The Practice Approach

In this chapter, we outline the practice approach in greater detail. This approach is primarily concerned with studying the use of multimodal artefacts in situ. It therefore understands multimodal artefacts as objects to be constructed, employed, and manipulated in processes of organizing and meaning-making. It follows, for instance, the ‘careers’ of such artefacts through the organization and is interested in the meanings and actions that they trigger, enable, or prevent. A practice approach is not only concerned with different modes, but also focuses on the ‘media’ of production and distribution which manifest these modes, thereby exhibiting a stronger focus on the materialities of communication. We also discuss which aspects of organization come into focus from a practice perspective and which research methods are primarily used. We introduce and outline a series of studies that illustrate the practice angle on multimodality. Finally, we suggest implications of different modes for practice research and outline specific challenges and opportunities regarding multimodality.