Design for Free Play - Chalmers · 2003. 8. 1. · designed to support Free Play. Free Play is defined as creative, active and spontaneous everyday play activities where several children

REPORT NO. 2003:28

Design for Free Play

TOBIAS RYDENHAG

Department of Computing Science IT UNIVERSITY OF GÖTEBORG

GÖTEBORG UNIVERSITY AND CHALMERS UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

Göteborg, Sweden 2003

Design for Free Play TOBIAS RYDENHAG © TOBIAS RYDENHAG, 2003. Report no 2003:28 ISSN: 1651-4769 Department of Computing Science IT University of Göteborg Göteborg University and Chalmers University of Technology P O Box 8718 SE – 402 75 Göteborg Sweden Telephone + 46 (0)31-772 4895 Tryckeriet Matematiskt Centrum Göteborg, Sweden 2003

ABSTRACT The aim of this thesis was to explore how computer embedded toys could be designed to support Free Play. Free Play is defined as creative, active and spontaneous everyday play activities where several children play together. This kind of natural play behaviour finds little support in the interactive toys of today. To address this problem a design example, developing an interactive Free Play toy, was conducted. The design example is to inspire other interaction designers and guide them in the exploration of this new design space. In this exploration, the conceptual constraints inherited from traditional computer science must be overcome to utilise the true possibilities of computer technology as a design material. Through the visions of Ubiquitous Computing, the Spookies, a new kind of computer embedded Free Play toy, was developed. The Spookies define a fun alternative to modern computer games and interactive toys. Not by restraining the play with rules and structures, but by giving children a flexible Free Play tool to use as they see fit – a tool to support them in their natural everyday play activities, introducing a new role for computer technology in the area of Free Play. KEYWORDS: Free Play, Interactive Toys, Ubiquitous Computing, Embedded Computing, Tangible Interfaces, Physical Programming, Interaction Design, Spookies.

ABSTRAKT Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka hur leksaker med inbäddad datorteknik kan utvecklas för att stödja Fri Lek. Fri Lek kan definieras som kreativa, aktiva och spontana lekar där flera barn leker tillsammans. Det finns idag inget stöd för denna typ av naturliga och vardagliga lekar hos moderna interaktiva leksaker. För att undersöka detta problemområde genomfördes ett designexempel, där en ny leksak som stödjer Fri Lek med inbäddad datorteknik, utvecklades. Detta designexempel kan inspirera andra interaktionsdesigners och vägleda dem i utforskningen av detta nya designområde. I denna utforskning måste det konceptuella ramverk som ärvts av den traditionella datorvetenskapen brytas, för att till fullo kunna utnyttja datorteknologi som designmaterial. Genom de visioner och perspektiv som ges av forskningsparadigmet Ubiquitous Computing, utformades i detta projekt Spookies, en ny typ av interaktiv leksak. Genom att ge barnen ett flexibelt verktyg att bruka som de vill, utan att begränsa leken med regler och strukturer, representerar Spookies ett roligt och stimulerande alternativ till moderna datorspel och andra datorstödda leksaker. Spookies definierar ett verktyg som stödjer dem i deras naturliga dagliga lekar och därigenom introducerar en ny roll för datorteknik inom området för Fri Lek.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This Master Thesis has been written at the HCI/Interaction Design programme at the IT-University, a part of Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg. I would like to thank our members of the design team: Jesper Bernson; Lena Berglin; Sara Backlund; Andreas Svensson and Torbjörn Gildå, my supervisor: Peter Ljungstrand, the researchers at PLAY Interactive Institute: Staffan Björk; Johan Redström; Lars Hallnäs and Ramia Mazé, my opponent: Maria Håkansson and finally Malin, my girlfriend. Thank you all! Tobias Rydenhag Gothenburg, May 2003

CONTENTS DESIGN FOR FREE PLAY ....................................................................... 1

DISPOSITION............................................................................................ 4

EXPLORING THE AREA ......................................................................... 5

DEFINING FREE PLAY.............................................................................. 5 UBIQUITOUS COMPUTING ....................................................................... 9 SMART TOYS ......................................................................................... 11 RELATED RESEARCH PROJECTS ............................................................ 14

THESIS APPROACH............................................................................... 17

PROJECT SETTING.................................................................................. 17 DECLARATION BY DESIGN.................................................................... 19

METHODS ............................................................................................... 22

DESIGN METHODS USED ........................................................................ 22

DESIGN APPROACH.............................................................................. 27

PREPARATIONS...................................................................................... 27 DESIGN OBJECTIVES.............................................................................. 29 DESIGN PROCESS................................................................................... 30

DIVERGENCE ......................................................................................... 34

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP .................................................. 34

TRANSFORMATION.............................................................................. 38

INITIAL IDEAS........................................................................................ 38 ACTIVE PLAY WORKSHOP..................................................................... 40 PUZZLE PLAY WORKSHOP .................................................................... 43 PROTOTYPING........................................................................................ 48

