{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,13]],"date-time":"2026-04-13T23:26:55Z","timestamp":1776122815959,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":58,"publisher":"SAGE Publications","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2016,11,11]],"date-time":"2016-11-11T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1478822400000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/page\/policies\/text-and-data-mining-license"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["journals.sagepub.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["New Media &amp; Society"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2018,3]]},"abstract":"<jats:p> Software applications (apps) are now prevalent in the digital media environment. They are the site of significant sociocultural and economic transformations across many domains, from health and relationships to entertainment and everyday finance. As relatively closed technical systems, apps pose new methodological challenges for sociocultural digital media research. This article describes a method, grounded in a combination of science and technology studies with cultural studies, through which researchers can perform a critical analysis of a given app. The method involves establishing an app\u2019s environment of expected use by identifying and describing its vision, operating model and modes of governance. It then deploys a walkthrough technique to systematically and forensically step through the various stages of app registration and entry, everyday use and discontinuation of use. The walkthrough method establishes a foundational corpus of data upon which can be built a more detailed analysis of an app\u2019s intended purpose, embedded cultural meanings and implied ideal users and uses. The walkthrough also serves as a foundation for further user-centred research that can identify how users resist these arrangements and appropriate app technology for their own purposes. <\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1177\/1461444816675438","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2016,11,12]],"date-time":"2016-11-12T02:54:33Z","timestamp":1478919273000},"page":"881-900","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/sage-journals-update-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":685,"title":["The walkthrough method: An approach to the study of apps"],"prefix":"10.1177","volume":"20","author":[{"given":"Ben","family":"Light","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"University of Salford, UK"}]},{"given":"Jean","family":"Burgess","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Queensland University of Technology, Australia"}]},{"given":"Stefanie","family":"Duguay","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Queensland University of Technology, Australia"}]}],"member":"179","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2016,11,11]]},"reference":[{"key":"bibr1-1461444816675438","first-page":"25","volume-title":"The Politics of Women\u2019s Bodies","author":"Bartky SL","year":"2003"},{"key":"bibr2-1461444816675438","first-page":"1","volume":"12","author":"Berry DM","year":"2011","journal-title":"Culture Machine"},{"key":"bibr3-1461444816675438","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1461444814521595"},{"key":"bibr4-1461444816675438","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/08838151.2012.732147"},{"key":"bibr5-1461444816675438","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1461444814542311"},{"key":"bibr6-1461444816675438","volume-title":"The Sage Handbook of Social Media","author":"Bucher T","year":"2016"},{"key":"bibr7-1461444816675438","first-page":"28","volume-title":"Studying Mobile Media: Cultural Technologies, Mobile Communication, and the iPhone","author":"Burgess J","year":"2012"},{"key":"bibr8-1461444816675438","first-page":"93","volume-title":"Compromised Data: From Social Media to Big Data","author":"Burgess J","year":"2015"},{"key":"bibr9-1461444816675438","first-page":"83","volume-title":"The Social Construction of Technological Systems: New Directions in the Sociology and History of Technology","author":"Callon M","year":"1989"},{"key":"bibr10-1461444816675438","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1207\/s15327051hci1304_2"},{"key":"bibr11-1461444816675438","volume-title":"Doing Cultural Studies: The Story of the Sony Walkman","author":"Du Gay P","year":"2013","edition":"2"},{"key":"bibr12-1461444816675438","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/2056305116641975"},{"key":"bibr13-1461444816675438","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/1369118X.2016.1168471"},{"key":"bibr14-1461444816675438","volume-title":"Digital Media: Transformations in Human Communication","author":"Duguay S","year":"2017","edition":"2"},{"key":"bibr15-1461444816675438","first-page":"vii","volume-title":"Appropriating Technology: Vernacular Science and Social Power","author":"Eglash R","year":"2004"},{"key":"bibr16-1461444816675438","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1147\/sj.153.0182"},{"key":"bibr17-1461444816675438","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/2818048.2819931"},{"key":"bibr18-1461444816675438","volume-title":"The Ecological Approach to Visual Perception","author":"Gibson JJ","year":"2015"},{"key":"bibr19-1461444816675438","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/14626268.2011.603733"},{"key":"bibr20-1461444816675438","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/09502386.2014.937944"},{"key":"bibr21-1461444816675438","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4324\/9780203944769"},{"key":"bibr22-1461444816675438","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1461444816660784"},{"key":"bibr23-1461444816675438","first-page":"32","volume":"60","author":"J\u00f8rgensen