2009-01-20 Helena Lindgren1

Why Activity Theory in HCI?

Reaction against what was viewed as the limitations of HCI

The role of the artefact poorly investigated or understood Focus on novice users Limited possibility to use task analyses to describe activity

and terms for activity Focus on automatisation of routine tasks Focus on one user – one computer The view on the user as solely object of study

2009-01-20 Helena Lindgren2

Activity Theory Sources:

Bertelsen/Bödker, course book chapter 11 Victor Kaptelinin Susanne Bödker Yrjö Engeström (”developmental work research” – CHAT)

Origin: Culture-Historical school in former Soviet 1920-30 Lev Vygotsky A. N. Leontjev A. R. Luria

”The Making of Mind” (1976) ” ...in order to have a theory of brain-behavior relations, it is

necessary to have a theory of both the brain and behavior”.

2009-01-20 Helena Lindgren3

Dynamic system theory

Activity: the minimal purposeful context for analysing human activity

Is characterised by constant change = development Humans interact with (and change) their environment by

using tools (language, other artefacts, symbols) Avoids dichotomies

subject

tool

object

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Two basic ideas

1) human’s consciousness develops, exists and can only be understood in the context of the human’s interaction with the world

2) this interaction – *activity* – is socially and culturally augmented

“Man’s activity is the substance of his consciousness.”Leontjev 1977

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Constructs of Activity Theory – 5 keys to understanding human activity

Object orientedness Mediation Hierarchal structure of activity Internalisation – externalisation Development

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Object

A human’s activity is oriented towards an object An entity that exists in the world and can be

studied with objective methods Can be things or humans, theories, models,

ideas, social or cultural phenomenon

subject

tool

object

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Mediating tools

Tools form the way we interact with reality When external tools are shaped, internal are also shaped Tools mirror earlier users’ experiences

The physical properties of the tool Knowledge about how the tool is to be used

Tools can be physical or psychological

The situation determines whether an artefact functions as a tool that mediates activity (not focus for the activity) or functions as an object for activity. A transformation can take place.... Tool object

subject

tool

object

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Hierarchal Structure of Activity

Activity (verksamhet) Fulfills a motive, behind which a need exists. A person may not

be aware of the need but the motive, or purpose Is identified by identifying what object the activity is directed

towards that is to be modified/changed -> the motive Consists of:

Actions (aktivitet) Performed consciously, goal-driven Consists of:

Operations (operationer) Performed without thought, do not have own goals

tran

sfor

mat

ion

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Internalisation Externalisation

Internal activities – cognition External activities (executed outside the body) can be

internalised (ex calculation) Verksamheten som helhet är viktig i denna process; tex

motorisk aktivitet, användandet av artefakter Internal activities can be externalised for the purpose

of involving others in the activity This continuous transformation is viewed as the base

for human cognition and activity

transformation

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The 5 constructs once again...

Activity is directed towards an object to be modified/changed

Tools mediate activity Dynamic and hierarchal structure of activity

Verksamhet (activity) Aktivitet (action) Operation (operation)

Internalisation – externalisation of activity Development

Conflicts – ”breakdowns” ZPD

subject

tool

object

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All keys are needed to understand the activity: What is the activity? What is the object? What is the motive? What are the tools? (internal-external) How are the above-mentioned changed? (identify

breakdowns) ...even if focus lies on one of the phenomenon, e.g., the

system as mediating tool in the use context... Or was the system the object..?

“design of a computer application is design of conditions for the whole use activity.”

Bödker 1999

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Development

What triggers these transformations? Conflicts built into activity systems

Changes in the environment Changes in an individual’s abilities or resources

Causes ”breakdowns” -> transformations -> development, is viewed as something positive!

Development is viewed as a general research methodology – ”formative experiment”

ZPD – ”Zone of proximal development”

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Levels of development in an individual (only intresting in relation to an activity)

Zone of Proximal Development - ZPD

Autonomous / independent

Beyond ZPD

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Engeström’s ”Activity System”

Tool

subject object

Rules / routines Division of labourSociety / work environment / team

Outcome

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Contradictions (Engeström)

Types of contradictions 1) resources vs demands of results 2) Internally within the system 3) towards ”neighbour” activities 4) contradictions between how the activity is

performed today and how it potentially may be performed in the future

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”Web of activities”

Central activity

Rule producingactivity

Subject producingactivity

Tool producingactivity

Future more developedcentral activity

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Earlier projects: Examples – What is the activity?

Volvo: Montering vs. lager

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Verksamhet: MonteringAktiviteter: montering av objekt A-Ö, beställning av fler objekt vid bristOperationer: skruva, ”skjuta”, hämta

Färdig, felfri hytt

Hyttlinjemontör

Handdator, monteringsverktyg, lista

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Verksamhet: Hantera material som ska levereras till linjenAktiviteter: Ta emot beställningar, hämta varor, leverera varor,

fylla på varor i lager, beställa varor från leverantörerOperationer: manövrera truck, dator, kolla streckkoder

Material-hanteringtruckförare

dator, truck, lista, kodnummer, vagnar

Rättmateriallevererasi tid tillminstamöjligakostnad?

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Verksamhet: SystemförvaltningAktiviteter: Uppdatera system, upprätta förvaltningsplan,

identifiera informationsflödenOperationer: manövrera dator, applikationer, ...

220 systemSystemförvaltare

Lotus-notes, pärm m förvaltningsplaner, kommunikationshjm, egna scheman

Regler Systemägare,tekniker, användare

Organisation

Friktionsfri,säker

system-användning

ute iverksamheterPROBLEM: Visu

alisering av komplex

information

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The course from an activity-theoretical perspective

verktyg

subjekt objekt

regler / rutiner arbetsfördelningsamhälle / arbetsplats

resultat

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”Crystallized” Activity Theory

Checklists Bödker (fig 11.8) Korpela et al. (fig 11.9) Focus and focus shift (fig 11.10) Activity checklist

Kaptelinin Victor, Nardi Bonnie, Macaulay C. The Activity Checklist: A Tool for Representing the “Space” of Context. Interactions, july, august 1999

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Contributions of Activity Theory to HCI

Extending the scope of HCI HCI needs to move focus from only ”human factors” towards

the wider perspective ”human actors” Collective learning Knowledge generation Shift from byrocratic to dynamic organisations ”action research”

Adding dynamic properties to previously over-simplified concepts like transparency, affordance, direct manipulation

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Literature Tips

Bödker, Susanne (1989), "A human activity apporach to user interfaces", Human-Computer Interaction, Ch. 4, pp 171-195.

Hasu Mervi, Engeström Yrjö (1999), "Measurement in Action: An Activity-Theoretical Perspective on Producer-User Interaction". http://www.edu.helsinki.fi/activity/people/mervi.htm

Kaptelinin Victor, Nardi Bonnie, Macaulay C. (1999) “The Activity Checklist: A Tool for Representing the “Space” of Context”. Interactions, july, august, 1999

Kaptelinin Victor, Nardi Bonnie. “Acting with Technology – Activity Theory and Interaction Design”. The MIT Press (2007)

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