Pre ECIS Workshop: Developing Activity Theory in Information Studies
(DATIS) workshop
June 6, 2017
at the 25th European Conference on Information Systems / June 5th-10th 2017 /
Guimarães, Portugal (www.ecis2017.eu/)
Workshop chairs:
Stan Karanasios, RMIT University, Australia
David Allen, University of Leeds, UK
Jyoti Mishra, University of Bradford, UK
Alistair Norman, University of Leeds, UK
Boyka Simeonova, Loughborough University, UK
Overview of the workshop:
Over the last two decades the use of Activity Theory has developed within the field of
information systems (IS) (Allen et al., 2013; Miettinen & Hasu, 2002), as well as related
fields such as Human Computer Interaction (e.g. Kaptelinin & Nardi, 2006; Nardi, 1996),
information studies (e.g. Allen et al., 2011; Mishra et al., 2015; Wilson, 2008), organisation
studies (e.g. Engeström, 2000; Miettinen et al., 2009) and communications (e.g. Spinuzzi,
2012). While there is significant interest in developing Activity Theory across these related
scholarly disciplines many of the researchers using it are working as lone scholars within IS
and related departments.
The aims of the workshop are to:
1) Introduce IS scholars to the basic conceptual premises of Activity Theory focusing on
the use, development and contribution of Activity Theory.
2) Strengthen and build the community of scholars within IS using Activity Theory to
understand the relationship between technology and activity in different work and
social contexts.
3) Provide an opportunity for scholars to reflect and gain feedback on work in progress
or receive new perspectives.
4) Provide support for researchers that are starting to explore Activity Theory.
5) Provide a space for scholars interested in other practice theories to engage in common
theoretical debates.
Workshop format:
The workshop will take place over a full day. The workshop will consist of a key note, short
paper presentations (15 minutes), panel discussions, and breakout sessions. The workshop
programme has been designed to encourage discourse and advance the use of the Activity
Theory, enable new connections between scholars deploying Activity Theory and provide an
introduction to scholars new to Activity Theory.
Workshop Timetable:
09.00: Welcome, participant introductions, and overview of the workshop.
09:15: Key note presentation. TBA
10.00: Working Panel: Experiences from the field: Three scholars present short papers (five
minute overviews) of key theoretical 'challenges' related to the use of Activity Theory
and explore how they have resolved them within their research.
11:00 Break.
11.30: Short paper presentations.
13:00: Lunch break.
13.45: Welcome and introduction to afternoon sessions.
14.00: Short paper presentations.
15:30: Break
15:45: Breakout group work (organized by shared interests and themes): Tackling the
challenges and opportunities of Activity Theory.
16:30: Breakout group reports and discussion, planning follow-on opportunities, closing
remarks.
16.45: Workshop end.
Evening: Optional Dinner/social event to follow
Submission details and dates:

Submission of short paper (500 words): May 15, 2017
o Short papers should be e-mailed to [email protected] with the words
‘DATIS Workshop’ in the title.
o Short papers will be circulated prior to the workshop.
Short paper submission is not required for attendance at the workshop.
References
Allen, D., Karanasios, S., & Slavova, M. (2011). Working with activity theory: Context, technology,
and information behavior. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and
Technology, 62(4), 776-788. doi: 10.1002/asi.21441
Allen, D. K., Brown, A., Karanasios, S., & Norman, A. (2013). How should technology-mediated
organizational change be explained? A comparison of the contributions of critical realism and
activity theory. MIS Quarterly, 37(3), 835-854.
Engeström, Y. (2000). Activity Theory and the Social Construction of Knowledge: A Story of Four
Umpires. Organization, 7(2), 301-310.
Kaptelinin, V., & Nardi, B. (2006). Acting with technology: Activity theory and interaction design:
The MIT Press.
Miettinen, R., & Hasu, M. (2002). Articulating User Needs in Collaborative Design: Towards an
Activity-Theoretical Approach. Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW), 11(1), 129151. doi: 10.1023/a:1015256909032
Miettinen, R., Samra-Fredericks, D., & Yanow, D. (2009). Re-Turn to Practice: An Introductory
Essay. Organization Studies, 30(12), 1309–1327.
Mishra, J., Allen, D., & Pearman, A. (2015). Information seeking, use, and decision making. Journal
of the Association for Information Science and Technology, 66(4), 662-673. doi:
10.1002/asi.23204
Nardi, B. A. (1996). Context and consciousness : activity theory and human-computer interaction.
Cambridge, Mass. ; London: MIT Press.
Spinuzzi, C. (2012). Working Alone Together: Coworking as Emergent Collaborative Activity.
Journal of Business and Technical Communication, 26(4), 399-441. doi:
10.1177/1050651912444070
Wilson, T. D. (2008). Activity theory and information seeking. Annual Review of Information Science
and Technology, 42, 119-161.