Service Design Toolkit – Improve the quality of your service with this hands-on toolkit. Transmediaready. Distributed Cognition. Distributed Cognition Steven Harris The theory of distributed cognition (Hutchins 1995a) has been used to analyze and evaluate the flow of representations in real-world cooperative work settings. In this critique, we outline the basic motivation and background of distributed cognition.
We will explain the theory and examine one case study (Ackermann and Halverson 1998, 1999, 2000) that attempts to apply the theory in a real-world work setting. Finally, we ask whether the theory of distributed cognition is really useful for answering design questions. Early work in distributed cognition was motivated by the basic insight that cognition is a socially (also, materially and temporally) distributed phenomenon, one that is essentially situated in real practices (Hutchins 1995a). The traditional sort of theory in cognitive science emphasizes an internalism that marginalizes (some would argue ignores) the role of external representation and problem solving in cooperative contexts. Computation. Six Steps to Sharing.
Methods. The Art of Complex Problem Solving. Organizations.