While direct user observation is usually considered the most effective research tool, it’s not always possible. Technological solutions such as web conferencing and video recording can help us with more superficial issues, but to get a more detailed understanding of a problem domain or context of use we sometimes need to dig a little deeper. As Alan Dix explains, this is where cultural probes come in.
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© Eduardo Ferreira and Interaction Design Foundation, CC BY-SA 3.0