Capturing the Context of Use to Inform System Design

Abstract

New system design often focuses on opportunities afforded by technology without careful analysis of the needs of the people and work involved. A strong consensus has been found across diverse design traditions regarding the need for in-depth analysis of the context of use to inform system design. Analysis of context of use encompasses identifying and characterizing the range of situations that can arise, the demands they impose, and the motivations and activities of the people involved. This paper presents three case studies in which context of use analysis was a key part of successful system design. The three case studies represent work-centered design, emerging from cognitive engineering and cognitive systems engineering; interaction design, emerging from industrial and communication design; and participatory design, emerging from the Scandinavian labor movement. The case studies highlight commonalities in experience and core tenets across traditions. They argue for the importance of incorporating context of use analyses as part of the systems engineering process and illustrate a variety of approaches for context of use analysis.