Between arrangements and hitches in a nuclear plant
Our paper shows the relevance of the activity concept to comprehend work ‘in the making’, through the empirical inquiry of a nuclear plant. In this world little observed ‘in action’, the distributed work aims at ensuring production and safety requirements. This questions clearly the management of unexpected events and coordination between various occupational groups. The article investigated these issues through planning, that we describe in its temporal, spatial and material dimensions. We show that planning, often viewed as mundane and simple by practitioners as researchers, is subject to many contradictory influences. We explore the complex relations between planning and articulation work, by focusing on three facets : spaces, writings and humans. We conclude on the methodological and theoretical contributions of planning study through the ‘activity’ lens.