Andy Blunden: Project-oriented theoretical approach [Activity Theory]
Andy Blunden’s Project-oriented theoretical approach is a major development of Activity Theory in the past decade.
Oliver Ding
Founder of CALL (Creative Action Learning Lab), information architect, knowledge curator.
All Edge: The Projectification of Work [Activity Theory]
The Activity System model has been orienting many empirical research since 1987. Clay Spinuzzi’s book All Edge: Inside the new workplace networks (2015) is a great example.
Topsight: Three Levels of Scope [Activity Theory]
Based on three levels of activity and HCI researchers’ methods, Spinuzzi suggested “Macroscopic”, “Mesosopic”, and “Microsopic” for describing three levels of analysis for empirical research.
The Hierarchy of Human Activity [Activity Theory]
The hierarchical structure of activity was originally conceptualized by A. N. Leontiev (1978). We have to notice that the goal of Leontiev was developing a psychological theory at the individual level with the concept of Activity.
The Evolution of Activity [Activity Theory]
Engeström tracked back human activity to the animal form of activity. He said, “A central tenet embedded in this model is the immediately collective and populational character of animal activity and species development (see Jensen 1981).”
The Concept of Mediation [Activity Theory]
The concept of Mediation is important for Activity Theory. Since the theoretical traditions has different versions, the concept of Mediation also has different versions.
Yrjö Engeström: the Activity System Model [Activity Theory]
Yrjö Engeström upgraded the activity theory from the individual activity level to collective activity level with a conceptual model of “activity system” in order to apply activity theory to educational settings, organizational development and other fields
Andy Blunden’s vision of Activity Theory
A major development of Activity Theory during the past decade is Andy Blunden’s account “An Interdisciplinary Theory of Activity”.
Method 101: Diagramming as Theorizing
Engeström considered the use of graphic models as an important part of his method of theory building. He sees graphic models as both representations and instruments which invite readers to build their own version of the diagram.
Case study: Andmind Group [Activity Theory]
I really like Spinuzzi’s typology of activities and applied it to a strategy development discussion in 2017. I’d like to share this experience as a story for case study.