CULTURAL PROBE PACKAGE (duration 1 week)
The overall objective of the cultural probes was to collect the participants views in their own contexts, and encourage them to look around the city with critical eyes. They had at least one week to think about the tasks proposed, and then express their views. Individual meetings with the participants were scheduled, where I explained the tasks of the package, clarified any questions, and interviewed them. In this initial semi-structured interview, I asked them if they had any special interest in political or public issues; if they had been involved in the past in trying to solve a public issue (or if they had the desire to do so), and asked them to talk about past experiences. These questions served to get an idea of the personality of each participant, and to warm them up to the exercises in the probes.
The participants were given a kit consisting of: map, workbook, themed cards, photo book and additional material (pens, scissors, glue, stickers). Each kit had the participant’s name outside, and they were very excited when given the package, opening and interacting with the tasks.
This package aims to give a personal overview of a week in the life of a young Cologne citizen, where they observe the city with a critical eye, observing and evaluating what they appreciate or don’t appreciate and finding opportunities for improvement. That was done through a mapping exercise, where the task was to draw the city how they see it, and places where they usually go to. This task showed what issues they are most interested in (in a local city level), and how they reason about these issues. This task was paired with the photos, as a form of registering their point-of-view through images, and creating an almost reporter-like description. The workbook “One thought a day” aimed at getting an idea about their lives, and gathering points-of-view. The book started with a personal inquiries: description of an ordinary day, a description of a symbol that meant something to them (as a way of finding out about values that mattered) and a map of social relations divided by groups and the form of communication they use. The three last inquiries asked them to express their understanding of politics, describe public issues discussed throughout the week, and express thoughts about their local representatives. The opinion cards brought 12 current political issues and images, and participants were asked to freely express opinion towards the images on the back.
