Above it is argued that object-oriented methods in the design of computer artefacts can support the involvement of users in the design process, if the
prevailing naturalism in the literature on object-oriented methods is re-placed with an activity theory based understanding of the use of representa-tions and models in human praxis.
The key to a new understanding of object-oriented methods is to realise that representations are imbedded in human praxis, and mediating the contin-uos reproduction of praxis. They are not only second best pictures of the un-available, or more transparent selections of interesting features of some part of the world, but tools mediating action in the world. Representations are not like maps with a suitable detail and selection of features from a cho-sen terrain, but rather place holders for directions of the continual develop-ment of given praxises.
Object-oriented descriptions are intended to be translatable into machine executable code in an unambiguous way, but at the same time they have to serve as ambiguous instruments in the creation of new technological visions.
However, this is not different from the boundary objectness of other arte-facts mediating heteropraxiality, but the possibility of loosing the plasticity is obvious. In this respect, we should try to maintain the so-called CASE-gab.
The use of object-oriented design artefacts is in itself not enough to ensure usability and appropriateness of the artefacts being designed. Thus, I sug-gest that future object-oriented development methods integrate notions of heterogeneity. To maintain the boundary objectness of representations in design, representations and models should be understood in terms of trans-formation of artefacts rather than models of domains, thus making possible the continuos confrontation, during design, of the representation with the reality of praxises involved.
Acknowledgement
Thanks to Poul and other people from the music festival who took part in the project; and to Henrik B¾rbak Christensen, Preben Mogensen, Kim Halskov Madsen, and Morten Kyng, who were the participating researchers.
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