An Interactive Message Board as a Technology Probe for Family Communication and Coordination Hilary Hutchinson, Catherine Plaisant, Ben Bederson, Allison Druin, and the interLiving Project

interLiving International –Sweden, France, U.S. Interdisciplinary –CS, Education, Design, Ethnography Intergenerational –7 families, ~3 households per family

Goals and Challenges Process: codesign for and with families Technology: support family needs Impact: understand effect on family life

Process Ethnography –Interviews –Cultural Probes Participatory Design –Workshops –Low-tech prototyping Technology Probes –Message Board

Message Board

Prototypes Play Movie

Workshops: Results Communication –Removing distance –Sharing feelings Coordination –Calendaring –Reminding –Locating Awareness –Privacy –Security

Next Steps Codesign Technology –Embedded and mobile coordination –Between and within families and communities Use Technology –Design partners –Others Understand Impact –Interviews –Comparison/usability studies

Preliminary Conclusions Process –Families CAN be design partners Technology –Very clear, practical needs and desires Impact –Families are excited about their role

More Information Hilary Hutchinson interLiving Project