Center for Activity Theory and Developmental Work Research

About the Center

Center for Activity Theory and Developmental Work Research is a research unit at the University of Helsinki in Finland. We conduct research in work, technology and organizations going through transformations.

The methodology of developmental work research (DWR) relies on interventions aimed at helping practitioners analyze and redesign their activity systems. Our theoretical framework is cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT) in which the idea of expansive learning is of central importance. Founded in 1994, the Center has five research groups and a graduate school with 30 full-time doctoral students. Our partner organizations range from industrial plants to schools and hospitals, from post offices to media companies and biotechnological research and development networks.