This chapter sets the stage for the studies. It presents the outlines of the general framework, gives a brief account of the argument, introduces the gist of the empirical approach, and provides an overview of the volume.

The chapter assesses the General Framework for HCI research for coherence against HCI theories. The General Framework comprises concepts of discipline, general as common, general problem, particular scope, general research, general knowledge and general practices. The theories comprise extended cognitive (as external cognition, distributed cognition and ecological cognition), social (as situated action and CSCW (computer-supported cooperative work)) and miscellaneous (as ethnography, grounded, design, human values, technology as experience, critical and in-the-wild).The assessment concerns the key concepts of the HCI theories, although other concepts are also referenced. The concepts of the General Framework are assessed as generally coherent. The assessment does not constitute a validation of the General Framework. However, it does show promise for such validation. The outcome is also indicative as to the potential of the General Framework to support research that aims to develop such theories.

By way of conclusion, the final chapter brings together the lessons learned and the lessons remaining concerning approaches and frameworks for HCI research. The scope of the lessons learned and the lessons remaining include approaches and frameworks for HCI research, approaches to HCI research, frameworks for HCI research, specific frameworks for HCI research, general approach and General Framework for HCI research, validating the general approach and the General Framework for HCI research, assessing the General Framework against other HCI frameworks, assessing the General Framework against HCI theories, methodological components for the General Framework, and case studies for the General Framework. The conclusion takes the form of a proposal for an HCI research programme, which builds on the lessons learned to formulate the lessons remaining. Together they constitute the research programme.

The chapter first presents a general approach to HCI research. The general approach comprises addressing the topic or problem of designing human–computer interactions, performing of actions to progress that approach to designing human–computer interactions, evaluating of the success of the actions performed to progress that approach to designing human–computer interactions and cumulating of the successes as a way of establishing whether the topic or problem of designing human–computer interactions has been addressed or not. The chapter then proposes a General Framework for HCI research (including a core framework) comprising discipline, general as common, general problem, particular scope, general research, general knowledge and general practices. The General Framework is followed by a general design research exemplar as general design research cycles. The lower-level general framework comprises application, interactive system and performance.

HCI frameworks, including the General Framework, are largely substantive in nature at this time. This is in spite of some lesser reference to practices and methods. Knowledge, however, is both methodological and substantive. Hence the requirement for a greater methodological component for such frameworks. The research framework and theory elements, which reference practices and methods, are in many respects very different. However, they have common aspects. The latter, in some cases, may even be identical to the elements appearing in HCI design practices and methods. The latter, then, could form the starting point for meeting the methodological framework requirement identified here. The HCI design practices and methods include user-centred design methods, structured analysis and design methods and research structured analysis and design methods. Suggestions are made as to the research needed to develop a greater methodological component. The latter would be for the General Framework and for other such generic frameworks. In this way, the requirement could be met.

The chapter introduces the concept of the validation of knowledge. The latter comprises concepts of conceptualisation, operationalisation, test and generalisation. In addition, validation of knowledge also comprises superordinate criteria for each of the superordinate concepts – as completeness, coherence and fitness for purpose. These concepts and criteria are then applied to HCI knowledge acquired by HCI research. The concept of validation is applied to approaches to HCI research as topic or problem addressed, actions performed, evaluation conducted and successes cumulated. The concept of validation is also applied to frameworks for HCI research as discipline, general as common, general problem, particular scope, general research, general knowledge and general practices. The state of the validation of HCI frameworks assessed and failings identified. Case studies of HCI research are needed to make good these shortcomings of framework validation.

The chapter assesses the General Framework for HCI research for completeness against other frameworks for HCI. The General Framework comprises concepts of discipline, general as common, general problem, particular scope, general research, general knowledge and general practices. These concepts are assessed for completeness against 10 individual other frameworks, which are in turn assessed for completeness against the General Framework. Overall, the General Framework is considered to be complete, although this depends much on the coherence of individual concepts. This assessment, however, does not constitute a validation of the General Framework. It is nevertheless indicative of its comparability with other HCI frameworks with respect to its completeness. The frameworks are further considered as concerns their dissemination in the HCI research literature. Dissemination is understood to include the framework’s disseminators, as well as the dissemination’s content, media and means. The General Framework is then assessed for its accommodation of the factors that appear to influence the success of framework dissemination.