Intention and motive in information-system design: Toward a theory and method for assessing users' needs

Abstract

Design of communication technologies such as our own effort to develop a youth-services information system for a local community, present practical problems in the collection and interpretation of data on users' needs and the development of design specifications responsive to these needs. Activity theory provides a conceptual framework for such a design effort by explaining how users' conscious intentions and unconscious or partially conscious motives can be inferred from their activities. Methodologies such as focus-group and participatory-design meetings provide appropriate means of collecting data on users' activities. Further development of conceptual categories for users' activities and for the development of design specifications will be necessary, however, to fully operationalize the theory. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2005.