Will smart homes improve our lives? A design perspective towards effective wellbeing at home

Abstract

New solutions for home automation show novel approaches to the design of products and systems for domestic use, and promise innovative performances. Nevertheless, there is still a gap, that is worthwhile to investigate, between the state of the art of technology-based solutions and what is actually adopted at home. This paper discusses this topic from a design point of view. The research is based on cross-examination of case studies and the results of extensive ethnography in domestic environments. We discuss the tangle of practical and non-functional needs that characterize the experience of users at home in an ampler way, aiming at effective wellbeing. To synthesize the results of ethnography, we introduce the concept of resilience in domestic environment arguing that, in the design of solutions for home automation, we must consider home as a dynamic place, apt to support the continuous change of needs and lifestyles of users.