Gaëtan Bourmaud

From computer to instrument system: a developmental perspective

Abstract Studies working within an activity theory frame have opened different paths in the HCI field. One of the fundamental points of these approaches focussed on activity is consideration of the constructive dimensions of the users activity. Several authors have identified the complex relations between usage and design (Winograd and Flores, 1986; Suchman and Trigg, 1991) beyond this, that design continues in usage (Rabardel, 1995, 2002; Henderson and Kyng, 1991; Vicente, 1999). The approach that we put forward contributes to the development of this question: the continuation of design in usage. Based on an empirical situation (managing the maintenance of a broadcasting network for radio, television and telecommunications), we define the mediated activity. We look at the mediator and suggest conceptualizing it as a mixed functional entity: the instrument. We examine the emergence and development modalities of instruments during processes of instrumental genesis. We also show that instruments are components in more general systems that integrate and go beyond them: instruments systems.

Deductive reasoning from uncertain conditionals.

This paper begins with a review of the literature on plausible reasoning with deductive arguments containing a conditional premise. There is concurring evidence that people presented with valid conditional arguments such as Modus Ponens and Modus Tollens generally do not endorse the conclusion, but rather find it uncertain, in case (1) the plausibility of the major conditional premise is debatable, (2) the major conditional premise is formulated in frequentist or probabilistic terms, or (3) an additional premise introduces uncertainty about the major conditional premise. This third situation gives rise to non-monotonic effects by a mechanism that can be characterized as follows: the reasoner is invited to doubt the major conditional premise by doubting the satisfaction of a tacit condition, which is necessary for the consequent to occur. Three experiments are presented. The first two aim to generalize the latter result using various types of conditionals and the last shows that performance in conditional reasoning is significantly affected by the representation of the task. This third point is discussed along with various other issues: we propose a pragmatic account of how the tacit conditions mentioned earlier are treated in plausible reasoning; the relationship of this account with the conditional probability view on conditional sentences is examined; an application of the same account to the Suppression Effect (Byrne, 1989) is proposed and compared with the counter-example availability explanation; and finally, some suggestions on how uncertainty could be implemented in a mental logic system are presented.

Activity Resources, Resources for Sustainable Development: The Case of Waste Management in a Zoological Park in France

Aimed at raising awareness among the general public and visitors, the zoo-park was created in France to implement, develop and support conservation actions for the preservation of global biodiversity, as well as scientific research programs to better know the animals and protect them effectively. The park is thus part of a sustainable development approach and it has created a few years ago an anaerobic digestion plant (biological process that aims to transform the manure produced by animals into energy and natural fertilizers, as well as waste some of which are brought by local farmers). Like dump, other ways exist to manage the diversity of waste produced in the park. The dump has many problems depending on the agents in charge of waste management. Some agents mention the fact that they treat a lot more waste since the arrival of a couple of pandas, presence generating a number of visitors in strong growth. The work of the agents thus depends in particular on the number of visitors, the reservations to the hotels and their consumption. In high season, agents also see their workload increase. If they have to harvest the waste before the park opens, they are often required to take care of the waste in the afternoon. The arduous nature of the work of the zoo agents in charge of waste management is strong, as we will show. Not unrelated, many conflicts between employees of the park appear regarding the management of waste (e.g. poorly closed bags, bags too heavy, bags spilled in the local garbage). Noting these conflicts, the management tried to put in place various solutions in order to better manage these conflicts. Without conclusive results, the Management decided to address an ergonomist. We observed that the agents concomitantly developed other resources related to the waste sorting activity; the exploitation and the valorization of waste constituting some quite interesting.

For Systemic Approaches to Permaculture: Results and Opportunities for Thinking About Sustainable Development

Permaculture seeks to organise and facilitate appropriate interactions between ecosystem components. In the wake of previous research on a different work situation, we aimed to identify the resource systems that people use in context. Drawing on the analysis of one permaculture farmer’s activity, we discuss his/her practices from a twofold systemic angle, in terms of (1) the systemic principles of permaculture: to each plant’s primary or intrinsic functions, must be added those of its contribution to the overall farming system, positive or otherwise; crop beds themselves forming systems, just as much as sub-systems in the growing zone as a whole, etc.; (2) resource systems proper to the permaculture farmer: material (diverse tools) and immaterial (knowledge) artefacts; criteria and values (workload generated by a cultivation sequence, plans to sell to the general public, or induced consumption of water, etc.); etc. This study could also form the basis for broader research that goes beyond permaculture. It aims to suggest methods of analysing criteria and value systems that relate to sustainable development, guiding the way people mobilise resources.

Sustainable Development and Ergonomics: A Reflection Stemming from the Commission “Concevoir pour le Développement Durable”

Is our community sufficiently organized from an institutional and disciplinary standpoint to meet the challenges of Sustainable Development? As co-chairs of the “Concevoir pour le Developpement Durable” commission of the ARPEGE association, we wish to take the opportunity of this joint session to gather to exchange ideas on this issue with colleagues from different countries and associations. After briefly describing the French context in which the commission was born, and ARPEGE goals, we highlight some of the institutional challenges by considering the experience of the commission concerning sustainable development in Ergonomics. While our commission responds to a current need of several ergonomists, researchers and stakeholders in France, it is obvious that it cannot provide an institutional environment powerful enough to structure all the changes needed. There may be a need to collaborate more strongly in the future, and maybe to create other functional and legitimate agents (research groups, networks, research and training centers, etc.) focused explicitly on Sustainable Development.