Inventive leisure practices: understanding hacking communities as sites of sharing and innovation

Hacking, tinkering, DIY, and crafts are increasingly popular forms of leisure that have also become growing sites of study in HCI. In this work we take a wide view of the similarities and differences between these practices. We explore a broad spectrum of such activities, which we collectively describe as inventive leisure practices (ILP). We ask how members of various hacking communities make sense of their practice and involvement, and discuss 8 themes we found in common in hackers’ practices. We conclude by proposing a working definition for ILPs. Keywords Leisure, hacking, tinkering, innovation, DIY ACM Classification Keywords H5.m. Information interfaces and presentation (e.g., HCI): Miscellaneous

• Type: Journal
• Year: 2011
• Where: CHI
• Authors: Tricia Wang, Joseph Kaye
• Keywords: Broad Spectrum, CHI 2011, Human Computer Interaction, Information Interfaces, Inventive Leisure