Bridging Distances through Virtual Cook-Along Sessions: Exploring the Design Space of Collaborative Remote Cooking Experiences

Virtual co-cooking gained visibility during the COVID-19 pandemic due to the increasing use of communication technology for social activities. However, available videoconferencing platforms are not well designed to support virtual co-cooking. Therefore, we explored this practice and the underlying design space and derived guidelines for current videoconferencing interfaces to better meet virtual cook-along enthusiasts' needs. For this, we first observed three remote cook-along sessions and then conducted semi-structured interviews, resulting in 12 requirements and 4 requirements themes culminating in 20 features divided into four dimensions: planning, enabling, co-presence, and food interaction. In the second phase, each feature was evaluated by 14 participants using the Kano questionnaire, followed by structured interviews. This resulted in six design implications related to automation, hands-free interactions, privacy, preserving memories, eliminating stress, and encouraging conjoint activities. This research provides insights and perspectives on the evolving landscape of technology-mediated social interactions and collaborative practices, and how to design for them.