A Systemic-Structural Activity Approach to the Design of Human-Computer Interaction Tasks

In this article, a new approach to the study of Human-Computer interaction (HCI) from the activity theory perspective is presented. A computer-based task was selected for demonstration purposes. Due to its complexity, variability, and number of mental components, the selected computer-based task presented difficulties in observation and formal description. Other tasks involving computers bared similar difficulties. In this study, it is demonstrated that activity theory, which has precise units of analysis and carefully elaborated concepts and terminology, can be useful in the study of HCIs. The examination and description of the computer-based task in this study are carried out through a systemic-structural analysis approach associated with activity theory.