“Activity theory is a conceptual
framework based on the idea that activity is primary,
that doing precedes thinking, that
goals, images, cognitive models, intentions, and
abstract notions like “definition” and “determinant” grow out of
people doing things” (University of Wolongong, 2007)
For design, it seems that the Activity Theory makes perfect sense.
Often we find that while designing, it is vital to make and build models as
they show us outcomes that we may not have envisioned. To use drawing tools, to
use Solidworks and to use photoshop give us our design in a physical form and
when we start doing and making, only then can we see every potential problem so
we can fix it.
Activity Theory uses the whole work
activity as the unit of analysis, where the
activity is broken into the analytical
components of subject, tool and object, where the subject
is the person being studied, the object is the intended activity,
and the tool is the mediating device by which the action is executed.
There are two components that have been added since: The first is rules,
these are
sets of conditions that help to
determine how and why individuals may act, and are a
result of social conditioning. The
second is division of labour, this provides for the
distribution of actions and operations
among a community of workers. These, two
elements affect a new plane of reality
known as community, and through this, groups
of activities and teams of workers are anchored, and can be
analysed (University of Wolongong 2007)
These elements are then seen to run in a ‘ringstructure’
(University of Wolongong, 2007): Basically every component of Activity Theory
is reciprocal. Every effect on one section comes full circle and affects each
section in turn.
This can be so clearly seen with design. As each section was
enhanced, so was the standard of work we produced. With every one that went
wrong, our work fell in quality. When the subject (us) became preoccupied with
passing our other subjects, the work levels for the cart dropped off, and when
the division of labour wasn’t divided up properly, one person ran out of time
to do their part and the quality suffered. The two sections we noted as special
was the ‘tools’ and the ‘community’. The community we had to work in was so
much fun, it was positive and encouraging, it was inspiring and it was
exciting. We were encouraged to bring food and drink into class and we were
encouraged to talk and discuss and ride the food cart bike down the hallways.
The classroom community completely reinforced our group community and this was
very beneficial to our team morale.
The other was tools. Tools have got to be
the main thing that got us over the line. I’ve discussed the other tools we
took advantage of previously but the most influential tools we ever took part
in were the elote ‘hands on’ and the 1:1 scale model making days. The elote
hands on (which I missed but re-enacted myself later on) was the thing that
really made us understand fully what we were selling and especially the mess
that came along with it! We understood what the experience would be like for
the chef and for the customer and with that, we began to design the service
bench and the layout of the cart. With the model making days, our major success
was nutting out entirely where every component snugly fit and how the whole
cart unfolded, set up, functioned and packed up during every shift. Our design
improved and finalised though these methods and before we knew it, it was presentation
day and we had a working cart. Every team member (and therefore every
discipline) agreed strongly that these two days were two of the most productive
things we did this whole semester. Stepping into your users shoes and then
making the model are the two things that every designer should do with every design,
every time.
Elote Hands-on
Model making:
