Understanding Design as a Catalyst to Engage Remote Couples in Designing for Long-Distance Relationships
Hong Li · Proceedings of DRS · 2018
There is a gap between understanding the needs of couples who are in long-distance relationships in research and designing technologies for them in practice. The aim of this study was to understand how design can act as a catalyst in bridging the gap. Taking a user-centered approach, the study engaged with ten participants, i.e. five remote couples who had remained committed to each other in serious long-distance relationships. The goal was to build empathy with them, explore their experiences and skills for coping with long-distance relationships, identify their main challenges and needs, and understand their perspectives on existing artifacts that mediate intimacy between remote partners. As design considerations for future technology development, the findings reveal there is a need to take the strategy of customization into account when designing technologies for long-distance relationships, where customization can serve as an aid to empower remote couples as skilled practitioners to creatively use technologies so as to meet their diverse needs.