Article

Background on YUTPA

YUTPA is an acronym for “being with You in Unity of Time, Place and Action”. Time,
place, action and relation are dimensions that can have different values between You
and not–You, Now and not–Now, Here and not–Here, Do and not–Do.

The 4 dimensions of time, place, relation and action
YUTPA is an acronym for “being with You in Unity of Time, Place and Action”. Time,
place, action and relation are dimensions that can have different values between You
and not–You, Now and not–Now, Here and not–Here, Do and not–Do.
 as depicted in the figure.
The You/not-You dimension refers to the relationship with the other human being(s)
with whom one interacts.
The Now/not-Now dimension refers to the sharing of the experience of time,
synchronous or asynchronous in past or future.
The Here/not-Here dimension encompasses the sharing of place or not. Depending
on how place is defined or experienced this can be geographically small or large, it can
also refer to the sense of distance in virtual and online worlds.
The Do/not-Do dimension refers to the possibility to act as part of or as a result of a
social interaction.
The word Unity refers to the specific configuration between these four dimensions
that is designed in a certain product or process, which makes certain interactions
possible while it excludes others. It is a formulation from the perspective of the actor,
from the perspective of the person involved. In specific configurations human beings
enact their being, witness each other, tune and perform their presences.

 

Nevejan C. (2009). "Witnessed Presence and the YUTPA Framework,"
University of Amsterdam, Netherlands . Sprouts: Working Papers on Information Systems,
9(21). http://sprouts.aisnet.org/9-21