comfortable while conducting household deployments.

In this article, we share and detail problem scenarios from our collective experience of household deployments across two research projects. Thirteen deployments were conducted by two researchers; eight were carried out by one researcher alone. The problems to consider fall into three themes: 1) equipment issues; 2) interaction with participants; and 3) practicalities.

Drawing across these, we have compiled a checklist for researchers to consider before they begin studies involving deploying technology in the home. This is not an exhaustive list; it’s intended to stimulate further discussion around preparing for research in the wild.

EQUIPMENT ISSUES

Technology downtimes. Nobody likes other people messing with their Internet connection. If you are deploying technical equipment in the homes of participants, consider if this can interfere with existing technology or connections. For some households, losing the Internet connection even momentarily can be a big inconvenience. For example, we were conducting a deployment for a participant who ran a business from home. Temporarily disconnecting them from the Internet to install a sensor on their router left them unable to speak to customers and business partners. Additionally, it can take time for the connection to be re-established after plugging in the router. Let the participant know beforehand if possible, and ask them to plan for potential outages. Perhaps you may not be deploying equipment that can interfere with the Internet connection—but can it interfere with anything else, such as a running DVR?

Swapping sensors. Looking through an appliance electricity dataset, you might rub your eyes at the sight of the TV, for example, producing 1800 watts in a short burst, twice a day. You swore you monitored the correct device— only to collect your equipment from the household to see your TV sensor is actually on the kettle instead. How can this be? It’s important to consider who may be in participants’ homes for the duration of the study—grandchildren might take an interest in swapping sensors around without grandma’s

Tbatteries were once seen as power- hungry and inefficient [ 2], whereas just three years later they were noted as being more reliable than wired power in some cases [ 3]. We believe that documenting our experiences will benefit junior researchers who are conducting home deployments for the first time, allowing them to plan and think about the potentially unexpected. Even veterans who sit on ethics committees might benefit from reading our reflections, using them to probe future researchers into considering some of the more overlooked factors of entering people’s homes for research.

As “digital plumbers” themselves, Tolmie et al. [ 4] recognize the problems of household deployments and have presented four design solutions that may aid researchers when deploying technology in the home.

These include creating tools that support deployments and maintain study knowledge as research teams evolve over time. While we see these as extremely useful takeaways, we identify problems of home deployments that go beyond their technology-focused perspective.

Doyle et al. [ 5] offer advice to researchers to ensure that elderly participants feel comfortable and confident in having technology deployed in their homes. For example, they discuss providing a 24-hour helpline for participants to phone in case of technical issues and breakdowns, as well as utilizing swappable systems when doing repairs or replacing equipment in participants’ homes to minimize disruption. We build on this advice and also provide insight into keeping researchers safe and

1. Seriously consider what you will be tampering with during the deployment and try to mitigate any potential downtimes you may cause, particularly if it concerns something as important as a householder’s electricity supply or Internet connection.

2. Involve the participants as much as possible in the deployment: Ask them to help move their furniture or belongings when you’re deploying the equipment, and ask them to maintain a log for debugging in which they note any changes or thoughts that have involved the deployed equipment (e.g., to highlight if, when, and why sensors have been swapped). These small requests can make both the deployment and the data analysis easier while also ensuring the householders feel more involved.

3. Make sure more than one researcher is present for every deployment where possible. This will spread the burden of the technical and entertainment roles needed and guarantee safety in numbers.

4. Have the awk ward, inevitable conversation with participants upfront (and make note of the outcomes) so that everyone has the same understanding of the boundaries to room access and that data will not be shared between household members.

5. Ask participants before arriving at their home about transport and parking within the area, and also the presence of other life forms in their home (e.g., children or pets).

This will allow you to better prepare yourself for different household dynamics and additional, admin-level stresses to the deployment.

6. Drop by deployment locations prior to the study itself to determine your phone’s signal strength or uncover any other unforeseen issues associated with the area. If there are issues, politely decline the household for the study—your safety is crucial.

7. Most important: Consider yourself. Think about any mental and physical health impacts of the deployment. Prepare for potential flare-ups or additional work- and travel-related stress. Leave yourself enough time to plan, to travel, and to deal with unexpected queries or problems.

PRE-DEPLOYMENT CHECKLIST:
Similar to when a plumber, electrician,
or other tradesperson visits your home,
you the researcher are the visitor
that disrupts the day-to-day routine
of the participants.