CONVERGENCE..................................................................................... 52

THEME OF CONCEPT.............................................................................. 53 SPOOKIES............................................................................................... 53 SELECTING THE UNITS .......................................................................... 61 MODEL OF COMMUNICATION................................................................ 62 MODEL OF COMBINATION..................................................................... 64 SCENARIOS ............................................................................................ 67

REFLECTIONS........................................................................................ 71

SPOOKIES AS A DESIGN EXAMPLE ........................................................ 71 SPOOKIES AS A PRODUCT ...................................................................... 72 FUTURE WORK ...................................................................................... 74

REFERENCES.......................................................................................... 76

DESIGN FOR FREE PLAY When I was younger, role-playing games was the best thing I knew. We could play whole days or nights exploring ancient mines, wandering through magical woods, searching for lost treasures or defeating terrifying monsters. All by the use of a few simple rules and our unlimited imagination. In fact, at first we did not even have any rules, we made them up in case they were needed. All we needed for playing was a couple of dice, the rest was in our heads. When I was even younger I liked playing in the woods. We used to play all sorts of things, robbers, pirates, indians, anything we liked to be. Sometimes we played against each other, sometimes the trees and stones were our foes. A branch would be a sword, a few bushes a castle, a streak a roaring river. Such is the imagination of a child. This kind of play, could be defined as Free Play, a term that will be in focus throughout this thesis. Nowadays, computer games have become a more important part of children’s play activities. Computational power has shown to be a great tool for the entertainment industry. Colourful, interactive games are extremely entertaining and an excellent medium to tell stories. Unfortunately, computer games do not leave much to imagination. Compared to books or play with traditional toys where the children have to imagine the characters and environment, computer games limits the experience to the flat TV screen, by visualising all events. Mandryk [2001] argues that there are few situations where a computer game encourages or supports Free Play. Although online gaming could fill some aspects of Free Play, the interaction with other players and environment gets very limited through the desktop interface and could not be compared to real-life, face-to-face situations. Free Play is not all about freedom of imagination, but also about physical and social freedom. To develop, children have to engage in physical activities and social interactions. At this time, the desktop computers cannot fully support our need for high-level communication and interaction within the domain of Free Play. But computer technology is not limited to the desktop interface. Computer technology can be built into almost anything. Leaving the desktop behind, micro-controllers, sensors and radio transmitters can be integrated into our every-day objects and become a natural part of our environment. This technology is called Embedded, or Ubiquitous Computing. The concept of Ubiquitous Computing or Ubicomp derives from Mark Weiser and his work at Xerox PARC. Ubiquitous Computing defines a new paradigm of computer technology. It is a paradigm where the computers will be everywhere as specialised units communicating with the world and each other through wireless local networks. The always-present computer artefacts will be invisible to us by not having to be consciously controlled.

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DESIGN FOR FREE PLAY

As Weiser predicted, embedded computing is becoming part of our everyday lives and have already entered the field of play through computer embedded toys. These toys are commonly called Smart Toys and have been available on the market for a few years. Among the more successful is the Furby from Tiger Electronics. The Furby is a cute owl-like plush toy with computer-supported features. It is equipped with various sensors to perceive light or noise in the environment and can feel if someone has picked it up or is stroking it. To all these inputs it can react by saying something in “Furbish”, its own language that evolves when being played with. Additionally, the Furby has three built-in games that can be played by clapping your hands. The essence of these games can generally be summarized to mapping a sentence in “Furbish” to an input like stroking. The Furby is certainly a fun and popular toy but does it support any activities like Free Play? The Furby is in this notion a typical example of all Smart Toys on the market. It is designed merely for playing a few predestined games, on its own terms, and does not support or inspire the child to use it as a part of other natural play situations. Further, the Furby, as most other Smart Toys, is deigned to put itself in the centre of attention and interaction, assuming the role of a regular playmate. This limited model of interaction clearly inhibits collaborative play behaviour amongst children playing together. From this point of view, the Furby makes a poor support to Free Play activities, far worse than a regular plush toy. But how can it be, that a plush toy makes a better support to Free Play behaviour than most Smart Toys available? One answer to this question can be found within the origins of computational toys. The development of computer embedded toys has, within the field of research, previously been receiving its main interest from the disciplines of AI; artificial intelligence. Central to this research field is the understanding of human cognition and the simulation or creation of artificial intelligence [Haugeland, 1985]. This approach have clearly influenced most Smart Toys of today, designed as “intelligent” interactive playmates attempting to become a child’s best friend. This influence is however unfortunate as the “intelligent” approach of design usually leaves the toy with a few built in games along with some sort of interactive nurture behaviour. Further, the actual model of interaction does not consider children’s natural or social play behaviours. Instead, this model is merely borrowed from the interaction with a regular computer, though hidden within a different interface. As an approach of developing toys the AI strategy clearly fails to recognise the alternative opportunities given by computer technology as a design material to support natural play activities. How can then new interactive toys be designed to create a better support for Free Play behaviour? In the field of research, the study of play behaviour has gained a lot new interest during the last years. From being an area mainly attended by development psychologists and cognitive scientists the study of play behaviour have at the present date also been acknowledged in the larger

