Designing probes for empathy with families

摘要

In this paper we describe how we applied the method of cultural probes to get empathy with and inspiration from families. We illustrate this with a concrete research study in which we applied this method to investigate 'the need to stay in touch' present in different families. Firstly we discuss the problems that emerge when applying this method to a family as opposed to applying it to individuals. Secondly we discuss the design of the package, illustrated with examples, and finally we discuss the translation of the qualitative data into visualised contextual scenarios. We conclude with a reflection on how the research has affected our awareness of the design context.