A meta-synthesis of the use of activity theory in design for sustainable behaviour
Over the past decade, the field of design for sustainable behaviour (DfSB) has gained a growing amount of research interest. However, as the field evolves, new challenges also arise. A suitable unit of analysis is needed to contextualize users’ behaviour issues in a broader socio-cultural and long-t...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2021-01-01
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| Series: | Design Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2053470121000172/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1811156414354161664 |
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| author | Wanjun Chu Wiktoria Glad Renee Wever |
| author_facet | Wanjun Chu Wiktoria Glad Renee Wever |
| author_sort | Wanjun Chu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Over the past decade, the field of design for sustainable behaviour (DfSB) has gained a growing amount of research interest. However, as the field evolves, new challenges also arise. A suitable unit of analysis is needed to contextualize users’ behaviour issues in a broader socio-cultural and long-term perspective. This paper explores the use of activity theory (AT) as a potential lens for guiding empirical analysis and design exploration in DfSB. By employing a meta-synthesis approach, we systematically search and synthesize existing studies that adopted AT in design for sustainability. Key findings show that AT’s principles and theoretical implications are especially useful for helping design researchers frame and address DfSB challenges. We argue that by taking activity as the unit of analysis, the AT lens can enable researchers to incorporate users’ dynamic, multi-level and complex activity systems into DfSB considerations. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T04:51:09Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0fcef632bc51416aa5d5aa2fe806a227 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2053-4701 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T04:51:09Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Design Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-0fcef632bc51416aa5d5aa2fe806a2272023-03-09T12:32:01ZengCambridge University PressDesign Science2053-47012021-01-01710.1017/dsj.2021.17A meta-synthesis of the use of activity theory in design for sustainable behaviourWanjun Chu0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0236-4129Wiktoria Glad1Renee Wever2Department of Management and Engineering, Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping, SwedenDepartment of Thematic Studies, Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping, SwedenDepartment of Management and Engineering, Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping, SwedenOver the past decade, the field of design for sustainable behaviour (DfSB) has gained a growing amount of research interest. However, as the field evolves, new challenges also arise. A suitable unit of analysis is needed to contextualize users’ behaviour issues in a broader socio-cultural and long-term perspective. This paper explores the use of activity theory (AT) as a potential lens for guiding empirical analysis and design exploration in DfSB. By employing a meta-synthesis approach, we systematically search and synthesize existing studies that adopted AT in design for sustainability. Key findings show that AT’s principles and theoretical implications are especially useful for helping design researchers frame and address DfSB challenges. We argue that by taking activity as the unit of analysis, the AT lens can enable researchers to incorporate users’ dynamic, multi-level and complex activity systems into DfSB considerations.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2053470121000172/type/journal_articlesustainable developmentdesign for sustainabilitydesign for sustainable behaviouractivity theoryactivity-centered design |
| spellingShingle | Wanjun Chu Wiktoria Glad Renee Wever A meta-synthesis of the use of activity theory in design for sustainable behaviour Design Science sustainable development design for sustainability design for sustainable behaviour activity theory activity-centered design |
| title | A meta-synthesis of the use of activity theory in design for sustainable behaviour |
| title_full | A meta-synthesis of the use of activity theory in design for sustainable behaviour |
| title_fullStr | A meta-synthesis of the use of activity theory in design for sustainable behaviour |
| title_full_unstemmed | A meta-synthesis of the use of activity theory in design for sustainable behaviour |
| title_short | A meta-synthesis of the use of activity theory in design for sustainable behaviour |
| title_sort | meta synthesis of the use of activity theory in design for sustainable behaviour |
| topic | sustainable development design for sustainability design for sustainable behaviour activity theory activity-centered design |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2053470121000172/type/journal_article |
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