Design probe

A research methodology in human-computer interaction where a prototype or artefact is deployed with participants not primarily to test usability, but to provoke reflection, surface unanticipated needs, and explore a design space. Unlike usability testing, which evaluates how well a system works, design probes are deliberately open-ended — they present possibilities and invite participants to respond with their own ideas, critiques, and alternative visions. In accessibility research, design probes are particularly valuable because they allow disabled participants to engage with concrete examples rather than abstract descriptions, revealing needs and preferences that may not emerge in interviews alone. The approach originated from cultural probes introduced by Bill Gaver in 1999.