While other probes focus on how participants use social platforms (at an account level, at specific moments, or throughout a day), this probe provides a way to reflect on perceptions of the platform as a whole. It does so by instructing participants to create "honest" ads that reveal the realities of using them through satire. The idea behind the probe is that satire is a powerful and creative tool for communicating critical perceptions and unspoken realities. While participants were told they could highlight both positive and negative aspects of platforms, the ads they created were almost exclusively critical.
Probe design
The probe cards are A5 and feature a wireframe of an Instagram ad that participants can complete. We chose this format as we expected participants to be familiar with Instagram ads and it bounded the detail of responses they could create.
Packaging and instructions
The cards were packaged in a B5 envelope that we printed the instructions on the left onto.
Downloads
- Card template [PDF]
- Instructions [PDF]
- Card template and instructions [InDesign]