The Contribution of Domestication Research to In-Home Computing and Media Consumption

TLDR

Domestication research illuminates how people integrate ICTs into everyday home life, revealing diverse approaches and evolving perspectives on technology use. The article examines key elements of domestication studies—such as patterns of experience, evaluation, and life impact—using varied methodologies and situating them alongside related research traditions. It highlights general insights from domestication research and demonstrates their relevance to commercial strategy and public policy.

Abstract

This article deals with the contribution made by domestication research to our understanding of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in everyday life, especially in the home. It first provides a sense of the diversity of research in this tradition and how this is evolving. The article then reflects upon and illustrates different elements of research in this tradition, providing examples of how these help to explain patterns of ICT experience, the way people evaluate that experience, and what bearing it has on their lives. To contextualize domestication research further, it considers overlaps with other traditions of research before moving on to the core, and the range of methodologies that have been employed. Finally, the article examines some of the general insights from domestication research, as well as more specific applications to the commercial and policy fields.