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Participatory and other approaches to technology development have shared a recent preoccupation with specific methods and doubts about just how much can be expected of the methods themselves, as opposed to how they are applied, by whom, and in what circumstances. Detailed analysis of historical cases suggests that the development of both technologies and methodologies is highly dependent on local context. Such processes are characterized by conflicts over the direction of change and affected by the activities of a particular type of grouping, the development coalition. These coalitions are examined and implications are considered for training, education and Participatory technology development.