The Programme on Information and Communication Technologies (PICT) was a major initiative of the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), which aimed to explore social science perspectives on the rapidly evolving Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and inform policy debate in the field. The research is conducted by a network of six centres - Brunel University (CRICT); Polytechnic of Central London (CCIS); The University of Edinburgh (RCSS); UMIST (CROMTEC); University of Newcastle (CURDS); and University of Sussex (SPRU) - and coordinated from the University of Oxford.

Edinburgh PICT research was based at the Research Centre for Social Sciences and drew on expertise in the Departments of Business Studies, Economics and Sociology, as well as the Science Studies Unit. The group started from the assumption that the development and implementation of new technologies cannot be wholly explained by technical considerations, but that complex social, political and economic factors are involved. The research effort therefore focused on the 'social shaping' of ICTs, at the level of detailed technical design. It aimed to elucidate the considerable scope which exists - for both producers and users of technology - to influence the direction and consequence of technological change. Much of the research involved building strong links with the policy community, in industry and in government

Edinburgh PICT centre produced series of Research Reports, Working Papers and Student Papers. The Working Paper Series in particular defined, shaped and transformed several research fields across science, technology and innovation studies. It aimed to facilitate the fastest possible dissemination of results emanating from PICT research at Edinburgh. Specifically, the Working Papers cover three types of results (i) preliminary results of research in progress (ii) results about specific aspects of the Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), representing little known information of value by way of 'background briefing (iii) conceptual or theoretical contributions to current policy or academic debate about technology in general or ICTs in particular.