Transition from Object to Activity: Product Design Knowledge Models

Abstract

The traditional interactive roles of the designer, client and consumer (user) are becoming more complex. Consumers are changing from passive, to active and connected. They are sophisticated and knowledgeable regarding their demands. Consumers, designers and clients are now codesigning.
This means that different knowledge is needed in order to design better and more
valuable products/ interfaces and systems that will respond to contemporary demands. The
design paradigm shift — from an object to activity — is emerging at different levels. This paper focuses on the activity-centred approach and identifies new product design knowledge necessary for this approach. It clarifies the emergent product design knowledge and presents descriptive models of the connections between this and existing product design knowledge. Finally, the paper outlines directions for domain-specific knowledge generation within the social framework — consisting of people, culture, context and activity — by researching various levels of human engagement.