Are We There Yet?

Designing UX for Kids

Justin Smith Georgia Tech | Roundbox IHG | Cartoon Network

@xenoabe

All slide images via Stefán’s

Stormtroopers 365 Flickr set and used with permission from Stefán.

-Jim Henson-“The most sophisticated people I know - inside they’re all children.”

Part 1: What is

UX?

The User’s Experience

UX Design/Architecture

Audience

Business User

Technical

Requirements

Information Architecture

Wireframes

Prototyping

Testing

Part 2

Kids

Generations๏ Baby Boomers 1946 -1964 ๏ Gen X - 1965 -1976 ๏ Millenials - 1977 -1996

Magid Research - 2012

๏ Pluralists - 1997 - Present

Big Differences in small Ages

Motor Skills

Memory and cognition

dumb it

down?

NO!

Make a product that kids will love, NOT a product that ONLY kids will love.

C.O.P.P.A.

PERSONALLY

IDENTIFIABLE

INFORMATION •Data •Social media •UGC

Part 3

The 5 Ps

of Designing kids UX

1. P 2. P 3. P 4. P 5. P

arenting

Parents play big role.

1. P 2. P 3. P 4. P 5. P

layarenting

Play noun \ˈplā\

activity engaged in to amuse oneself

Play is free movement within a more rigid structure.-Zimmerman and Salen Rules of PLay-

LOGO Math Blaster

1. P 2. P 3. P 4. P 5. P

RACTICElayarenting

Repetition and Familiarity lead to mastery.

When you watch a kid learn, you see there’s a recognizable pattern to what they do. They give it a try once -- it seems that a kid can’t learn by being taught. They have to make mistakes themselves. They push at boundaries to test them and see how far they will bend.

-Raph Koster -- A Theory of Fun -

1. P 2. P 3. P 4. P 5. P

atienceRACTICElayarenting

Play while waiting.

Fake Progress

Think “mobile” for speed.

1. P 2. P 3. P 4. P 5. Popularity

atienceRACTICElayarenting

Popular items = social status.

Part 4

The 3 Ds

of Building Kids Experiences

The 3 Ds

1. D 2. D 3. D

esign

• Colors • Icons • Characters • Attention

BE LOUD!

1. D 2. D 3. D

esignev(ices)

!

!

Desktops/Laptops TVs

iPod iPhone

iPad Consoles

!

2nd Screen Experiences

Meet the user where they are.

1. D 2. D 3. D

esignev(ices)iagnosis (testing)

Kids are honest.

Growing Gap

Generational Change

‣What UX IS. ‣Kids ‣The 5 Ps ‣The 3 Ds

“Kids don’t remember what you try to teach them. !

They remember what you are.”

-Jim Henson-

"I think that inside every adult is the heart of a child. We just gradually convince ourselves that we have to act more like adults."

-Shigeru Miyamoto-

Most kids don’t want to grow up. !

Most grown ups still want to be a kid.

Thank you!

Questions?