidance on task allocation and roles that preserve context, authority and responsibility.