Critical Moments: Supporting Homeless Journeys Through Design
Rashmi Chandra, Dhaval Vyas · 2021
Individuals facing homelessness navigate through different moments and situations that bring specific challenges to their lives. A thorough investigation of their ‘journeys’ through such a difficult experience can provide new opportunities about how technologies can support individuals through homelessness. Based on a qualitative interview study involving nine individuals struggling with homelessness in an Australian city, we aimed to understand and trace critical moments of their struggles through a ‘journey tracking’ exercise. Our findings unpacked challenges and everyday resilient practices surrounding homelessness and the role technology can play in it. We discuss implications around developing services to provide emergency support to the homeless population based on our findings.