Tensions and Techniques in Investigating Longitudinal Experiences with Slow Technology Research Products

How can technologies be created that take on a long-term place in people's lives and that coevolve with them over time? What kinds of qualities should designers consider in crafting such kinds of computational things? And, how should we study and evaluate such new technologies through a longer temporal frame? In this chapter, we draw on examples of longitudinal field studies of the Photobox and Olly research products to explore these questions and to detail tensions and techniques that emerged across these two cases. Our findings reveal key tensions that researchers ought to be wary of when conducting longitudinal field studies of slow technology research products and techniques that can be applied to mitigate them.