Background For many years, system designers have endeavored to synchronise users’ routines with home assistant devices. While the prevalence of routine in daily life is clear and obvious, routine-embedded automation has yet to take off. In this study, we propose a ‘ritual’ as an alternative framework to approach the design of digital media-engaged smart living. Rituals are purposeful actions that are voluntarily performed with a degree of formality and seriousness. Thus, in this study, we seek to find common vocabularies that are used in the descriptions and formations of quotidian rituals in everyday life. We suggest design implications for human-centred smart living and rituals for digital communication applications.
Methods Our method is qualitatively driven to investigate varying degrees of digital engagement in people’s everyday lives. We designed the ritual probe: a physical packet containing various inspirational materials. The study was conducted in the UK, where we recruited 10 people living in varying household types. A probe kit was given to each participant, and they were encouraged to use the kit for as long as they wish and return it within one month. Follow-up in-depth interviews were held upon the return of the probe kit.
Results Collected sets of rituals in secular and quotidian contexts span various continuums of actions. Through the use of a ritual diary, participants made clear distinctions between ritual and routine. We could draw out initial lexicons of rituals that people use in either private or social contexts. Also, we found that digital media devices are purposefully incorporated in rituals to effectively manage personal tasks, plans, and resources, as well as to connect with intimate others who are in different places.
Conclusions Rituals are realised as a linkage of episodic interactions, which are methodically conducted for explicit function, implicit comfort, or both. Our study suggests an avenue to apply attributes of rituals in the design of smart agents enabled smart living.