Reference Information:
Title: Thanatosensitively designed technologies for bereavement support
Author: Michael Massimi
Presentation Venue: CHI EA '10 Proceedings of the 28th of the international conference extended abstracts on Human factors in computing systems
Summary:
The researcher is looking at the space of time in a person's life after the loss of a loved one and the way in which computing technologies can better the person's subjective experience in that area. Their research is concerned with thanatosensitive design, which is the design of technologies that are actively engaged in mortality issues.
The thesis for the work is comprised of three stages. The first of these stages consisted of interviews conducted with those in the stage of bereavement on how they "inherit, use, and reflect upon personal technologies." The second of these stages has to do with elaborating on the methodology. Finally, the third stage is about evaluating how to best utilize technology for those currently or expecting to be in bereavement.
Discussion:
Understanding how technology can better make our lives in the difficult time of bereavement is one I look forward to. Possibly more than the average student, I can see the pending mortality of my own parents who are entering the fourth quarter of their lives. While I may not be as close to my parents as other people, I think there is still a grand possibility that I may be struck more deeply on an emotional level than I anticipate.
For one, I am sure I will begin to look at my own mortality in a more striking light. I am not getting any younger, either, and am currently looking around the corner at middle age. I could have my own personal midlife crisis at any moment now! If there were good technologies available that I could have access to to get through morning periods in a more upbeat fashion, I'm all for it.
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