Paul Dourish
Paul Dourish is a computer scientist and professor of informatics researching human-computer interaction. He teaches at University of California, Irvine. He has also done work at Xerox PARC and the Apple’s research labs.
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On Embodiment and Meaning
Embodiment • Everyday
The cognitivist frame, one that separates representation from action, has shaped the design of computer technologies. Embodied interaction is an alternative perspective that prioritizes our interaction with the real, everyday world as the site of meaningful experiences with technology.
Where the Action Is • 2001
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On Coupling By Users, Not Designers
Embodiment • Human-centeredness • Participatory Design
Users build the intentional relationships between objects through use, not the designer. Instead of planning for specific scenarios of use, designers should consider how an object is made available for appropriation and adaptation.
Where the Action Is • 2001
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On How Technologies Participate in the World They Represent
Technology • Embodiment
Technology can represent information, but it also embedded in the world and practices of the people who use it. When designing, consider the information that is not carried directly by the technology, but communicated through its use.
Where the Action Is • 2001
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On Accountability in a Community of Practice
Human-centeredness • Situatedness
When designing technology for a community of practice, pay attention to how action is taken, not just what action is taken. The observability and understandability of action in context, its accountability, is a necessary part of how a result is achieved.
Where the Action Is • 2001