Analysing situated interaction hazards: an activity-based awareness approach

This paper presents a case for the usefulness of activity theory (AT) for the analysis of situated interaction hazards in safety-related systems. It is suggested here that situation awareness is a safety critical attribute that is acquired and maintained through situated activity or actions. We introduce an activity-based awareness model based on this fundamental premise and we show how the model is consistent with the principles of AT. We also provide an example of the usefulness of AT as a theoretical and practical foundation for the analysis of situated interaction hazards in complex, safety-related systems. Specifically, we describe how the activity-based awareness model and AT principles were applied to an investigation of situation awareness in a military air traffic control system. We show how this approach can also be used to support analyses of general interactive systems use. We suggest that this general approach can be used to support analyses of interactive system use, to inform system design, and mitigate against the situated interaction hazards inherent in safety-related systems, and that this provides evidence that AT can be a useful way of looking at situational hazards in safety-related systems use. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]