Practice theory & the foundations of digital document encoding

  • Authors:

  • Paul Scifleet;Susan P. Williams

  • Affiliations:

  • University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia;University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia

  • Venue:
  • Proceedings of the 27th ACM international conference on Design of communication
  • Year:
  • 2009

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Abstract

Designing digital documents in complex, changing information environments presents a number of challenges for both academics and practitioners. In particular, a number of contradictory views about the nature of digital documents raise questions about what factors shape the task of document encoding. To date there have been few studies that explore the relationship between human document encoders and the documents they produce, where the process of documentation embedded in encoding is the focus. In this paper we argue that to support and improve the processes of digital document development it is essential that we gain a clearer understanding of context and the situated, inter-subjective nature of human engagement in documentary practice. We present a methodology for understanding such documentary practices, which considers digital representation through the lens of practice theory and presents a conceptual framework for understanding the complex and changing dimensions of document encoding that are challenging both research and practice.