This probe was designed to contextualise the way participants used social platforms from a more zoomed-out perspective compared to the first two probes. It does this across two dimensions, first by capturing interactions with multiple platforms and second by focusing at the level of a day. As people use a variety of social platforms together, it was important to design a probe that allows participants to provide a window into how they use different platforms throughout the day.
Probe design
The probe card was an A4 sheet with a blank timeline that participants could annotate with their social platform use. We decided not to put times on the timeline as we expected that participants' routines could vary, and this would allow them to decide on a scale that suited them best.
Packaging and instructions
The probes cards came with an A5 instruction sheet held to them with a paper clip. Similar to the other probes, the instruction sheet introduces the probe, provides instructions on how to complete it and offers probes for things to include when completing it. The instructions suggest using the coloured dot stickers included in the kit or to use symbols to represent their use of social platforms and the card itself has a space to create a legend that explains how they did this. Knowing that a single day may not be representative of participants' general use of social platforms, the instructions encourage participants to record multiple days.
Downloads
- Card template [PDF] [InDesign]
- Instructions [PDF] [InDesign]