Can plans and situated actions be replicated?

Rooksby, J. (2014) Can plans and situated actions be replicated? In: 17th ACM Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work & Social Computing, Baltimore, MD, USA, 15-19 Feb 2014, pp. 603-614. (doi: 10.1145/2531602.2531627)

Abstract

This paper discusses a repetition of a study presented in Suchman's book Plans and Situated Actions. There have been complaints about the lack of replication studies in disciplines related to CSCW (particularly Software Engineering and HCI). However, these complaints often become embedded in wider attempts to install a principled scientific method within these disciplines. Plans and Situated Actions was not a scientific text but drew upon naturalistic analysis. This paper shows there is value in recreating Plans and Situated Actions, and argues it would be helpful to recreate other studies. However, such repetition does not and need not constitute a scientific replication. The paper argues that while repetition and reanalysis may improve rigour in computing research, this need not be with a view to making it more scientific.

• Item Type: Conference Proceedings
• Keywords: qualitative methods, replication
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Rooksby, Dr John
• Authors: Rooksby, J.
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Computing Science
• Publisher: ACM