Designing with Care: Adapting Cultural Probes to Inform Design in Sensitive Settings
Guy Dewsbury, Jim Hughes, Keith Cheverst, Karen Clarke, Terry Hemmings, Tom A. Rodden, Mark Rouncefield, Andy Crabtree · 2003
We report on the methodological process of developing computer support for former psychiatric patients living in residential care settings, for older members of the community, and disabled people living at home. Methods for identifying user needs in such sensitive settings are underdeveloped and the situation presents a very complex set of design challenges. In particular, the highly personal character of such settings presents conventional observational techniques, such as ethnography, with obdurate problems that make direct observation intrusive, disruptive and inappropriate on occasion. Direct observation requires supplementation in sensitive settings. Accordingly, we report on our experiences of adapting Cultural Probes to explore care settings, to develop a design dialogue with participants, and to gather information about their unique needs.