HP Labs Technical Reports

Adding Interaction Analysis to the User Research Portfolio

Frohlich, David

HPL-93-39

Keyword(s):

Abstract: One practical consequence of turning from cognitive to social theories of computer use in an increased propensity to use and benefit from new methods of user research which are sensitive to the social and interactional dimensions of human computer interaction. In this paper I suggest that existing methods of user research might be supplemented with Interaction Analysis (IA) which provides information on the sequential organization of technologically and socially mediated activity. This argument is illustrated with reference to an ongoing requirements study of interpersonal communications at work, using IA within an applied industrial setting.

Back to Index