User actions as a mediator for concept designers

The aim of this paper is to suggest a general approach based on Activity Theory for designing computer systems to support collaboration between creative product concept designers. We will focus on the level of action and examine situated actions in design. The research material consists of design workshops in the domain of electronics industry. Activity Theory, which provides the structure of activity, actions and operation, was used as the framework of video analysis and observation. It appears that concept design activity is mediated through the designers' understanding of user actions. This finding has a fundamental effect on how future computer applications for collaboration should be developed. These systems are seen as mediators of how designers understand user activity, actions and operations. The implications of this for computer systems design are presented with two examples, which demonstrate a technique called shared virtual prototyping. © 2001 IEEE.