Defining the crucial users - An activity theoretical for finding the missing voices

Abstract

We are presenting a historical analysis of a design process of a diabetes database. Particularly, we study which user groups of the database have affected the design work and which have remained absent from the design process. The theoretical framework of our study is based on activity theory, and a three-level model consisting of a local design, particular technology, and societal domain is introduced as a conceptual tool for the historical analysis. A working hypothesis concerning the future direction of the design process is proposed on the basis of the analysis. We shall also discuss the practical use of this hypothesis in the design process.