Action facilitation and desired behavior

Abstract

The objective of this chapter is to provide a theoretical model and concepts that give insights in the relation between technology and desired user behavior. This knowledge is relevant for the design of adequate technological artifacts. An artifact is said to be adequate when its characteristics facilitate the user's actions in work situations. The insights are of a cognitive psychological nature and lie at the level of the individual user. The model and concepts presented in this chapter are based on so-called human action theory (Hacker, 1986 and Rasmussen, 1986). Human action theory offers a framework for describing a number of relevant perceptual, cognitive and motor mechanisms that play a role during human work activities. Human action theory positions the interaction between artifact and user in the context of work situations. This means that the user (or worker) interacts with the artifact in order to achieve certain goals. Desired user behavior may be defined as human activities resulting in a desired output for the environment and the user. For the environment, this means that the user's organization and the society at large positively value the results of the interaction. At the level of the user, the assumption is that desired user behavior occurs when the user experiences the benefits of interacting with the artifact. In other words, when there is a good fit between characteristics of the artifact, the user and the user's task. The artifact should possess characteristics that invite the user to (re-)use the artifact in such a way that optimization of his or her work behavior occurs over time. The inviting characteristics of an artifact are related to the 'affordance of an artifact' (Norman, 1988), and the optimization of the work behavior to the concept of 'action facilitation' (Roe, 1984; 1988). Both concepts are elaborated in the contribution on the basis of the model of the interaction between artifacts and humans. Furthermore, relevant issues of action theory are presented, i.e. the way people prepare, execute and regulate their actions. Finally, the importance of active optimization is stressed. © 2006 Springer.