I’ve decided to try and gain some user insights by giving out research probes. What these consist of is basically a container which the participant is to collect their household food waste in over the course of 5 days and an accompanying booklet for them to jot down any thoughts on the process. The booklet contains and introduction/explanation page and 3 main sections – one to fill out before, during and after the 5 day collection period. I didn’t just want to give out a plain box and word processed booklet as I think the more effort I put into making the probe, the more effort the participants will put into engaging with it. And therefore the better the insights I will get back from them. The containers are resealable to try and avoid unpleasant smells and the booklets are printed on high quality paper and supplied with a decent fine liner pen.
Black and white low quality – just to get the spacing and everything right
There is a front cover then the intro page that tells the participants what to put in the box – basically, all food waste (i.e. left overs, out of date items) including unavoidable waste (i.e. peelings, cores, stalks). In the ‘before’ section there are a couple of questions regarding their existing views and opinions about household food waste. The ‘during’ section I’ve intentionally left quite open in order to encourage any insights they may have without pushing or directing them one way or another . In the ‘after’ section theres a few questions about their reactions to the amount of food collected and if seeing it could change their habits in the future. Also theres a question about how much, if at all, they consider food waste to be an environmental problem.
Prints
The container is intentionally clear, with just a label, so the participants can physically see the waste that is being collected to get them to keep it in mind when responding to the questions in the booklet.
I’ve given out one probe package already to a family home, I intend to give another to a student flat with (ideally with more than 3 people living in it) and the other I would like to give to someone living alone – so as to get a good cross section of participants. After I get the responses back I may also print out some more booklets and send them out again.
Final research packs
Donald Struthers Honours Project 