Taking articulation seriously : an activity theoretical approach

Abstract

All work needs to be articulated in terms of “Who should do what, how, when and where”, and this becomes more complicated as more actors are involved. The use of computers in cooperative work implies new needs for articulations due to the individual’s dynamic and changing situation in respect to collective and individual aspects. The computers should mediate both categories of activities, without hampering the alternation between them. In the conceptualisation of articulation work, the paper presents a framework that is aimed at exploring and analysing this complexity of articulation. Basic principles from activity theory constitute an appropriate approach in this respect.