'Was it Good for you Darling?' – Intimacy, Sex and Critical Technical Practice

On the basis of forty-two weeks of ethnographic data collected across six pairs of co-habiting partners, we have theorized about the nature of intimacy, developed artifacts for its mediation and explored methods for its study. In this workshop we wish to take this work as our departure point, and reflect on: The importance of problematising intimacy carefully, that is, approaching intimacy critically. The complex and multiple meanings of intimacy in the context of ongoing intimate relationships. The losses and risks attendant on supporting intimacy between distributed couples

Information systems and healthcare XXVIII : the information needs of family carers in collaborative healthcare

While the important role of family carers has been increasingly recognized in healthcare service provision, particularly for patients with acute or chronic illnesses, the family carer\u27s information needs have not been well understood or adequately supported by health information systems. In this study, we explore the information needs of a family carer by analyzing the extensive online diary of a Vietnamese family carer supporting his wife, who was a lung cancer patient. The study provides a deep understanding of the information needs of the family carer and suggests a four-stage information journey model including identification, searching, interpretation and information sharing, and collaboration. A number of themes emerge from the study including the key role of the carer, information filtering by the carer, information sharing and collaboration, and the influence of Vietnamese culture. The paper concludes with a discussion of the requirements for health information systems that meet the needs of family carers.<br /

Designing for Reflection on Sender Effort in Close Personal Communication

Research has identified that people in close relationships value effort that is invested into the creation of digital messages. This paper explores the potential for communication systems to encourage reflection by revealing evidence of effort to message recipients, allowing for it to be appreciated. Focusing on text-based communication, we report findings from an exploratory study of three interface prototypes that probe users’ reactions to the notion of revealing sender effort. We find that information about effort can foster empathy and appreciation by encouraging reflection over meaningful actions. However, designers of communication tools must address the issues of authenticity, controlled disclosure and cost in access if reflection on effort is to be valued. We consider how designers might negotiate these issues in future effort-sensitive communication technologies