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field of computer science. This, as a natural result of computer gaming swiftly emerging towards becoming a media of entertainment as commonly accepted as watching movies or listening to music. Free Play related to the use of computer technology is however still an area widely unexposed. The research accomplished so far can mainly be addressed to the EDGE Lab at the Simon Fraser University, the HCI Lab at the University of Maryland and the MIT Media Lab. Their work has primarily been directed towards collaborative and social play, see for instance [Inkpen, 1999], [Frei, 2000], [Mandryk, 2001], along with creating tools and environments to support storytelling and pretend play activities, see for instance [Cassell, 2000], [Gorbet, 1997], [Montemayor, 2002]. Still, no research has yet been made to address the design of new interactive toys to support natural Free Play behaviour. Thus, the central issue of this thesis is: How to design toys to support Free Play with the use of embedded computing? This matter will mainly be addressed by conduction a design example. In approaching a previously unexplored design space a practical example of design can be used to create an initial map suggesting what hidden possibilities and problems could be found within [Jones, 1992]. It can then be used as a guideline or reference when new explorations are made, supporting the progression of the research field. Moreover, a design example can motivate future research by posing an inspiring argument or declaration of design [Buchanan, 1989]. These are two main objectives of this thesis where the design example conducted will represent the result. This thesis is to present a fun alternative to modern computer games and interactive toys by exposing a new design space within this area that yet has to break its conceptual constraints and recognise the true possibilities of computer technology as a design material. It is an introduction to a new role for computer technology in the area of Smart Toys. Not by trying to create artificial friends but by giving children a tool for Free Play to use as they see fit; a tool that let them be creative, spontaneous and active within a social playground. However, the outcome of this vision cannot be found within the results of my design but in the effect future products of this field will have on children’s everyday play activities.

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DISPOSITION The disposition of this thesis can be understood as follows. This chapter, Design for Free Play, introduces the issue addressed: How to design a computer embedded toy to support Free Play, and relates it to the appropriate research area. Exploring the Area, further presents the research field exposing projects of relevance and interest along with central definitions. The Thesis Approach describes the approach chosen to address the issue to be investigated, presents the external conditions and discusses the value of conducting a design example in relation to the research community. Methods, presents the design methods used in this project in order to facilitate reuse of this approach. Design Approach describes and motivates how the design example will be attended and how the process of design is planned. The result is then presented in three different chapters: Divergence, tending to the initial expanding phase of the project; Transformation, describing how most of the practical design work of puzzling and pattern making was conducted; and Convergence presenting a final design proposal to a computer embedded Free Play toy. The result and approach is then further evaluated and discussed in the last chapter, Reflections.

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EXPLORING THE AREA

DEFINING FREE PLAY Playing is a central activity in children’s lives. It is essential to their well-being but also to their cognitive, social and physical development [Brown et al, 2000]. Playing allows children to learn about the world and experience life. In exploring their environment children enjoy engaging in various kinds of play activities; activities involving toys or defined games but also activities just involving playing with each other. Using their imagination they can create exciting play settings and experiences out of their everyday environment. A broom might become a horse, an old log might become a pirate ship and a lit-down kitchen might become a dungeon. This kind of pretending and pretend play states an important element to the definition of Free Play. Brown et al [2000] and Mandryk [2001] choose to characterise Free Play according to the following five factors:

1. Free Play is voluntary - people can enter and leave play at will. 2. Free Play is spontaneous - play can be changed by the players. 3. Free Play involves a pretend element - play is different from

everyday experience. 4. Free Play is engaging - the players are engaged in the activity

and separated from the surrounding activity. 5. Free Play is fun and pleasurable - play is enjoyable by the

players. However, I find this definition too similar to a general definition of play. That Free Play should be fun and pleasurable, voluntary and engaging is certainly important but can also be applied to all other kinds of play activities. Understanding that Free Play is a subset to Play in general, these factors are not necessary in a definition. Although assumed but not stated is the importance of social interaction and playing together. Since collaborative play is essential to Free Play situations [Inkpen, 1999], I believe that this argument should be defined. This, since play behaviour in general not necessarily includes social interaction amongst children. Take for instance the activity of climbing trees or building sand castles. These situations can undoubtedly be defined as play activities but does not have to be performed by more than one child. Finally, I would like to stress the importance of physical activity to Free Play situations. Children must have the freedom of using their bodies as well as their minds to fully engage in Free Play behaviour. The body is a tool and instrument of expression that strengthens the experience of enjoyment in play situations. Mandryk [2001] supports this argument:

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“…I believe that utilizing movement in Free Play behaviour can provide a richer, more interactive and engaging experience.”

Hence, I will use the following parameters as a definition of Free Play throughout this thesis:

• Pretending – Pretending is an essential feature to Free Play that lets children use their imagination, act and be creative.

• Spontaneity and Improvisation – Spontaneity and Improvisation distinguishes the Free Play activity from other activities like games or sports by letting the children change the play spontaneously.

• Physical activity – Physical activity provides a richer, more interactive and engaging experience in Free Play behaviour.

