Skip to main content

Using Activity Theory to Identify Relevant Context Parameters

  • Chapter
Location Based Services and TeleCartography II

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Geoinformation and Cartography ((LNGC))

Abstract

One of the most important aspects of ubiquitous computing is context-awareness. In this paper, we adopt an interactional perspective on context: 1) Something is context because it is used for adapting the interaction between the human and the current system. 2) Activity is central to context. 3) Context differs in each occasion of the activity. Based on this understanding, this paper proposes an Activity Theory based method which attempts to answer the following questions: how to analyze activity for context-awareness, and how to identify relevant context parameters. This method includes two steps: 1) Decomposing activity into actions, which we take as units for identifying context parameters, by using Activity Theory’s hierachical structure of activity. 2) Identifying relevant context parameters for each action by our extended Activity Theory’s framework. Finally, this paper gives an outlook how this method can be used in designing context-aware pedestrian wayfinding services.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Barthelmess P, Anderson KM (2002) A view of software development environments based on activity theory, Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW), vol. 11, no. 1-2, pp.13-37.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen Y, Atwood ME (2007) Context-centered design: bridging the gap between understanding and designing, In Jacko J (Eds.), HCII 2007, LNCS 4550, pp. 40–48.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dey AK, Abowd GD (1999) Towards a Better Understanding of Context and Context-Awareness, College of Computing, Georgia Institute of Technology, Tech. Rep. GIT-GVU-99-22.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dourish P (2004) What we talk about when we talk about context, Personal and Ubiquitous Computing, vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 19–30.

    Google Scholar 

  • Downs RM, Stea D (1977) Maps in minds: Refl ections on cognitive mapping, Harper & Row.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dransch D (2005) Activity and Context – A Conceptual Framework for Mobile Geoservices, In Meng L, Zipf A, Reichenbacher T (Eds), Map-based Mobile Services – Theories, Methods, and Implementations, Springer, pp. 31-42.

    Google Scholar 

  • Engeström Y (1987) Learning by expanding, Helsinki: Orienta-konsultit. Engeström, Y.: Developmental studies of work as a testbench of activity theory. In Chaiklin S and Lave J (Eds.), Understanding practice: perspectives on activity and context, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 64–103 (1993)

    Google Scholar 

  • Gartner G, Uhlirz S (2005) Cartographic Location Based Services. In Meng L, Zipf A, Reichenbacher T (Eds), Map-based Mobile Services – Theories, Methods, and Implementations, Springer, pp. 159-169.

    Google Scholar 

  • Henricksen K, Indulska J, Rakotonirainy A (2002) Modeling context information in pervasive computing systems, In Mattern F, Naghshineh M (Eds.), Pervasive 2002, LNCS 2414, pp. 167–180.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaenampornpan M, O’Neill E (2004) Modelling context: an activity theory approach, In Markopoulos P, Eggen B, Aarts E, Croeley JL (Eds), EUSAI 2004. LNCS 3295, pp. 367–374.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kofod-Peterson A, Cassens J (2005) Using activity theory to model context awareness, In Roth-Berghofer TR, Schulz S, Leake DB (Eds.), MRC 2005, LNAI 3946, pp. 1–17.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leont’ev AN (1987) Activity, consciousness, and personality, Prentice Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lueg C (2002) Operationalizing context in context-aware artifacts: benefi ts and pitfalls, Informing Science, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 43-47.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nardi AB (1996) Activity theory and human-computer interaction, In Nardi AB (Eds.), Context and consciousness: activity theory and human-computer interaction, MIT Press, pp. 4-8.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reichenbacher T (2004) Mobile cartography - adaptive visualisation of geographic information on mobile devices, PhD Thesis, Technical University of Munich.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sarjakoski LT, Nivala AM (2005) Adaptation to Context – A Way to Improve the Usability of Mobile Maps, In Meng L, Zipf A, Reichenbacher T (Eds), Map-based Mobile Services –

    Google Scholar 

  • Theories, Methods, and Implementations, Springer, pp. 107-123. Schilit BN, Adams NI, Want R (1994) Context-aware computing applications, IEEE WMCSA, pp. 85-90.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schmidt A (2002) Ubiquitous Computing – Computing in Context, PhD Thesis, Lancaster University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Winograd T (2001) Architectures for context, Human-Computer Interaction, vol. 16, no. 2/4, pp. 401-419.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zimmermann A, Lorenz A, Oppermann R (2007) An operational defi nition of context, In Kokinov B, Richardson DC, Roth-Berghofer T, Vieu L (Eds.), CONTEXT 2007, LNAI 4635, pp. 558–571.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zipf A, von Hunolstein S (2003) Task oriented map-based mobile tourist guides, In Mobile Guides Workshop at Mobile HCI 2003, Undine, Itlay.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zipf A, Joest M (2003) User expectations and preferences regarding location bases services – results of a survey, In Gartner G (Eds), LBS & TeleCartography, Geowissenschaftliche Mitteilungen, vol. 66, pp 63-68.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2009 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Huang, H., Gartner, G. (2009). Using Activity Theory to Identify Relevant Context Parameters. In: Gartner, G., Rehrl, K. (eds) Location Based Services and TeleCartography II. Lecture Notes in Geoinformation and Cartography. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-87393-8_3

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics