User research cultural probe

Broken Probes I 543 — Interaction Design Methods Spring 2014 Shruti Meshram, XuanLuo, Denique Ferguson

Introduction

The predisposition that people cope with loss and grief, and remember and relate to the object of their loss in myriad ways is a fairly mundane one, but bears significant implications for how technologies may be developed to support people dealing with loss. As we found with this particular inquiry, understanding these different ways of living through the experience of coping challenges apparently harmless

assumptions that could result in tion for the contents of the probe. technologies that increase loss We then prepared the probe and related trauma. handed it over to our participant (Who shall refer to form this point Having been charged to on as James) for 4 days, following explore this subject by means of a up with a semi-structured intercultural probe, we first held brief in- view in which we went through the terviews with a few people to learn contents of the probe with James. the nature of any loss they had suf- We then used an affinity diagram to fered, and uncover any issues that uncover the themes in our observainvited further exploration. These tions from the returned probe and interviews also served as inspira- the interview.

Introduction Target User Population

James is member of our target group: young adults who have had a troubled relationship with a caregiver who has died of a terminal illness. James is 25 year-old African American male who lost his aunt

six years ago when he was in his senior year of high school. She took James in when he was very young and raised him until she passed away from lung cancer. She hid her illness for several years and never

talked about it. She passed away a week after the family found out she was ill, and that shocked James.

Introduction Research Objectives

• We wanted to know how the • How does it affect your current life? • Is the way you think of the loss had impacted James. person after the death different Specifically, we sought • How do you cope with loss from how you thought of answers to the following questions: them before the death? when you have negative emotions associated with • How do you feel when the person who raised you? • What impact does not telling about someone you see in a an illness / lying about a health negative light passes away? • How does the passage of time condition have on relationships? help you recover from the • What does it make you think ? emotional damage (if any)?

Constructing the Cultural Probe Design process The probe design process consisted of the following activities: Pre-Probe Interview

Brainstorm Session

Selection and Procurement

Before assembling the probe, we interviewed James to build common ground and collect his demographic information, as well as to get an idea of his relationship with his aunt, how she had died, and what sorts of things he remembered about her. These details were used to guide the types of objects and activities we included in the probe.

We used the affinity diagram method to find out what category of objects we were going to deploy in the probe. We developed a number of ideas for the contents of the probe out of those groups based not only on the details provided by James, but also our research objectives, personal experiences and associations, and the aim to keep him engaged with the probe. We kept our mind open for more objects that would necessarily fit into the context of the probe.

As we planned the objects we wanted to include in the probe before procuring them, and we planned to buy most of them, we kept our minds open to other objects and arrangements, as we relied on what was available. Shopping for our planned objects exposed us to other possibilities, and helped us cement the rationales for the objects we finally selected. This resulted in us including found objects (namely the cigarette box and used cigarette) as well.

Constructing the Cultural Probe Probe contents and rationale Our package was wrapped in a soft yellow scarf, secured with a brooch.

It included a photo album, which had different pictures, aiming to provoke memories of how he may have felt at different points of time before and after going through the loss. To help stir up memories of his childhood, we included an oven mitt, and a jewelry box containing beads and thread he could use to make something for his aunt. To provoke his reactions to her having been ill, we included a worn pill box, an empty, discarded cigarette box, a smoked cigarette, a cigarette lighter and a brochure about coping with reactions from diagnosis of cancer. We to know what perspectives he thought his aunt might have had, so we included a sheet

of paper in a letter envelope for him through someone else’s things, as to write a note he thought his aunt you might go through a loved one’s might write to him now. belongings after their death.

We included two major worn objects: a used pill box and a smoked cigarette in a discarded cigarette box. As James told us his aunt used to smoke a lot and then died of lung cancer, we thought a smoked cigarette could be a sensitive stimulus for him to relate to her death, and the pillbox to her illness. The cigarette in particular we thought would be quite provoking, not only because it was used, but also because it played on the sense of smell, while most of the other objects primarily depended on sight and touch. We really wanted the probe to convey the idea of looking

Although we knew their relationship was troubled, we included a lot of items and activities that spoke to a loving relationship — trinket box for keepsakes, making a necklace, oven mitts with associations of being cared for and fed. We felt that this would help us to see the nuances in their relationship (e.g. was it all negative?), and help to encourage him to imagine things from his aunt’s point of view.

Constructing the Cultural Probe Probe contents and rationale 1

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Scarf: Accessory worn by women, especially older women, and is often associated with aunts in literature and media, e.g. children’s shows. We used it as the container for the package — an informal, soft bundle of personal belongings, that “could” have belonged to his aunt.

Trinket box: Often associated with memories and keepsakes. His aunt may well have had a trinket box, and opening it would be symbolic of taking a peek into things she may have held dear.

Constructing the Cultural Probe Probe contents and rationale 3

Photo album: To provide space to reflect on how he felt or what he thought at different stages before and after his aunt’s death. One picture and drawing/writing space was provided for each of the following topics: - Before you found out she was sick - The day you found out she was sick - The day she died - One week later - One month later - One year later - Current thoughts We wanted to know how he feels about his aunt as time passes by, and how these feelings change over time.

