Analyse de l'activité de glaciéristes dans une perspective de conception de matériel de progression pour l'escalade et la montagne : contribution à l'élaboration d'un programme de recherche technologique en ergonomie du sport

The aim of the present thesis is twofold: first, it gives an overview onice climbers’ activity, based on an enactive empirical research program of cognitive anthropology, while developing a technological research program toevaluate appropriation situations and perspectives for design. The first part of this work focuses on the link between innovation and practice while identifying the relationship between the climbers and the technical object in order to build a technological research program focusing on the appropriation of objects. The second part is an epistemic work inculding two steps: a) to produce knowledge on the mediation role of ice axes for novice climbers and b) to develop design objects for the improvement of the research program. To this end, the usability of artifacts is highlighted (study 1) as well as the appropriability of artifacts (study 2) and then c) the theoretical object course of information is implemented using data from the activity subject and non-subject to pre-reflective consciousness to document the appropriation (study 3). The third section, however, seeks to bring about change and focuses to define the relevant criteria for the research program development and to improve the design.Cette thèse propose conjointement d’étudier l’activité de grimpeurs en escalade glacière tout en développant des perspectives pour la conception. Pour cela, elle s’appuie sur un programme de recherche empirique d’anthropologie cognitive énactif et un programme de recherche technologique ergonomique d’évaluation des situations d’appropriation. La première partie de ce travail s’attache à décrire la construction de « l’objet piolet » en faisant le lien entre innovation et pratique tout en déterminant la relation entre pratiquant et objet technique afin de construire les bases d’une « pensée de la technique » nécessaire à la constitution d’un programme de recherche technologique pour la conception. La deuxième partie poursuit une visée a) épistémique en produisant des connaissances sur le rôle de médiation joué par les piolets dans l’activité des glaciéristes, et b) transformative, en développant la situation d’appropriation comme objet de conception. Pour ce faire, nous mettons en avant a) l’utilisabilité des objets techniques (étude 1) puis b) l’appropriabilité de ces derniers (étude 2) pour ensuite c) mettre en oeuvre l’objet théorique cours d’in-formation en exploitant des données issues de l’activité soumise et non soumise à la conscience pré-réflexive pour documenter l’appropriation (étude 3). La troisième partie, quant à elle, poursuit une visée transformative et s’attarde à définir des critères pertinents pour développer le programme de recherche et enrichir la conception

A user experience framework for business intelligence dashboards : an appreciative inquiry study within an agile software development environment

In South Africa and globally, companies focusing on business optimisation and continuous improvement have embraced business intelligence for the purpose of decision-making as data are becoming more readily available. Companies recognise the need for, and importance of, user experience when interacting with the dashboards to assist users with decision-making and to enable users to take timely evidence-based actions. It is no longer sufficient only to support users in achieving their goals by employing basic usability principles; digital products need to provide an overall positive user experience to be considered successful. Numerous frameworks have been developed for the user experience of digital systems. However, with the literature emphasizing the importance of context, those user experience frameworks cannot be transferred to business intelligence. This dearth of evidence-based business intelligence specific user experience frameworks comprises the rationale for this study. The research methodology is comprised of mixed methods as this methodological paradigm aligns best with the pragmatist and appreciative inquiry research approach. The research design framework draws on the Affordance Theory, Logic Model and Agile software development approaches. The context of the study is that of software development in an agile environment in South Africa. The theoretical research contribution comprises of the validated conceptual literature-based framework for the user experience of business intelligence dashboards and the compilation and use of an original research design framework that was utilised to guide the research. This research study also has value for industry in that it has produced a novel validated practitioners’ framework that can be used in practice to identify user experience shortcomings and highlight opportunities for improvement.School of ComputingPh. D. (Information Systems