Artifact as theory-nexus: hermeneutics meets theory-based design
John M. Carroll, Wendy A. Kellogg · 1989
We suggest hat HCI designs characteristically em-body multiple, distinct psychological c aims, that vir-tually every aspect of a system's usability is overdetermined by independent psychological ration-ales inherent in its design. These myriad claims cohere in being implemented together in a running system. Thus, ItCI artifacts themselves are perhaps the most effective medium for theory development in ItCI. We advance a framework for articulating the psychological claims embodied by artifacts. This proposal reconciles the contrasting perspectives of theory-based esign and hermeneutics, and clarifies the apparent paradox of ItCI application leading HCI theory.