Character Based Co-Design as a tangible and understandable mechanism for communicating

1. Character Based Co-Design as a tangible and understandable mechanism for communicatingwith children

2. Character Based Co-Design as a tangible and understandable mechanism for communicating Student Project 1 : Diabetic Glucose testing for children BaharMayahadin, University of Sussex Student Project 2 : Growing Kit, Sam Hancock, University of Sussex Student Project 3 : Device to encourage outdoor play Jonno Fitzpatrick, University of Brighton

3. Character Based Co-Design as a tangible and understandable mechanism for communicating • 30 primary school children at St Andrews C of E Primary School, • Hove. • The studies were carried out within the classroom environment. • Both the tutor (the primary author) and the student were involved with introducing each project brief and to help with directing activities and discussions with children. • The pupil’s usual teacher and a classroom assistant were also participants in discussing work with the children. • This represented approximately one adult per table of 7 to 8 children. • The teacher and some of the children were interviewed to assess their enjoyment of the event.

4. Obtain the view of the user • Important for groups with a very different • demographic, e.g. kids • Inspirational: Creative stages • Correctional: Analysis stages Co-design is an ideal

5. Co-design is an ideal • Elizabeth Sanders was one of the early pioneers of Co-Design techniques she invented the ‘Say, Do, Make’ model • ‘Say’ represents verbal information gathering, through questionnaires and interviews. • ‘Do’ represents observational techniques, like Video ethnography. • ‘Make’ describes more projective methods that involve creative techniques with the user.. • Make is good for children • www.maketools.com/

6. Co-design is an ideal • Garzotto suggests that children can be good Design Partners. • Druin is also a proponent of including children as designers through ‘Cooperative Inquiry’. • Creative activities rely less on language and memory, which are underdeveloped skills in early childhood: • Creative activities appeal to a child’s imagination and this is one of their main assets, according to Vaajakallio et al. investigations. • Garzotto suggests that children can be good Design Partners. • Druin is also a proponent of including children as designers through ‘Cooperative Inquiry’. • Creative activities rely less on language and memory, which are underdeveloped skills in early childhood: • Creative activities appeal to a child’s imagination and this is one of their main assets, according to Vaajakallio et al. investigations.

7. What are the limits to Co-Design ?Knowledge Transfer Project with PDD Ltd 200-2002.Time: Co-design within the constraints of a consultancy environment., Access : to children. These factors are even more extreme for individuals(including undergraduates).

8. Why Character Design ?Familiar and TangibleChildren react emotionally to them Del Vechio, G., 1997, Creating Ever-Cool: A Marketer's Guide to a Kid'sHeart, Pelican Publishing.FunMazzone et al. [7] alongside others [11] have found that fun is an important issue when dealing with children.Characters have attributes of people and technology

9. Student Project1 : Diabetic Glucose testing for children BaharMayahadin, University of Sussex Character Design

10. Student Project1 : Diabetic Glucose testing for children BaharMayahadin, University of Sussex More pictures and results Character Design

11. Student Project1 : Diabetic Glucose testing for children BaharMayahadin, University of Sussex Character Design ‘I think taking my own blood would be very scary ‘ Lily ‘UURgh ! ‘ General class outcry ‘A game would be a fun reward but I would like to choose my character’ Franklin ‘Can we think of it as cranberry juice?’ Tilly

12. Student Project 2 : Growing Kit, Sam Hancock, University of Sussex Character Design

13. Student Project 2 : Growing Kit, Sam Hancock, University of Sussex Character Design

14. Student Project 2 : Growing Kit, Sam Hancock, University of Sussex Character Design

15. Student Project 3 : Device to encourage outdoor play Jonno Fitzpatrick, University of Brighton Character Design

16. Student Project 3 : Device to encourage outdoor play Jonno Fitzpatrick, University of Brighton Character Design

17. Student Project 3 : Device to encourage outdoor play Jonno Fitzpatrick, University of Brighton • Common themes: • Communication devices with friends or parents • Recording information • Protecting themselves with shields/cloaks • Security objects like teddies and blankets • Weapons to protect themselves • Practical things like torches • games. Character Design

18. Conclusions:Why Character Design ?Inspiration:

19. Conclusions:Why Character Design ?Characters were a good talking point..the characters attributes and possessions represent children’s preferences and they can articulate their views. • personal qualities for the character • about feelings • likes and dislikes

20. Conclusions:Why Character Design ?These projects have characters as a natural part of the interface but..Clifford Nass and Byron Reeves [8] at Stanford's Center for the Study of Language and Information revealed people treat their technology as people

21. Conclusions:Why Character Design ?Accessible and tangible…. Next stage: Can they they also be used in a representational sense?If so, can they be used as a medium for discussing sensitive design scenarios, like the teddy bear is used by counselors for sensitive discussions.