• Social interaction – Social interaction defines a central aspect of Free Play utilizing the joy of being with friends.

So how does Free Play behaviour differentiate from regular play activities and sports? Defined as a subset of Play, many common play situations also fit the definition of Free Play. In general, a majority of outdoor play do. The main characteristics that separate Free Play from rule-based games are the important elements of spontaneity and pretend. These exclude most sports, as for instance a soccer game does not involve pretend behaviour and cannot spontaneously be changed. There is of course a fine line between what activities involve enough pretending and enough spontaneity to be defined as a Free Play situations. As most definitions, this is a matter of degree and cannot be interpreted as a naturally exclusive condition. The four parameters are mere guidelines to the main characteristics of Free Play. Excluding sports, most other outdoor games like hide-and-seek states good examples of Free Play behaviour. By having less structured rules the play scenario is made less predictable and open to improvisation. How does then videogames relate to Free Play situations? Disregarding the obvious lack of physical activity, as this can be solved1, computer games do not leave much to imagination. When playing with regular toys like dolls or action figures, the children have to imagine the character, environment and events taking place. This imagination and pretending is nearly absent in computer games as they visualise all events. Simultaneously they restrict the user by the options available, binding the characters to the environment of the videogame. Another important aspect of imagination is that with regular toys the events of the play have to be made up along the way. This has previously been missing in most videogames but has in some ways been improved during the last years. Many modern video games have let go of the linear structure of game play where the player has to solve tasks in a

1 See for instance Nintendo Action Pad

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predestined way and order. Games like The Sims, EverQuest and Phantasy Star give the player freedom to stake out his own path and structure his own game session. This freedom of play is important to Free Play behaviour. Still, videogames involve few or none pretend situations. What you see is basically what you get. Another benefit of modern computer games is the possibility of on-line gaming, adding mediated social interaction to games traditionally played individually. This strengthens the connection between videogames and Free Play activities as it encourages collaborative play and communication. However, on-line gaming of today only provides a narrow channel of communication. Mandryk [2001] argues that the experience from playing in a face-to-face environment is very different from playing on-line. Mostly because the players can’t use their natural channels of communication like gestures, body language and eye contact. This makes communication slower and harder to interpret. In aspects of pretend elements and social interaction, traditional role-playing games easily outruns videogames. Role Playing Games (RPG) and Live Action Role Playing Games (LARP), support most characteristics of Free Play situations. Pretending, improvisation and social interaction are main features of the game play. They also have the advantage of face-to-face interaction enabling rich and fast communication. Though, addressing the importance of physical activity to Free Play behaviour excludes both videogames and traditional role-playing games from this definition.

THE IMPORTANCE OF FREE PLAY

Why is then Free Play important? Through free play, children interact with the world around them. These interactions form the basis for children's experiences and understandings shaping their role in life. As such a tool, play can be defined as a leading source of development to children [Vygotsky, 1933]. There are many reasons to why Free Play is an important factor to children’s development according to researchers of Cognitive Science and Social and Behavioural studies. Brown et al [2000] states: “Through free play, children develop physically, cognitively, emotionally, socially, and culturally. No other activity in children's lives provides as much richness and experience as does Free Play” [Brown et al, 2000]. Physical movement is central to children’s lives. It is an important aspect of their development clearly connected to other cognitive domains. By running, skipping, jumping and climbing children evolve their necessary motor skills [Mandryk, 2001]. During Free Play, children can engage all these activities and additionally use physical movement as a channel to express themselves [Brown et al, 2000]. Children’s Free Play behaviour also contributes to their cognitive development, including language skills, symbolic thought, problem solving and behavioural control. According to Piaget [1962] the imaginative freedom and pretend elements of natural play situations is a key element to this cognitive development. By pretending, children can enter and exit

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different roles and experience the behavioural rules that follow each imitated character. They can also learn about consequence and risk. Free Play allows children to explore aspects of life without risking failure or dangerous consequences, defining a zone of development where children can experiment to learn and increase their confidence [Vygostky, 1978]. Free Play is also important to emotional and social development. Children uses play behaviour to express joy and ventilate their fears or thoughts. By assuming different roles they can experience a greater emotional awareness and increase their sympathy to other people [Piaget, 1962]. Social interaction is commonly a central aspect to most play situations. Through interaction with other children or grown ups in play situations, children learn how to get along with each other and the rules of our society and culture [Vygotsky, 1978]. Disregarding the developmental issues, I would like to motivate the importance of Free Play by the specific value it brings to children’s play activities, not only to develop but for fun and enjoyment. Free Play represents natural play situations that emerge without being called for, without learning any explicit rules of a game or being taught how to behave in a play situation. Free Play activities evolve spontaneously and naturally from all children because they enjoy them and find tension and pleasure within them. Children don’t want to be restricted to predefined structures and frameworks, they want to be free to use their bodies and minds to explore the world that lies before them.

