Studying and Designing Technology for Domestic Life

Foreword

In the past, technology was deployed in rather limited contexts such as the workplace. Today technology pervades all areas of our lives. One of the most significant trends in human computer interaction (HCI) over the last few years has been the move to studying the design, deployment, and effects of technology use in complex contexts such as the home. A great strength of past HCI research was the development of reliable scientific methods for evaluating and redesigning technology in contexts that were relatively well understood. While there is some disagreement about the details, researchers and practitioners effectively deployed techniques such as task-based evaluation, heuristic evaluation, cognitive walkthroughs, and contextual design. ...