To create a cultural probe that our participants could keep and regularly use for a week's time needed a human touch in the objects. We included a polaroid camera, a set of 7 envelopes one for each day of the week and a diary where one would note down the results of the activities that were in the envolopes.
After giving the kits to 4 different participants, it was about understanding the engagements of participants with the cultural probe. Asking our users to record their activities durign their alone time, it was insightful to understand our participants during the times of the days which could have been touch to understand with other reserach methods.
I learned that cultural probes are a real power tool to extrapolate crutial information about your users. Having designed them in a planned way can give insights into ones life that wouldn't be possible otherwise. I would surely look for opportunities to include cultural probes in my user research activities.
The project introduced me to an unconventional way of understanding your user. This method was ideal to conduct remote studies and also look at data without any prejudice. Designing the probe highlights the importance of planning research studies be it interviews, surveys or observations.