Probing user values in the home environment within a technology driven Smart Home project

Investigating media use and the television user experience in the home

“…For adults having different media sources is regarded as very good, including old media such as magazines and radio especially for news and information gathering, as well as catching up on missed TV programmes. This is in agreement with studies [4,7,14] conducted in this area, which report results consistent with responses from the participants in our study.…”

“…All such devices play complex social roles within the group as well as fulfilling objective information-access functions. Understanding the social context of media use in the home plays a vital role in informing the design of information devices and media forms, yet this topic is frequently overlooked [4]. The literature suggests that there is still a lack of studies on the context of media use in the home, in addition to a lack of empirical data on users' media consumption in a domestic setting [5].…”

Pre-installation challenges: classifying barriers to the introduction of smart home technology

“…Technology is often pushed into people's homes without a comprehensive understanding of user needs [35]. Some households doubted how SHT matches their everyday life, practices and the way they manage their homes.…”

“…A growing body of research explores the potential of SHTs [22], but frequently focuses on the diverse possibilities offered by the technological developments. It has been observed that the consumers' needs are sometimes overlooked in often technology-driven projects [35]. Content analysis of marketing materials indicates that the smart home industry portrays users as being rational decision makers who want to save energy, money and time [36].…”

“…Likewise, an earlier research study suggested the need for flexibility and modifications in SHTs to fit the improvisations and breakdowns observed in domestic routines [17]: "Smart Home technology looks set to become a feature of people's lives, whether it is wanted or not". But it is important to identify what people value in their home environment [35]. As highlighted by a previous review [37], there is a tendency to focus on optimising efficiency, as if technology could alone address the issue of energy consumption.…”