Research Approaches and Field Work Methods

1
Research Approaches and Field Work Methods

• Mapping - Conceptual Maps
• Mapping - Information Flows, Information Audits
• Mapping - Analysis, Visualizations
• Mapping - Cumulative Knowledge
• Building shared pictures from field research and
  analysis
• Communities of practice, larger communities
• Networks of activity systems, communities
  (Korpela)

2
Field Research Analysis

• Multi-disciplinary field research
• Perspectives research team members
• Resources for sharing perspectives
• Field notes template flexible, iterative
• Perspectives practitioners, communities of
  practice
• Mapping diverse perspectives in relation to a
  shared object of activity
• Interviews planning to include perspectives
• Resources for reflection

3
Field Research Analysis

• Tools for multi-disciplinary field research
• Web site
• Field notes template, in-progress reporting
• Visual representations photos, graphics
• Mapping activities and communities of practice
• Information flows, information audits
• Audio interviews, talk at work, communicative
  action
• Video naturally occurring activities, active
  interviewing, interaction analysis
• Portfolios artifacts, documents, screen prints

4
Research Approaches and Field Work Methods

• Conceptual Maps
• Levels of Analysis
• Unit of analysis (activity theory)
• One should be able to delineate the object of
  research and to draw a boundary between the
  object and the background, and one should be able
  to find an entity in which all the threads of
  research can be conveniently connected. (Kuutti,
  p. 249

5
Research Approaches and Field Work Methods

• Contexts of activities
• Organizational context
• Sociohistorical context
• Situated contexts
• How contexts interact co-construct instances of
  activities