Early Results
Our design approach allows us to gather rich information about potential, future users. We have yet to analyse great parts of the material but some of our preliminary results are presented below.
Rich Information from the Cultural Probes and the interviews
 From each cultural probe we collect rich information and the future users use the cultural probes to create diaries, photos, and tape recordings. These recordings allow us a glimpse into the everyday lives of our users.
The photo on the right shows material from one cultural probe and consists of 30 photos, a detailed diary over reminiscence activities during a period of 10 days, collages combining text and photos, and one hour of tape recording where context is provided for all photos. The tape recording contained information about the motivation for taking the photograph, the people present and the technologies used.
Different Users and types of media
People express their thoughts in a variety of ways and since the gathering and presentation of information are placed on the users we have an opportunity to understand which information is important to the people participating in our design proces.
The material from the cultural probes makes it possible for us to analyse how people prefer to represent information. The three pictures on right illustrate three approaches to representing information:
 PowerPoint Presentation
A PowerPoint presentation combining photos, illustrations, sounds and video. The advantage of presentations made with computers is that they are easy to share with other people and the presentation makes it possible to handle a variety of media. Only a few of our test persons knew how to produce these kinds of presentations.
 Scrapbook
A scrapbook combining a traditional text diary with physical artefacts such as medals, stamps, photographs, and news paper clippings. Because it is possible to combine psysical artefacts with text information this scrap book has a highly personal look and feel. The scrap book has taken several years to assemple and you can only share it by physically handing over the book.
 Diaries consisting mainly of text
Several of the people in our test were writing diaries on a regular basis. These diaries manly consisted of text and were only read by the auther or a few other people.
Designs must be open to interpretations
This photo shows a telephone which has an integrated answering machine. This particular telephone/answering machine examplifies a situation where a good fit is achieved between design and use. The person reports that she uses the phone to screen calls and she will pick up the phone if she can hear that the information is important.
Technology must be easy and fast to use
A photo of an office with a computer and a fax machine. The inhabitants report that they still use the fax because it is faster to start up, the messages are more personal than emails, and the receiver has better opportunities of knowing when a new correspondance has been received.
One Simple Central control
Many people complain that it is hard to control the technology in their homes. Too many different remote controls with too many features make it hard to become a competent user.
 Reminiscence and Computers
Some people report that they gather around computers when friends or family are visiting. They use the computer for presenting photos and use slide show functions. Since the computer is used for presenting photos it is important that the look and feel is nice. Such presentations should be easy to compose.
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