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Chapter 3
of things such as the phone and computer were recorded in the diaries, which
offered quantitative values of the frequency of the use of these technologies. The
probe material and the understanding created by research were used as a support
to workshops in participatory design. Unlike cultural probes, the interpretations
for design were specifically created together with the users.
The development of the probes later took a new direction. The families were
given interactive equipment, video probes and message probes for communica-
tion, recordings and play (see Fig. 13). These technological probes had three goals
(Hutchinson et al. 2003) : sociological, technological and designerly. The socio-
logical goal was to collect material about the use of technology in a real environ-
ment, and the technological goal was to test the technology out in the field. The
designerly goal was to inspire designers and users to think of new technological
opportunities, as well as to consider and ideate improvements in daily activities.
The technological probes were used to realise opportunities by experiment, tak-
ing interaction and interactive experiences into account.
Unlike the probes described above, the technological probes were not based
on self-documentation. The activities were recorded in a database, and the ex-
periences were gone over in interviews and workshops in participatory design
together with users and designers. Research outlining interactive experiences by
prototypes (cf. UE probes Kankainen 2002), similar to technological probes, has
in fact already been conducted in projects such as one anticipating the use of mul-
timedia messages (Mäkelä et al. 2000, and Kurvinen 2003). What technological
and cultural probes have in common is the tendency towards experiential and
designerly inspiration, as well as the open-ended search for design opportunities
by means of participatory design, without commitment to products.
3.4 EMPATHY PROBES
The University of Art and Design Helsinki started applying probes in cooperation
with companies (Mattelmäki & Battarbee 2002 ; Mattelmäki 2003a ; Mattelmäki
2003b ; Jääskö & Mattelmäki 2003 ; Jääskö, Mattelmäki & Ylirisku 2003 ; Virtanen,
Mattelmäki & Heinonen 2004). Since one purpose of these ventures was to pro-
vide inspiration and collect information, and another was to support design em-
pathy, it is proper to use the comprehensive name empathy probes. The goal was
to record diverse human material from various areas of life, and to project im-
ages of people’s experiences onto corporate design teams. In these case studies
we have developed the approach further, and we have learned how to apply it to
different contexts. Researchers have often been intermediaries between the users
and the design organisation.

FIG. 32. The instructions for the diary of the physical ex-
ercise and well-being study asked people to write down
free-form daily descriptions of their activities, thoughts
and feelings on the subject of the study for a week. The
diary had an appendix attached to it, a sheet of stickers to
be used as an illustration. The reflections, activities and
way of writing of the participants constituted an image of
them and their lives. The things and stories recorded in
the diaries contributed to a holistic idea of a person, al-
though they digressed beyond the subject of the study to
some extent. The stickers enhanced the writing and sug-
gested messages to be interpreted. The blank pages offered
the participants an opportunity to fill the pages to their
liking in writing and drawing.
FIG. 33. The core of the probe kit
of the freeride skiing study was
based on a workbook with a char-
acter called Jaska asking questions
and making assumptions, and with
the actual diary pages and ques-
tions alternating. This combination
seemed to work well, because the
questions activated people to write,
as well as reducing the openness of
the diary assignment for their part.
Jaska’s questions prompted the fre-
eride skiers to give reasons for their
attitudes. This page asks the follow-
ing : Taking risks at this level can hit
hard : Taking risks seems normal in
freeride skiing ? When were you last
scared ? What does fear have to do
with freeride skiing ? (drawing Salu
Ylrisku)
FIG. 34. A group of students (Ylirisku, Di and Kuusela) whose goal was to understand
angry feelings, designed a tool for measuring emotions for a diary. People could put
stickers with facial expressions for various emotions on it. The diary became a visually
strong way of documenting daily life, feelings and situations. It turned out that the par-
ticipants learned something about the factors of being angry, so that the diary contribut-
ed to reducing it. The diary was also useful for the interview, making it easy to return to
the dramatic emotional changes and the events causing them.