Designing home availability services

摘要

We have explored the challenges of designing domestic services to help family and friends determine mutually agreeable times to call one another. In a prior study, we identified activities in the home that predict availability to an external interruption. In our follow-up study, we used a cooperative design activity to see which, if any, of these home activities the family member is willing to share when engaged in mealtime or leisure routine. The data people are willing to reveal is more detailed for mealtime, than leisure activities. Furthermore, the shared availability service needs to be accessible throughout the home, in either compact, portable form or integrated with other services in various room locations. Accuracy and reliability of the shared information, along with device independent caller identification are also essential design requirements. While not unique to the home, the desire to personalize and present a socially acceptable availability status is extremely important.