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participants handle the same problem differently depending on how it is represented; i.e., the physical affordances of items involved in the problem’s representation can complicate, simplify or otherwise transform the problem space. In both studies the determinants of performance go beyond the individual mind to include cognitive processing across external artefacts. Distributed cognition theory proposes that cognition can be distributed in three main ways [2]: 1. Cognitive processes may be distributed across members of a social group. 2. Cognitive processes may involve coordination between internal and external (material or environmental) structures. 3. Processes may be distributed through time in such a way that the products of earlier events can transform the nature of later events. Essentially this approach highlights how individuals’ cognitive processes extend into the environment, and how groups process information using different artefacts and structures across different spaces and over different periods of time. 1.2. Applying distributed cognition theory using DiCoT Some commentators have criticised distributed cognition for being too unstructured for easy application, i.e. there is no ‘off the shelf’ methodology [8]. Cognitive ethnography is proposed as the main approach for studying cognition in the wild (e.g. interviews, surveys, observations and video and audio recording) [2]. However, cognitive ethnography is a group of techniques, which lack further structure and analytical support, i.e. there is still a big challenge for researchers to know what to look at, how to look, and how to link theory to data. To fill this gap, different methods have been developed that offer more support and instruction: the Resources Model [9]; Distributed Cognition for Teamwork (DiCoT) [10]; Determining Information flow Breakdown (DIB) [11]; and Event Analysis of Systemic Teamwork (EAST) [12]. The remainder of the chapter focuses on DiCoT, which we propose is the most developed method for understanding the details of situated interactions, rather than more exclusive focus on abstract information flows, networks and the coordination of information resources. DiCoT [10] draws upon the structure of Contextual Design [13] to provide more analytical support. Distributed cognition’s focus “has always been on whole environments: what we really do in them and how we coordinate our activity in them” [2, page 174]. Contextual design also has this focus but is not underpinned by a theoretical perspective. DiCoT extends this approach to use five interdependent models: • Information flow model – focuses on how information is transformed and propagated in the system, taking tasks, activities and processes into account. • Artefact model – focuses on how the design of tools, technologies and external representations influence the information processing of the system. • Social model – focuses on the different roles people play in the system, with their different knowledge, responsibilities, skills and expertise. • Physical layout model – focuses on how things are arranged in the physical environment and how this impacts the flow of information. • Evolutionary model – focuses on how cognition is distributed over time, which includes short and medium-term actions to plan and prepare work, and long- term considerations such as how the system has evolved over time. D.Furniss etal. /DistributedCognition:UnderstandingComplexSociotechnical Informatics 77