Users' Practices and Software Qualities: a Dialectical Stance

The Ubiquitous Computing technology in practice is often characterized by users that experience recurring breakdowns, standards’ incompatibility and a proliferation of interfaces when using, accessing and trying to connect different devices (e.g. PCs, cameras, printers, and phones). Such interconnected devices populate ordinary Ubiquitous Computing scenarios. The focus of the present research is on how software architecture can support Ubiquitous Computing applications and how people might use these technologies to enhance their practices and reach personal goals. Architectural support is indeed needed for designing embedded, distributed, intelligent and interactive systems, which need communication through middleware components. Use practices and Architectural Qualities have been investigated in the Active Surfaces case study. Active Surfaces is an embedded and modular system of tiles aimed at supporting therapeutic use practices and special needs. The design and developmental process is articulated on the relationship and the exchange between key users practices and architectural qualities.