Lucy Suchman’s research has greatly changed the way we understand how technology adapts to human behavior, especially in the field of interaction design and human-computer interaction. Her book “Planning and Situational Cognition” questioned the “plan-driven” model in the traditional cognitive science and artificial intelligence fields, and emphasized the key role of “situational action” in design technology. The proposal of this view has shifted interaction design from a technology-centered logic to a people-centered design concept, laying the foundation for modern user experience research and product design.
Suchman’s research challenges the assumptions about user behavior in traditional technology design. In many early technical systems, designers often assumed that users would follow pre-set operating steps to complete tasks, that is, all interactions were based on clear plans. However, Suchman found through observations of copier users that human behavior is highly adaptable and flexible in actual environments. Her “situational action” theory shows that users’ decisions are not entirely dependent on prior plans, but will be adjusted according to specific circumstances. This discovery directly influenced modern interaction design and prompted designers to pay attention to users’ actual behavior.