An Activity Based Perspective for Information Systems Research

This article summarises activity theory (AT) as it has been developed from the early work of Soviet psychologists to its modern reformulation as a method of organisational research that can be applied to the study of information systems (IS). AT examines the systems in which people collaborate as they carry out practical activities without divorcing them from their social origins. This is a method that we consider can overcome some of the criticisms levelled at existing IS research methods.