| dc.description.abstract | This thesis explores contextually various aspects of intuitive use of user interfaces. By viewing use-activity as an object in itself, and as such something one might relate to as familiar, it attempts to situate the understanding of intuitive use within an activity theoretical framework by leaning on a task and goal based approach to the human-computer [inter]activity.
The research in this thesis is undertaken in a, controlled, skilled worker environment, and discusses two aspects of the case study; (1) the comingling of developers and users during the development process of this narrow, niche software where the main use-activity, following the established practice among the users, is centred around sketching preliminary test solutions, and (2) human use of the software when it was released.
Based on the literature and the empirical findings, this thesis proposes that intuitive interaction, in addition to the momentary recognition of artefacts, emerges when a sequence of single operations that make up a compound action, through a person's practice and skill acquisition, merge into one automated operation.
And that the close proximity between the users and the developers during the development period may have lead to this system that was immediately usable by skilled users and easily learnt by novice users, by the minute adherence to the established practice among the users, where the main task is sketching and testing preliminary solutions. Thus being designed to treat mistakes and breakdowns as a source for development rather than something that is unwanted and has to be avoided. | en_US |