Probes
Collecting Experiences



As technology is integrated increasingly into everyday things, the need for user-centered design becomes evident in design and IT research. To be able to understand people’s relation to energy in their daily life, it is imperative to involve users – individuals, families and communities – in all stages of the design process. In the STATIC! project, we have worked with both ‘cultural probe’ and interview research methods to enquire into how people interact with and relate to energy. It is these experiences, stories and moments of interaction that inspire in the development of new ideas and concepts on energy use.

The STATIC! probes were packages containing disposable cameras and logbooks – distributed to people to take into their domestic lives and return in their own time by post. This method allowed people the freedom to document their own personal, emotional and cultural perceptions with respect to energy use.











Project Team: Margot Jacobs, Ramia Mazé, Johan Redström