and accidents), along with floor cleaning events (planned
and opportunistic, in response to events). They also
documented the products and services used to clean floors,
ranging from rags to cleaning services. Participants noted
their mood and expression at the time the photo was taken.
The central person in the family was then given either a
Roomba vacuum or a Hoover Flair upright bagless vacuum
(Figure 1). These products were chosen due to the fact that
they offer the same cleaning functionality, but the Roomba
is autonomous and the Flair is not. Both have been praised
for their ease of use and ability to clean under furniture in
consumer product forums. To operate the Roomba, the unit
must be charged in its battery station, the floor must be
cleared of items such as loose clothing and papers, the room
must be cordoned off by closing doors or using virtual
walls, and the robot is turned on and left to clean. To
operate the Flair, the vacuum must be turned on and
manually moved to clean the carpet or floor. Families were
responsible for setting up and using the new product
themselves.
In Part III, the central person in the family filled out 12
images of a visual story diary (photographs augmented by
written descriptions in a logbook). They were asked to
document and describe whether and how the vacuum they
were given assisted with or changed particular cleaning
tasks, and whether it fit into the group of cleaning products
they already own, both functionally and symbolically.
In Part IV, follow-up interviews were conducted with
members of the family. The goal was to understand whether
the new product had an influence on the family, from the
perspective of each member. This was assessed through
interviews and follow-up questions about the diary entries,
and capturing perceptions based on their ideas about
vacuum cleaners. For example, they were asked whether or
not they used the new vacuum they had been given, to
describe the last time they used it (if they did), to list three
likes and three dislikes about the product, and whether they