Making Do: The Organisation Of Everyday Care Through Sociotechnical Systems

Date: May 4 2026 

Time: 12pm

Location: TSRB 217A 

Zoom : https://gatech.zoom.us/j/3788369736?omn=91316693376

Darley Sackitey 

Ph.D. Student in Human-centered Computing 

School of Interactive Computing 

Georgia Institute of Technology 

tinyurl.com/darleysackitey 

Committee:  

Dr. Andrea G. Parker (Advisor) - School of Interactive Computing, Georgia Institute of  Technology

Dr. Lynn Dombrowski - School of Interactive Computing, Georgia Institute of  Technology

Dr. Carl DiSalvo - School of Interactive Computing, Georgia Institute of  Technology

Dr. Angela D.R. Smith - School of Information, University of Texas at Austin

Dr. Christina Harrington - Google Research

Abstract 

Care is everywhere and yet, much of it goes unseen. From neighbourhood lending networks to online communities exchanging small acts of kindness, the informal, everyday practices through which people support one another form the connective tissue of social life. Yet technology research has largely looked past this quiet labour, focusing instead on care in hospitals, social services, and moments of crisis.

This dissertation brings everyday care into focus. Through five studies spanning systematic review, participant observation, social network analysis, and participatory design, it examines how ordinary people organise, sustain, and scale mutual support, from tight-knit Black church communities to loosely connected strangers on Reddit. Together, these studies reveal how the texture of relationships, the design of platforms, and the pressures of crisis each shape who gives care, who receives it, and whether it lasts. 

The result is a richer, account of care as a continuous collective accomplishment that communities build and rebuild over time.