SUPPORTING FREE PLAY

So how can Free Play activities be supported by the use of toys? Free Play is characterized by freedom, but not only freedom of imagination but also of physical and social freedom. In this, Free Play activities are similar to what we usually address as natural play activities; as playing in the garden, in the woods or by the sea with what ever that environment has to offer. When trying to support this kind of behaviour with a toy it is important not to limit or restrict the play by adding a predestined structure of use. Thus, the toy must be flexible to support creative usage. An illustrative example of what a Free Play toy can be is a tennis ball. A tennis ball is flexible and has no predestined structure of usage. Instead it has a few main characteristics like bouncing and rolling. It’s also soft to touch, small enough to carry and good for throwing. Given these simple properties a tennis ball can be used for many different things, supporting various play situations, hence making it an excellent Free Play toy. Other toys that prove useful supporting Free Play situations is for instance a broom, a cape or a pair of binoculars. The characteristics that the broom and the cape have in common are that they could be applied to almost anything. A broom could be a cane, sword or a horse, a cape could be a sail, flag or a super heroes costume all depending of the play situation. Though the binoculars have a more specific structure of use, this does not necessarily limit them as a Free Play support. Having their

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main characteristic of increasing sight they can be used to explore areas or objects, to keep watch, to sneak or spy on people or make the vision of the super hero. So far, few attempts have been made to support Free Play behaviour with the use of computer technology. Mainly, because the area of Free Play have received very little interest from the community of Computer Science and industry. When addressing play, this has primarily been done through videogames and Smart Toys, developed as similar to real pets or playmates as possible, riding the wave of artificial intelligence along with ever increasing computational power. The most important projects related to the Free Play area are further described in [Exploring the Area/Related Research Projects]. One way of breaking the constraints inherited from traditional computer science to reveal a path towards Free Play computer embedded toys can be found in the field of Ubiquitous Computing.

UBIQUITOUS COMPUTING The term and concept of Ubiquitous Computing (Ubicomp) derives from Xerox Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) where it was founded by computer pioneer Mark Weiser and colleagues in 1988. Weiser [1991] foresaw upcoming changes in the relation between humans and computers. ”The first wave of computing, from 1940 to about 1980, was dominated by many people serving one computer. The second wave, still peaking, has one person and one computer in uneasy symbiosis, staring at each other across the desktop without really inhabiting each other’s worlds. The third wave, just beginning, has many computers serving each person everywhere in the world. I call this last wave ubiquitous computing.” [Weiser, 1996] Ubicomp defines a new paradigm of computer technology. It is a paradigm where the computers will be everywhere as specialised units communicating with the world and each other through wireless local networks. The always-present computer artefacts will be invisible to us by not having to be consciously controlled. Weiser [1996] compares computer technology to “writing technology”, perhaps the first information technology. Reading and writing is a technology that has become ubiquitous. Writing does not only occur in books and magazines, but at street signs, candy wrappers and graffiti. We do not have to pay any conscious attention on the act of reading, but can focus on the message itself. In this way computer technology could be integrated in our environment becoming ordinary parts of our everyday lives. Most important to Weiser’s vision of Ubicomp is the implicit goal of assisting everyday life without overwhelming it. In one of his initial projects “tabs,

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pads and boards”. Weiser [1991] addresses this problem by defining devices of various scales corresponding to the natural human sizes. Small tabs to support mobile use of information, pads to replace desktop computers, books, notepapers and finally boards to support collaboration and distribution of public information. The strength of this concept can however not be found in the devices alone but in the interaction that emerges between them. Supporting this idea of distributed systems, Norman [1998] introduces the concept of Information Appliances. Norman argues that the complexity and difficulty related to using desktop computers derives from the ambition of supporting too many tasks. Instead, the desktop computer can be replaced by several specialised devices, dedicated to supporting a single usage. This idea relates to how we use other non-computerised tools. A knife is used for cutting, a screwdriver for screwing and a paintbrush for painting. Further, these information appliances should be adaptable to each other supporting more complex usage. For instance, one should easily be able to connect a pad used for drawing to a printer to print it or a modem to send it to a friend. Central to research associated with Ubicomp is the idea of natural interfaces. The concept of “Tangible user interfaces” defines a critique to the desktop computer as the general medium for human computer interaction. Although the screen, keyboard and mouse prove useful tools to support general computer associated tasks, as typing and text processing, this form of interaction might not be optimal in all usage situations. In many cases, more natural interaction models are far superior. Tangible bits, presented by Ishii and Ullmer [1997], describe a model of interaction through graspable physical bits, augmenting everyday objects and surfaces. Tangible bits offer natural real-world interaction with objects and provide feedback through ambient displays as light, sound and airflow. Closely related to this research is the notion of Calm technology [Weiser, 1996]. Calm technology addresses peripheral information as the central matter. By letting the user easily switch his attention to information within peripheral reach the user can be assisted without being overwhelmed, much like how we normally interact with our natural environment. An illustrative example of both calm and ambient interfaces can be found in Jeremijenko’s2 art The Dangling String. Also associated with natural interfaces, is the concept of Slow Technology or technology for reflection contributed by Hallnäs and Redström [2001]. Context-awareness, computers sensing their location, who is using them and the users situation, constitutes another central issue to Ubicomp. A current research project within Disappearing Computer3, sprung from this notion of context-awareness is Smart-its. The Smart-its project is investigating a vision where the flexibility of computing technology can be brought to everyday objects to create smart networked artefacts. At the core of the project are

2 Jeremijenko’s work can be further vied at: http://cat.nyu.edu/natalie/ 3 The Disappearing Computer is a research program funded by the European Union to constitute a research framework for future and emerging technologies.

