OBSERVE is a tool inspired by the Proust Questionnaire, designed to trigger a process of self-reflection and sharing.
Learners are guided through open-ended questions covering personality, tastes, memories, aspirations, the concept of home, and significant relationships. The tone is playful yet profound, encouraging spontaneous, sincere, and emotionally rich responses. The questionnaire is not intended for psychological evaluation but for qualitative exploration of symbolic and affective dimensions of space, promoting a more centered and sensitive design interaction.
What is the Proust Questionnaire
The Proust Questionnaire is an autobiographical tool originating in the late 19th century, made famous by French writer Marcel Proust, who completed it as a teenager as an introspective exercise. The questionnaire actually predates him, it was originally a Victorian parlor game called the Album des confidences, popular among bourgeois salons. Proust appreciated its ability to elicit deep thoughts and used it to express his worldview, emotions, and human relationships.
Over time, the questionnaire has been adapted into various versions and is now widely used in educational, psychological, and communicative contexts as a simple yet powerful tool for self-reflection and identity sharing. Though the questions may appear light (e.g., “What is your motto?” “What is your favorite occupation?”), they provide access to authentic personal content, fostering dialogue and empathy.
Suggested questions in this training context
- What is a word that describes you?
- What is a characteristic you admire in yourself?
- What makes you feel safe?
- What do you do when you have time just for yourself?
- What makes you feel happy, even for a moment?
- What color represents you?
- A scent you love?
- A sound that relaxes you or makes you smile?
- What memory makes you feel good?
- What object or symbol makes you feel “at home”?
- What bothers you in an environment or relationship?
Recommended activities to complete the questionnaire
Completing the OBSERVE questionnaire can be approached in different ways, all designed to activate multiple expressive channels and ensure accessibility, including for those with cognitive, relational, or language challenges.
The proposed methods are not decorative but function as design tools, structured to shape interaction and enable learners to take ownership of the narrative process, engaging with content freely, intuitively, and authentically. Each activity promotes active experience, stimulating creativity, memory, and decision-making.
Image, word, or color collages cut from magazines
Learners can choose images, words, or colors that resonate with their inner world to create personal collages. This activity can be especially helpful for those who have difficulty expressing themselves verbally or have limited communication skills. By selecting, cutting, and arranging elements, learners engage in symbolic thinking and storytelling, translating emotions, memories, and preferences into visual form. Collages not only encourage self-expression but also foster autonomy, giving learners the freedom to shape and communicate their personal narrative.
Colored responses with markers, pencils, stickers
Using color makes the activity playful and engaging. Learners can highlight words, decorate phrases, or select shades representing their mood or emotions related to a response. This approach encourages coordination, aesthetic sense, and emotional involvement, especially in educational settings where learners may access and express content more easily through visual means than through verbal communication alone.
Writing, drawing, crossing out, pasting
Integrating multiple expressive languages on the same sheet promotes inclusivity. Some may feel more comfortable drawing than writing; others may wish to cross out or layer, making the sheet reflect their subjective experience. This breaks the traditional “form” format into an open expressive space.
Printable sheet or notebook for ongoing completion
Working across multiple days allows reflection and return to previous thoughts. Materials can include single sheets or small personal notebooks to personalize, color, and decorate. This format supports narrative continuity, memory, and identity reinforcement.
Made with love by Wellhome team
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
