research-article

A Cultural Probes Study on the (Non-)Use of Digital Artefacts

Authors:

Andreas GörresAuthors Info & Claims

MuC '19: Proceedings of Mensch und Computer 2019

Pages 155 - 165

https://doi.org/10.1145/3340764.3340785

Published: 08 September 2019 Publication History

Abstract

The field of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) is primarily concerned with the design and use of digital artefacts. However, the increased penetration of digital technology into public and private life has also increased the need to better understand negative aspects of use. Studies on technology 'non-use' have the potential to challenge the 'digital imperative' and normative assumptions in HCI, but they are currently limited to the classification of individual non-use and the identification of non-users' strategies. This paper applies cultural probes to gain new perspectives on the role of active non-use and selective use in HCI design. Probe packages were designed for both users and non-users of smartphones to prompt their reflection on everyday smartphone use. The results suggest valuable differences in the way both groups perceive and reflect on the use of smartphones in everyday situations. Capturing, understanding and communicating such different perceptions and reflections is important for balanced design and appropriation processes of digital artefacts.

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Cited By

Lepe-Salazar FEscobedo LNakajima T(2025)Novice-friendly probes for the gathering and analysis of requirements and subsequent design of softwareInternational Journal of Human-Computer Studies10.1016/j.ijhcs.2024.103405195:COnline publication date: 1-Jan-2025
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1016/j.ijhcs.2024.103405
Dittmar A(2021)Experience spaces for critical co-reflection on artefact useBehaviour & Information Technology10.1080/0144929X.2021.191218340:5(454-463)Online publication date: 10-Apr-2021
https://doi.org/10.1080/0144929X.2021.1912183

Index Terms

A Cultural Probes Study on the (Non-)Use of Digital Artefacts
1. Human-centered computing
  1. Human computer interaction (HCI)
    1. HCI theory, concepts and models
  2. Interaction design
    1. Interaction design theory, concepts and paradigms

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MuC '19: Proceedings of Mensch und Computer 2019

September 2019

863 pages

ISBN:9781450371988

DOI:10.1145/3340764

Copyright © 2019 ACM.

Permission to make digital or hard copies of all or part of this work for personal or classroom use is granted without fee provided that copies are not made or distributed for profit or commercial advantage and that copies bear this notice and the full citation on the first page. Copyrights for components of this work owned by others than ACM must be honored. Abstracting with credit is permitted. To copy otherwise, or republish, to post on servers or to redistribute to lists, requires prior specific permission and/or a fee. Request permissions from [email protected]

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Publication History

Published: 08 September 2019

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MuC'19

MuC'19: Mensch-und-Computer

September 8 - 11, 2019

Hamburg, Germany

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Cited By

Lepe-Salazar FEscobedo LNakajima T(2025)Novice-friendly probes for the gathering and analysis of requirements and subsequent design of softwareInternational Journal of Human-Computer Studies10.1016/j.ijhcs.2024.103405195:COnline publication date: 1-Jan-2025
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1016/j.ijhcs.2024.103405
Dittmar A(2021)Experience spaces for critical co-reflection on artefact useBehaviour & Information Technology10.1080/0144929X.2021.191218340:5(454-463)Online publication date: 10-Apr-2021
https://doi.org/10.1080/0144929X.2021.1912183

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