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Smart-its: these are generic, context-aware devices that perceive their environment through a collection of sensors. Smart-its can be attached to physical everyday artefacts as labels and allow these artefacts to have digital identity, to perceive their own state and environment and to communicate with peers in ad hoc networks [Beigl et al, 2003]. The Ubicomp research field provides a general framework for how essentially new computer artefacts might be developed. It also presents important resemblances with the features that characterises Free Play toys. For instance, freedom and flexibility of use are essential to both to Ubicomp and Free Play in order to not limit the user to a predetermined context. The same might be said about the importance of natural interfaces to support ease of use without constraining usage to a screen or keyboard. Following this vision, computer artefacts, such as augmented toys, should be designed as specialised yet flexible tools used as the user see fit, supported by natural, graspable interfaces.

SMART TOYS Smart Toys is a general term addressing the new kind of computer embedded toys that have reached the market the last few years. The concept originates from the approach of using artificial intelligence to create interactive, self-learning toys. By the use of microprocessors, sensors and actuators these toys offer complex behaviour and sophisticated interaction. Science fiction has anticipated the coming of intelligent toys for some time. Brian Aldiss’ short story “Super-toys Last All Summer Long”4 from 1969, features an intelligent teddy bear, called Teddy, programmed to respond comfortingly to the needs of a child. Teddy’s artificial brain allows him to sing, dance, tell stories, play games and converse in order to maintain his role as a child’s best friend. Still far from Aldiss’ Super-toy, several companies and research centres compete to fulfil his vision. One of the first smart toys to reach the market in 1997 was ActiMates Barney, the talking dinosaur. Barney is as an interactive plush toy with embedded computer technology and communication tools. It is designed to be a playmate equipped with several built in games and songs. Additionally, Barney could be connected to a computer or a TV to support the child solving tasks provided by Barney software or make comments when watching Barney shows on video. In this, Barney is a learning tool [Strommen, 1999] as well as plush friend. Although being quite expensive, at 180 €, Barney became very popular.

4 Available at: http://www.brianwaldiss.com/

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Barney Furby

Following the digital pet frenzy started by Tamagotchi in 1996, the Furby, developed by Tiger Electronics arrived in 1998. Furby is a computer embedded toy with a cute owl-like interface. It has light-sensors between the eyes to distinguish between light and darkness, touch-sensors on its back and front, accelerometer-sensors to sense if it is standing up, microphones to sense loud noises and IR-sensors to communicate with other Furbys. Furbys can react on being stroked, picked up, or on loud noises. It usually reacts by saying something in “Furbish” and occasionally by dancing with its tiny motor driven legs. The user is encouraged to train the Furby and help it develop by speaking to it, playing with it and feeding it by putting something into it’s mouth. The Furby also has a few built-in games that you could play by clapping your hands. For instance, you can play peek-a-boo by covering the Furby’s light sensors. A stimulated Furby progressively becomes more sophisticated until it is able to proclaim their love to their owners.

AIBO

In 1999 Sony released their famous AIBO (Artificial Intelligence roBOt). In terms of artificial intelligence the AIBO was far superior to other smart toys. Besides progressing by interaction as the Furby, AIBO has a more unpredictable mind of his own. Based on a model of instinct; love, search, movement, recharge and an emotional model; happiness, sadness, anger, surprise, fear and dislike, the AIBO explores and interacts with the world to develop a unique personality. It is equipped with cameras and microphones to distinguish between different sounds, take voice commands and search for its favorite color, object or owner. The AIBO is designed to imitate the behaviour of a real dog, which makes it different from most other smart toys but not less appreciated.

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Dino-Chi T-Rex Dino-Chi Pterodactyl

Ottobot I-Cybie

Since 1999 Smart Toys have flooded the market, mainly by copying the Furby or AIBO. Tiger Electronics alone have developed nearly twenty new smart toys in the last years. Take for instance the Poo-Chi, a robot dog being first in a line followed by Super Poo-Chi, Walking Poo-Chi, Meow-Chi, Chirpy-Chi, Poo-Chi Friends Bulldog, Poo-Chi Friend Poodle, Dino-Chi T-Rex, Dino-Chi Pterodactyl, Petal-Chi, Robo-Baby, Bot-Ster, I-Cybie and the Ottobot5. Other smart toys worth mentioning are: the Aquariods from Takara Co, a line of toys living in water including fish, jellyfish and turtles; the Patata, an emotional rabbit from Bandai Co; KOBY, the interactive bear and Commando-bot, the fighter robot, both from MGA Entertainment; TAMA, the electronic cat from Matsushita Electronics; My Real Baby from Hasbro; Music Blocks by Neurosmiths and Redbeard’s Pirate Quest by Zowie Intertainment. Obviously, Smart Toys represent an area of great expansion but of little conceptual progress.

