hook

The hook was inspired by previous findings from our studies of everyday design, where we observed how people creatively adapt and repurpose common artifacts to fit their evolving needs in the home. Our goal was to move beyond fieldwork findings to create a design artifact that could be a resource for everyday design over time. We wanted to investigate how these goals could be achieved through making a simple technology with a clear functionality yet open-ended purpose. The hook was our first effort in making a digital thing of practice. We have continued to refine and explore the form giving of the hook in to-date three versions. The essential hook is a 16 cm tall cordless light with a hook built as part of its form. A different color LED shines depending on the orientation of the hook. On three sides of the hook, flat surfaces have been designed to enable it to rest in these positions (triggering the LED to turn on and remain lit until tilted in a different orientation). In the different versions the hook has been made of painted ABS  plastic, clear ABS plastic, PLA bulb and maple, and bone china and maple.  We have lived with the various hooks ourselves and deployed it in 5 households for periods ranging from several days to several months. Participants maintained a micro-blog, kept a photo diary, and took part in a semi-structured interview.