Understanding Personal Inventory
Researchers ask:
- How does the sample group use objects around them?
- Do certain products take preference?
- Are individuals tech-conversant?
- Do digital products dominate non-digital ones?
- What lifestyle implications arise from product preferences?
By understanding owned products and their competitive dynamics, researchers craft prototypes users will embrace, mirroring existing relationships while addressing unmet needs.
Categorization reveals behaviour: Frequency of use, interaction patterns, importance, sentimental value. Phones, chargers, keys travel everywhere. Laptops join meetings; external drives hold backups. Broken heirloom watches persist for memory.
Spatial clues matter: Accessibility (nightstand vs. drawer), grouping (phone/charger pouch), organization (color-coded files, stacked books) all signal interaction habits.
When and How to Use Personal Inventory?
Conduct one-on-one—either visiting users’ homes/workplaces or meeting elsewhere to examine possessions firsthand. Deep probing uncovers meaning, frequency, context: “Why this broken watch? How often this hard drive?”
This reveals physical, social, cultural contexts beyond function, exploring underlying feelings toward artifacts.
Advantages of Personal Inventory
1. Human-centered approach
Looks beyond intended function to design products deeply ingrained in users’ lives.
2. Empathy through observation
Sentimental value and cultural context emerge naturally through artifacts + stories.
3. Design direction
Product roles define specifications capturing true needs and desired behaviours.
4. Lifestyle cues
Reveals patterns other methods miss entirely.
Challenges of Personal Inventory
1. Time consuming
Observation+deep probing extends sessions; unconscious relationships need patience.
2. Requires skilled researchers
Rich insights demand observant facilitators experienced in meaningful probing.
3. Researcher bias risk
Emotional stories tempt unstated assumptions about user values.