Music Blocks Pirate Ship

How do then these Smart Toys support Free Play activities? Designed as digital playmates most Smart Toys are to assume the role of regular friend or a pet in children’s lives. By accommodating this role the Smart Toys usually put themselves in the centre of attention. Such design supports a one-way interaction between the toy and its user, replacing the child’s need of social 5 The Ottobot was co-developed by Tiger Electronics and Silver Lit.

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EXPLORING THE AREA

interaction. Most interaction is further limited to a predestined purpose and does not support or inspire the child to use it as a part of other natural play situations. Usually this interaction is defined by a few built-in games and songs along with interactive nurture activities. Additionally, hardly any Smart Toys support any physical or outdoor activities. To sum up, few or none of today’s Smart Toys support Free Play any better than regular toys, generally far worse. However, some resent research projects within Computer Science, and the field of Ubiquitous Computing in particular, have been addressing toys and entertainment and can be related to the area of Free Play.

RELATED RESEARCH PROJECTS

In collaboration with the MIT Media Lab, Lego Co developed a new product called the Lego Mindstorms Robotics Invention System in 1990’s. The Lego Mindstorms enhanced the traditional Lego set with embedded computing, creating a platform for building programmable robots. The set includes motors, brick-sensors and a small, mobile, “programmable brick” computer brain. Lego mindstorm provides an early and interesting example of how traditional toys beneficially can be implemented with computer technology to support more various and complex play situations [Hautop, 1999]. Still, the computer brick had to be programmed through a traditional terminal with the “basic” program-language causing some trouble to younger users.

Triangles

Another MIT project, Triangles [Gorbet et al, 1998] developed in 1998, also used embedded computing to support a programmable toy but did this through manipulating computer-augmented objects in the physical world. Triangles began as an attempt to create a tangible computer interface [Ishii and Ullmer, 1997], inspired by the way Lego and similar puzzles work. The Triangles themselves are small triangular id-tagged objects with electronic conductors on each side, letting them connect to each other. By wire, the kit is connected to a regular computer providing computational power as well as feedback through vision and audio. The user can then activate different connection events by assembling the Triangles in different ways. Initially the Triangles were used to support an interactive story system for children. Through physically manipulating different triangles the children could change the outcome of the story. By introducing physical end-user programming to toys, Triangles opened a door to how Smart Toys can be designed to support Free Play behaviour.

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EXPLORING THE AREA

Curlybot

Using a similar approach of physical programming, Frei et al [2000] developed the Curlybot at the MIT Media Lab in 2000. The Curlybot is an educational toy aimed at inspiring children to develop intuitions for mathematics and computational concepts. Designed in a turtle shell shape, equipped with motors, wheels and a microprocessor the Curlybot can be moved in different patterns across the floor and then be able to imitate those precise patterns. By using a record and play button, movements can be programmed and displayed. The most interesting feature is that a recorded movement is repeated indefinitely until turned off. Simple moves can then be turned into complex abstract shapes. The Curlybot also supports a pen attachment drawing the pattern on a surface while moving. Just as the previous examples the Curlybot motivates freedom of play by not limiting the child to pre-designed tasks or games, instead giving them a tool of exploration.

StoryRoom

Montemayor et al [2002] attempted to create an interactive play environment in 2002. Based on the knowledge that most physical interactive spaces are the result of adults’ imaginations they wanted to create an environment better suited to support children as storytellers. Evolved by participatory design methods came StoryKits, a set of tools to support the StoryRoom [Alborzi et al, 2000]. The StoryKits and StoryRoom define an interactive arena with physically programmable artefact. The child can reprogram the environment by entering a “thought bubble” and demonstrate his intentions. If the child wants the desk lamp to light every time he steps on the carpet, he can simply invoke the programming mode, enter the carpet and light the desk lamp. Not only supporting freedom of imagination, the StoryRoom also supports pretend play, physical and social interaction. Another interesting example of toys for social interaction is the Pet Pals. Pet Pals [Pering, 2002], developed by Pering at Stanford University, define a toy to facilitate social interaction amongst children. The toy combines the

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EXPLORING THE AREA

aspect of nurturing a pet like Tamagotchi with a traditional trading game. The Pet Pals themselves can be thought of as small pet beads connected to each other in a string fastened to a key chain. Each bead contains an LED to visualise emotions, a microprocessor and a wireless link. Since the Pets are social animals, to keep the Pets in your chain happy, you have to constantly trade them with other kids. The Pets also recognize previous friends made which mean that the Pets can’t stay in a closed social group for too long. Hence, the Pets influence children to trade with kids they don’t normally play with, supporting social interaction. All of the above mentioned research projects proved inspiring examples to how different aspects of Free Play activities can be supported by the use of embedded computing. Within this research field of Ubiquitous Computing substantially new ways of using computer technology can be discovered. Now, a decade later we are still at the doorstep of Weiser’s [1996] third era of computing, searching for ways to enter. To grasp and utilise the new features of computer technology within reach we have to break our conceptual constraints and precede our exploration of this design space, not least in the area of toys.

