Bridging theory and practice: affordance theory as a methodological link in information interaction and repository design
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47989/ir31ISIC65232Keywords:
Affordance theory, information interaction, Indigenous data sovereignty, repository designAbstract
Introduction. Information practices research and information systems design remain disconnected despite their complementary aims. Affordance theory offers a methodological bridge by translating cognitive-contextual insights about user interaction into actionable design specifications for repository systems requiring culturally appropriate, context sensitive governance.
Method. I integrate Ingwersen and Järvelin's information interaction model with Pozzi et al.'s affordance process framework, adapting it to explicitly incorporate signifiers and decision-making stages. This integration maps user cognitive space, task contexts, and interface functionalities to affordance perception, actualisation drivers, and design specifications.
Analysis. The adapted model provides systematic translation between user cognition and system features, enabling diagnosis of implementation gaps where governance capabilities exist but remain hidden or un-actualised due to inadequate signification or institutional constraints.
Results. Using Indigenous data territorialisation as an illustrative context, the framework reveals hidden and false affordances, specifies governance-relevant signifier and decision points, and produces actionable repository design requirements for context-sensitive governance.
Conclusion. Affordance theory systematically converts information interaction insights into repository design specifications, bridging the theory-practice gap through relational analysis that makes contextual governance requirements analysable and designable across diverse cultural settings.
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