Utilizing Activity Theory as a Framework to Evaluate Globally Dispersed Teamwork in a Retail Interior Design Studio

Design projects are becoming global, and utilizing digital technology for communication among team members is important (Bender, 2005). Providing authentic learning experiences for interior design students helps prepare them for real world challenges in the workplace, where design firms have multiple offices around the world. In this study we employ activity theory (Choi & Kang, 2010) as a framework to evaluate a team’s communication activities and how these activities predict the team’s success.