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Oven mitt: That is to remind him of the days when his aunt would cook for him.

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Pill box: A pill box would trigger memories of illness. His aunt didn’t tell them about the Illness, so a medicine box can trigger some memories.

Picture/Video/Audio Instructions : Offers other media for him to express his reflections through. It was also meant to serve as a passive means of confirming his engagement with the package, by having him email us the pictures/ videos/audio.

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Brochure: His aunt died of lung cancer, which she hid from the family for years. The brochure is for cancer patients, and talks of how to cope with the diagnosis. We felt this might encourage him to imagine his aunt’s perspective on her illness, as well as to think of how he might have handled being ill himself.

Cigarette box with used cigarette and lighter: To act as a further reminder of his aunt’s habit, and possibly symbolize the last cigarette his aunt smoked before she passed away.

The lighter was used to trigger memories of his aunt’s smoking, as well as to elicit his own attitudes towards this habit she had.

Probe Reception

James’ Emotions in Relation to His Aunt’s Death Over Time Shock The Day Before She was Sick The Day You Found Out She was Sick The Day She Died The Day of the Funeral One Week Later One Month Later One Year Later Current

Sadness

Relief

Anger

Probe Reception James’ Reactions During the Probe Study Regret

Felt that he shouldn’t have cried at her funeral “I don’t think she deserved any of my tears”.

Sadness

Feels isolated as the people around him had “decent childhoods”

Anger

Increasingly loud, agitated tone/speech, profanity.

Feels set back by his abusive upbringing

Defensive

Curiosity

Wondered what he would find in the probe when he first got it

Indifference

Didn’t seem to have thought much about how his aunt would have felt

Held back tears; admitted avoiding talking about it as “I can’t really control how people feel [towards me]”

Relaxed/Reassurance

Spoke frankly about a subject he usually avoids talking to others

Probe Reception James’ Perspectives on His Aunt’s Death His Aunt as a Person

Aunt’s Influence on His Life Prospects/Lifestyle

Decisions/Preferences

She was abusive to her family

Limited: a harsh childhood has made it difficult for him to do well

Doesn’t like talking with counsellors, would prefer to talk with friends

Regrets crying at the funeral, although when she died he“... cried...in a ‘pet dying way’, not a ‘dead relative’ way“

Isolated: he can’t relate easily to other people

Avoids talking about the loss and his background, as he believes people would see him in a negative

Doesn’t belive he can forgive her Forgiving her (“letting go”) now Referring to his aunt: “I never would be too late for personal want to be like that”. development — “I wouldn’t know where to start” Fake; she treated her family terribly, while treating strangers well

Has few friends

Hates smoking, but feels that since he comes from a backgound of smokers “the chances of [not ending up a smoker] are slim, I guess”.

Believes his aunt would think of Believes he would have had him now as an “f***ing failure” better prospects had he lived with his mother, despite her troubled life Their relationship was very distant, especially towards the end. He didn’t make the necklace as he didn’t really make anything for her as child, which he felt reflected this distance

Forgiving her would mean that their poor relationship was “all my fault”

Probe Reception Samples of James’ Interactions with the Probe

Pictured here are James’ reflections on the day his aunt died, the day of her funeral, one week later, and his current thoughts (top four pictures on the left).

The bottom-most picture is the note James’ imagined his aunt would write him today, and the right-most picture is the only picture James took, showing the probe cigarette box and contents in his trash.

Reflections Shruti In his initial interview, the subject described his relationship with his aunt as being negative. We had not realized the extent of negativity that existed. We tried to put in several provoking artifacts that would eventually serve as a trigger to talk during the post-probe interview. I would like to go through some artifacts that I think were major triggers.

The first artifact is the trinket box which had beads, thread and instructions to make a jewelry piece and it was an attempt to see how he perceived the relationship. The subject left the contents in the box as they were.It might be the case that the subject didn’t care.

The second artifact I thought initiated a reaction was the cigarette box with a used cigarette and a lighter.

He mentioned that his aunt was a

heavy smoker and that she passed away due to it. He has illustrated his feelings about the artifact in a photo. There is a picture taken by him which shows the cigarette box in the trash can. That was the only picture he has taken and shows how strongly he feels against them.

how to react when we lose a person.

Death confounds each and every human being on this planet and also the fact that eventually we are also headed there.

I take the variance in behavior as an insight into the subject group. The method and period of grieving varies The third artifact that provoked him and there is no single fixed solution, was the blank letter which would it’s a personal choice. be a note from his aunt to him. He wrote a very negative message What I would have done differently and that letter was by far I think the is taken an in depth interview. I most provocative artifact we put in am not sure if a detailed initial because it was aimed at how his interview biases the study. From aunt thought about him and how he such an interview we can get exact perceived she thought about him. details from the subject and throw in similar or random artifacts. I believe I think each phase of recovery from the subjects don’t remember what a loss is different. I’m not sure if they mentioned in the interview and everyone goes through the exact cannot predict certain contents in same phases. Grieving after a loss the package. can be a personal or private issue for some. Also we don’t really know