Supporting the Development of Transparent Interaction

Transparency has been seen as a necessary aspect of successful human-computer interaction. In this paper we investigate this concept by looking at it from the point of view of activity theory. We show that transparency cannot be understood as a static feature of the interface, but that the crucial point in achieving transparent interaction is the ongoing development of unconscious operations, embedded in the process of use. We suggest that the process of deliberate formation and refinement of operations during the course of interaction, is supported by setting conditions for the creation of a zone of proximal development in the interface.