Applying probes – from inspirational notes to collaborative insights

Abstract

In user-centered design, attention has shifted from improving usability and addressing ergonomic problems to wider perspectives such as experiences in everyday life. This shift has forced user-centered practitioners to evaluate and develop tools for finding new means of understanding user experience for design. Visual, playful and open-ended probes have raised fresh interest in the design community. In order to create a deeper understanding of this approach, this paper presents the fundamental qualities of probes and, based on empirical data and literature, describes four reasons for applying them in the product development and concept design context: for inspiration, for information, for participation and for dialogue.

Keywords:

• probes
• user-centred design
• user experiences
• concept design

Acknowledgments

I wish to thank Turkka Keinonen for continuous feedback and Liz Sanders, Ilpo Koskinen, and Katja Battarbee for valuable comments. Thanks also to Salu Ylirisku, Katja Virtanen, Susanna Auno, Sami Hulkko and Renita Niemi for their work with probes. I am most grateful to the collaborative companies, special thanks to Hannu Koskela, Milvi Soosalu, Pertti Puolakanaho, Topi Lintukangas, Helena Rantala, and to the motivating engaging people I call users.