ACTIVITY SYSTEMS ANALYSIS IN DESIGN RESEARCH

Lisa Yamagata-Lynch

Associate Professor

University of Tennessee at Knoxville

LisaYL@utk.edu

http://www.lisayamagatalynch.net/

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Design Research Understanding human activity in real-world

situations with data collection, analysis, and presentation methods that address the complexities of human activity in natural settings aimed to advance both theory and practice

• Design Experiments (Brown, 1992; Collins, 1992)• Design-Based Research (Barab & Squire, 2004; The

Design-Based Researcher Collective, 2003)• Development research (Reeves, 2006, Wang &

Hanaffin, 2005)

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Design Research

Analyze Real-World Data with Activity

Systems

Disseminate Research Results

Empower Participants to Voice their Real-World Situations

Develop and Disseminate Insights on

Methodology

Big Question to myself: Am I really doing this, and can I do it all at once?

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Why Activity Systems Analysis for Studying Design?• Design and development is an in-the-moment activity that is difficult to document, analyze, and communicate with others

• For example:• http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/26/business/energy-en

vironment/26smart.html

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Passive Home Design AnalysisBy LYL and ETR 790 2010 Students

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CHAT and Activity Systems Analysis

• Cultural Historical Activity Theory goes back to Vygotsky’s work in the 1920s to 1930s

• Activity systems analysis is one data analysis method within CHAT developed by Engeström in late 1980s

• Many existing authors refer to activity systems analysis and activity theory synonymously, but I do not see it that way

• CHAT and activity systems analysis is a great perspective/methodological tool for analyzing complex qualitative data sets

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Vygotsky’s Main Concepts• Mediated Action

Reprinted with permission of Cambridge University Press. Cole, M., & Engeström, Y. (1993). A cultural-historical approach to distributed cognition. In G. Salomon (Ed.), Distributed cognitions: Psychological and educational considerations (pp. 1-46). New York: Cambridge University Press.

Interpersonal Communication Process

Mediating Artifact / Tool

Subject Object

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Criticisms of Vygotsky's Work

• Dualistic language—external and internal problem (Galperin, 1992)

• Person-solo-centered (Matusov, 1998)• Theory stayed relational and not transformational (Stesenko, 2009)

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Post Vygotsky--Kharkovites

• Deal with internal/external problem• Human activity

• Unit of analysis = both mental and observable behavior

• Mental activity = sign• Occurs in collective context

• Object-oriented activity and goal-directed actions (Leontiev, 1981)

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Understanding the Object

• Object• Goal, motive, or material product• Reason why individuals choose to participate in an activity

• Holds the activity together

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Activity Systems Model

• Engeström introduced activity systems analysis as an analytical method in activity theory by broadening the concept of mediated action

Reprinted with permission of Yrjö Engeström. Engeström, Y. (1987). Learning by expanding: An activity-theoretical approach to developmental research. Helsinki: Orienta-Konsultit Oy. Retrieved November 30, 2009, from http://lchc.ucsd.edu/MCA/Paper/Engestrom/expanding/toc.htm

Tensions may arise

Tool

Object --> OutcomeSubject

Rules Community Division of Labor

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Passive Home Design AnalysisBy LYL and ETR 790 2010 Students

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Activity Systems Analysis Advantages in Design Research

• Provides new methods for designers to extract the essence of complex data sets in a graphic model that they can communicate with others (Yamagata-Lynch, 2010)

• Can capture educational change as it occurs rather than as it is hypothesized to occur (Rasmussen & Ludvigsen, 2009), and as designers we are often interested in what is happening rather than what we hypothesize will happen

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Advantages of Activity Systems Analysis to Qualitative Research

•Manageable unit of analysis•Systemic implications•Systemic contradictions and tensions •Communicating findings

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Manageable unit of analysis

• Extracts information from massive and complex qualitative data set while maintaining the integrity of the contextual influences on human activity

• Can help identify solutions that take into account how the entire situation would be affected including the participants, social context, outcomes, and future activities

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Systemic Implications

• Identifies relationships among activities

A

B

C

A

B

Superintendent Activity

Student Activity

Teacher Activity

Parent Activity

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Systemic Contradictions and Tensions

•Highlights how systemic contradictions and tensions can drive transformations in human activity

•Portrays how human activity transforms in relation to the context as well as how it transforms the context

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Communicate Findings

•Allows investigators to communicate findings from a holistic perspective by anchoring discussions in units of activity

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Future Discussions to Inform Design Research

•Practical applications•Methodological issues•Transferability of applications and methodologies

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QUESTIONS?

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