A wide variety of simple sensors, e.g. for temperature, light, or humidity, is finding its way into smart homes. There are special features to consider with regard to the data collected by these sensors: a) the nature of the measured data as "thin but big data" that needs to be contextualized and interpreted, b) which both algorithms and humans are capable of doing (resulting in comprehensive information in the context of the home, including the recognition of activities, behavior, and health of the residents), and c) uses that lead to interesting positive applications, but also to misuse and implications for privacy. When managing such data, it is necessary to take these special features into account, for which the principles of user experience, human-data interaction, and data protection should be considered together. We present our research tool "Sensorkit" and the participatory research approach used with it to collect sensor data in real homes. In our findings, we present identified challenges and explain how we address them through a) meaningful default settings, b) opportunities for users to interact and intervene, and c) life-cycle management of the data. Important aspects include phases before, during, and after the collection, processing, and use of the sensor data, as well as the provision of user-friendly tools and user involvement. Our findings inform beyond the scope of a research project also the development and use of commercial smart home devices and services.

18. Internationales Symposium f\"ur Informationswissenschaft (ISI 2025), Chemnitz, Deutschland, 18-20.03.2025, S. 414-420