Benefits and Challenges of Evaluating Ubiquitous Technology in Field Settings

The more technology integrates with the everyday lives of all people, the more profound effects it has on the people, communities and the society. Ubiquitous computing technologies can influence the small everyday activities people do every day. Technology designers, adopters and decision makers need methods and tools for estimating and evaluating the effects of adopting new technology. This paper discusses the problems related to estimating the effects of adopting new technology in new domains. The paper explores the methods, challenges and benefits of using experimental pilots for evaluating the effects of adopting new ubiquitous computing technology for supporting the everyday life.