Studying and Designing Technology for Domestic Life

Conducting research and technology design for domestic life is by no means easy. Methods commonly used in the field of Human-Computer Interaction in settings like the workplace may not easily translate to the richness and complexity of domestic life. This book documents new ways in which researchers are studying domestic life, as well as designing and evaluating technology in the home. Each chapter is a candid discussion about methods that were successfully used for research studies with a focus on the challenges that the researchers faced and the best practices they learned.

"Anyone researching technology use in domestic life quickly discovers the limitations of stock methodologies. This valuable book offers an inside look at how various researchers altered, combined, redesigned, and developed methodologies to study and design for particular domestic life situations. Collectively, it is wealth of knowledge and experience that will help other domestic researchers develop their own methodologies."—Dr. Saul Greenberg, Professor, University of Calgary

"This diverse and comprehensive collection highlights the intricacies and sensitivities of doing research within the inner sanctum of the home. More than that, it is a practical book crammed full of advice and fascinating insights from researchers who have been working at the coal-face of the field: inventing, designing and evaluating domestic technologies."—Abigail Sellen, Principal Researcher, Microsoft Research Cambridge