Extending Smart Home Technology Design With Gender Aspects

Abstract

The integration of gender into research will present other dimensions to technological innovation. It will address false assumptions of technological needs based on gender stereotypes and most importantly address user needs that arise from gender and sex variances. The design of smart home technology has often looked at the home as bland and sterile and avoided the complexity of relationships arising from the home. The use of Participatory Design methods is deemed as advancing user interests and enabling the collaborative design of technology, especially with marginalised groups. Additionally, technology design is approached from the user perspective. This paper presents the role of gender in technological innovation and smart home design and presents a preliminary study with 6 elderly women. The findings for the study present insights for consideration for future participatory sessions.