KM","year":"2016","journal-title":"Journal of Media and Communication Research"},{"key":"bibr24-1461444816675438","unstructured":"Karppi T (2011) Digital suicide and the biopolitics of leaving Facebook. Transformations: Journal of Media and Culture 20. Available at: http:\/\/transformationsjournal.org\/journal\/issue_20\/article_02.shtml"},{"key":"bibr25-1461444816675438","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/oso\/9780199256044.001.0001"},{"key":"bibr26-1461444816675438","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/10528008.2015.999586"},{"key":"bibr27-1461444816675438","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/97243.97279"},{"key":"bibr28-1461444816675438","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1057\/9781137022479"},{"key":"bibr29-1461444816675438","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Light B (2016a) The rise of speculative devices: hooking up with the bots of Ashley Madison. First Monday 21(6). Available at: http:\/\/firstmonday.org\/ojs\/index.php\/fm\/article\/view\/6426\/5525","DOI":"10.5210\/fm.v21i6.6426"},{"key":"bibr30-1461444816675438","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4324\/9781315636801-14"},{"key":"bibr31-1461444816675438","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1461444814544002"},{"key":"bibr32-1461444816675438","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1108\/09593841011087770"},{"key":"bibr33-1461444816675438","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1108\/09593840810896046"},{"key":"bibr34-1461444816675438","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1461444811410400"},{"key":"bibr35-1461444816675438","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/2056305115604649"},{"key":"bibr36-1461444816675438","unstructured":"Maureira MG (2014) Tender \u2013 it\u2019s how people meat. Available at: https:\/\/vimeo.com\/111997940 (accessed 7 July 2016)."},{"key":"bibr37-1461444816675438","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1367877908096004"},{"key":"bibr38-1461444816675438","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4324\/9780203953365"},{"key":"bibr39-1461444816675438","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/B978-044481862-1.50067-4"},{"key":"bibr40-1461444816675438","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/2056305115621932"},{"key":"bibr41-1461444816675438","volume-title":"The Psychology of Everyday Things","author":"Norman DA","year":"1988"},{"key":"bibr42-1461444816675438","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1461444808099577"},{"key":"bibr43-1461444816675438","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/016224399201700302"},{"key":"bibr44-1461444816675438","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1461444816661553"},{"key":"bibr45-1461444816675438","volume-title":"Software Engineering: A Practitioner\u2019s Approach","author":"Pressman RS","year":"2005"},{"key":"bibr46-1461444816675438","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1057\/9780230371934.0008"},{"key":"bibr47-1461444816675438","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/2056305116672890"},{"key":"bibr48-1461444816675438","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.7551\/mitpress\/8718.001.0001"},{"key":"bibr49-1461444816675438","first-page":"6","volume-title":"Data and Discrimination: Collected Essays","author":"Sandvig C","year":"2014"},{"key":"bibr50-1461444816675438","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/00913367.2000.10673624"},{"key":"bibr51-1461444816675438","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-319-20609-7_49"},{"key":"bibr52-1461444816675438","volume-title":"Digital Methods for Social Science: An Interdisciplinary Guide to Research Innovation","author":"Snee H","year":"2015"},{"key":"bibr53-1461444816675438","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/00027649921955326"},{"key":"bibr54-1461444816675438","unstructured":"Statista.com (2015) Worldwide mobile app revenues from 2011\u20132017 (in billion US dollars). Available at: http:\/\/www.statista.com\/statistics\/269025\/worldwide-mobile-app-revenue-forecast\/ (accessed 21 August 2015)."},{"key":"bibr55-1461444816675438","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/MS.2014.80"},{"key":"bibr56-1461444816675438","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/acprof:oso\/9780199970773.001.0001"},{"key":"bibr57-1461444816675438","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4324\/9780203426647"},{"key":"bibr58-1461444816675438","unstructured":"Zelenko M (2015) A brilliant Tinder hack made hundreds of bros unwittingly flirt with each other. The Verge. Available at: http:\/\/www.theverge.com\/2015\/3\/25\/8277743\/tinder-hack-bros-swiping-bros (accessed 11 September 2016)."}],"container-title":["New Media &amp; Society"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1177\/1461444816675438","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/full-xml\/10.1177\/1461444816675438","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1177\/1461444816675438","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,1]],"date-time":"2025-03-01T17:25:58Z","timestamp":1740849958000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/10.1177\/1461444816675438"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2016,11,11]]},"references-count":58,"journal-issue":{"issue":"3","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2018,3]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1177\/1461444816675438"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/1461444816675438","relation":{},"ISSN":["1461-4448","1461-7315"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1461-4448","type":"print"},{"value":"1461-7315","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2016,11,11]]}}}