Mobile probes

This paper describes a new digital user study tool called Mobile Probes. Mobile Probes arose from a need to develop contextual and dynamic self-documenting tools for studying people's actions in mobile contexts. The technology used in the pilot study was based on dual band mobile phones with GPRS connections and an external accessory digital camera. A system was also developed for sharing and sorting the data. The system was implemented with Java software to enable the device to send and receive data, and PHP scripting to send and edit the questions and to view the answers through a dynamic web server. Another pilot study was conducted with a flexible platform that operates a spatio-temporal mobile log. The results of the studies show that Mobile Probes are a promising way to conduct user studies. Ideas for future development of the tool are discussed.

[1]  Kenton O'Hara,et al.  A diary study of information capture in working life , 2000, CHI.

[2]  Tom Rodden,et al.  Probing the Probes , 2002 .

[3]  Allison Druin,et al.  Technology probes: inspiring design for and with families , 2003, CHI '03.

[4]  Robert C. Ziller,et al.  Photographing the Self: Methods for Observing Personal Orientations , 1990 .

[5]  Jonathan Cagan,et al.  Creating Breakthrough Products: Innovation from Product Planning to Program Approval , 2001 .

[6]  大平 雅雄,et al.  Collective Creativity の支援へ向けて , 1999 .

[7]  Bodil Jönsson,et al.  Mobility and learning environments: Engaging people in design of their everyday environments , 2002 .

[8]  Xiaoyi Ma,et al.  Eliciting user preferences using image-based experience sampling and reflection , 2002, CHI Extended Abstracts.

[9]  Ole Iversen,et al.  Using digital cultural probes in design with children , 2003, IDC '03.

[10]  Leysia Palen,et al.  Voice-mail diary studies for naturalistic data capture under mobile conditions , 2002, CSCW '02.

[11]  M. Csíkszentmihályi.  Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience , 1990 .

[12]  Tuuli Mattelmäki,et al.  Observing and probing , 2003, DPPI '03.

[13]  D. R. Lehman,et al.  A Structured Diary Methodology for the Study of Daily Events , 1992 .

[14]  Rem Koolhaas,et al.  Projects for Prada part 1 , 2001 .

[15]  William W. Gaver,et al.  Design: Cultural probes , 1999, INTR.

[16]  J. Hughes,et al.  Designing with Care: Adapting Cultural Probes to Inform Design in Sensitive Settings , 2003 .