Based to my master thesis idea, which is about designing support and learning software for children with dyscaclulia, I decided to take for reading a book about designing for children. More specifically, the book is about interaction design for and with children. Book is based on survey, aims to contribute toward this goal through a review of research on children’s cognitive and motor development, safety issues related to technologies and design methodologies and principles. It also provides and overview of current research trends in the field of interaction design and children and identifies challenges for future research (Hourcade 2007).
Hourcade (2007) starts with describing different approaches to knowledge management e.g. some people can handle easily qualitative others quantitative data, and some people can manage both wit equal level. Same is with children and for them is the right kind of support especially important. It means, that interaction should be designed to match different types of users whit different type of knowledge managing.
First chapters with theoretical background are mostly concentrated to the basics knowledge behind different theory’s in child early development. There is quite complete overview of different approaches and theories in the field. First of all is mentioned Piget’s theory of developmental stages and how each stage impacts development. Also the activity theory (by Vygotski) is explained, to tie child development stages with different motivation and activity stages. Other mentioned idea in socio-cultural context is situativity theory, which handles learning as a result of interaction with either machines or with teaches, parents, classmates etc.
The way child might interact in different situation is a bit more complex, than just the stage where they behave well. The mood can change very easily. For example by younger children is very important, that the parent are in range of visibility. In this sense author (Hourcade, 2007) has added the theory of neuro-sience approach and theories as behaviorism, intelligence and psychometric theories in order to assess and predict the intelligence of individuals.
As important part in development phase is to know the subject and not to assess incorrectly capabilities of user. Author points out important factors which must be takes into account when going further with development process. These factors are visibility, motor skills, problem solving and memory. If most adults are capable solve different situations at any age with same efficiency, then by children age needs to be monitored very closely. In wider meaning the design should be as much universal as possible. Some capabilities of child are also depending on different social impacts – e.g. problem solving, which is on the higher level by children, who have learned this from parents or teachers.
To get more practical, author describes, how motor skills are developing during childhood and why and how should be interaction designed according child’s capability. Main problem is the complexity of task child needs to solve. By ideal case, the interface should accept the interaction from different level users – either they are capable for multitasking(touching) or not – movements to complete a particular aiming task become more consistent as children get older (Hourcade, 2007). Same question is with right/left hand handling – both users should equally manage to interact. On the other hand the interaction can’t be too easy, as children may get bored or their hope to become more proficient with bimanual tasks, especially those involving asymmetric use of the hands. These results are a close match for what has been observed when children conduct operations with input devices (e.g., with the mouse).
Final part before getting hands on, is the part about safety in design process with children. There are covered most important possible dark sides of design for children. First but not least is the design of product – there should be avoided possibility to hurt himself by young user. Other concerns are moral, intellectual, social and emotional. By these aspects author explains, that during interaction there should be avoided any kind of situations, which might offend young user.
Author refers, that children can participate in the design process as users, testers, informants or design partners. Furthermore, she states that each role supersedes and encompasses the next, with all testers also being users, all informants being testers, and all design partners being informants. Contextual inquiry involves children and adult researchers observing each other while using a technology. In these sessions, children and
adults get to express their opinions about what works well, what does not and what they would like to change about the technology. This can lead to useful discussions in the design team that can provide feedback on competing technologies, as well as on prototypes of technologies being developed (Hourcade 2007).
Design principles by visual design are mainly related with reading. In case the story is about dog, then the picture of a dog should be used instead of word DOG. If somewhere is still text used, then it might help, if it is capitalized. Overall visual complexity should be taken in account as key factor for user to use interaction at all. If some kind of text related interaction is inserted, than it would good to use alternative interaction for these users, who might prefer some other kind of interaction.
Users and especially young ones are very sensitive for different input devices, which means, that they should be able to manipulate without problems any given interaction device. By choosing device should designers take into account different motor skills by users. For example there is always better to use mouse, than track-pad. Same goes to mouse compared with touchscreen and so on.
Supporting child with different HELP features ensures, that child will stay interested, which might had some kind of side effect by the case, where interaction device is becoming to babysitter. Storytelling and solution finding is the key points to keep child motivated and interested of tool. In addition is important to develop social skills and knowledge about social networking. As topic trough this book is design and using design to improve children skills and to teach them, then it’s also important to ensure, that child learns how to manage data he needs to work with.
Some ideas are given also by design for children with disabilities. And the main idea is to support current disability. In conclusion, we can provide to children with right-designed technologies, that will help them grow up to be sociable, responsible, participatory, and globally aware adults.
Hourcade, J. P. (2007). Interaction Design and Children. Foundations and Trends® in Human-Computer Interaction, 1(4), 277-392. doi: 10.1561/1100000006.
Link to task: http://imkedesign.wordpress.com/2011/03/10/book-summaries/