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THESIS APPROACH “How to design computer embedded toys to support Free Play” defines the issue to be explored in this thesis. This matter can of course be approached in various ways. Some answers might be found through theoretical studies of known design methods to outline a methodologically appropriate framework of design. Another approach would be to compare similar projects in order to present a collection of general guidelines or design directives. One must however first consider the nature of the answer being sought. Can the answer really be found within a guideline or within a framework approach? Can one truly learn the skill of design through studying recognized directives? Considering a definition of design made by John Pile [as sited in Buchanan, 1989] enlightens the essence of the latter question. Pile simply chooses to define design not as a noun but as a verb, implying that design is not the concluding thought or plan but the act of getting there. Design must be considered a craft similar to others like engineering, architecture or carpentry, [Jones, 1992], and such crafts cannot be truly learnt by studying them from a distance. To learn and master a craft one must approach it in practice and work with the material at hand. Hence, I chose to approach the problem stated by conducting a design example. Through this example a computer embedded toy to support Free Play will be designed, constituting an answer to my question. Below the external settings of this design project will be explained in more detail.

PROJECT SETTING This design project will be approached from the discipline of Interaction Design. The interaction designer develops interactive artefacts and systems to support people in their everyday and working lives [Preece et al, 2002], using computer technology as a prime design material. In doing so the interaction designer considers interdisciplinary aspects of cognitive science, human studies, computer technology and design. Central to this design discipline is the reflection of what role an artefact will have as a part of the user’s life and what impact it will cause on his behaviour [Redström, 2001]. This issue will highly influence all design decisions made throughout this project. As an object to my design I will continue the work with a previously invented product, Spyballs. Spyballs will thus define the design example and through this design process be evolved into a Free Play toy. The concept of Spyballs

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THESIS APPROACH

was developed in the late 2001 by our team6 of interaction designers, during a project course in Ubiquitous Computing.

Spyballs

The Spyballs can be described as an interactive toy within a spy-theme context, developed to support spy games amongst children. The toy consists of a collection of round computer embedded creatures with different spy-abilities. All creatures were designed with their own specific ability and were thus unique in both function and appearance. The different units were divided into set couples connected through a wireless network. This relationship can be explained in terms of input and output units, letting input data secretly be perceived from a distance. For instance, a microphone unit could be set up in a room letting the child carrying the speaker unit overhear what was being said. An additional and important feature to the concept was that all Spyballs could be physically connected to each other to create more complex functions. By placing a unit on top of another, the top unit suddenly controlled the behaviour of the one below. This unit could not transmit any data until activated by the top one. For instance, by placing a Spyball equipped with a motion detector on top of a camera-augmented unit, a picture could be taken when a person passed by activating the motion detector. This feature increased the flexibility and usefulness of the toy.

6 Team members beside my self were Jesper Bernson, Lena Berglin, Sara Backlund and Jonas Strömberg

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THESIS APPROACH

Though leaving the product concept unaltered, the work with the project proceeded with the ambition to put Spyballs on the market as a commercial product. This attempt proved successful in receiving initial external funding.7 Through this funding the work with product development was now to be resumed in line with the work approached in this thesis project. The previous Spyballs concept had to be evolved into a more finished product and one way of doing that would be to design it according to the approach taken in this thesis. The commercial objective to shortly evolve into an incorporated company has also more clearly defined our roles within the project. As head of product development, I manage the product design with a focus on concept development, interface design, prototyping and technology, thereby attending the central areas of this thesis. I will work in close collaboration with the other team members8 to evolve this product into a Free Play toy. As my work with the product development will be too widespread to be of interest to this design example, I will limit the contents of this thesis to cover the initial phase of the conceptual design, centralizing the evolvement of the concept Spyballs into the Free Play toy Spookies. The conceptual design will at this stage focus on functionality in respect with the role this toy will have in children’s everyday play activities. Although considered in respect to the general design, the interface design will at this point of conceptual development not be in focus.

DECLARATION BY DESIGN Why then, is this approach valuable to the research community, and how can it be used by other researchers in the field? By realising this design example, a previously unexplored design space is approached. This design space is defined by the joining of Free Play with computer technology. As being part of more general design spaces, such as play and computer science, a lot of the knowledge and experience can be collected from these areas. Several of the known methods, materials, problems and their solutions will also be a part of this new space. However, there will also be something completely new that cannot be predicted or found within the frame of the original fields. Every new space defines a new mix of components and a new synergy of possibilities that emerge from the unique composition created. This synergy can only be found from entering and exploring the particular design space through a practical design project. When conducting a design example some parts or aspects of the design space are suddenly enlightened. Like a spotlight, the design example visualises a limited but clear area exposing the

7 External funding was equally received from Teknikbrostiftelsen and Innovation Västra Götaland. 8 The other current members of the design team are: Lena Berglin – Interface and Textile design, Jesper Bernson – Usability testing and Prototyping, Sara Backlund – Usability testing and Play patterns, Andreas Svensson and Torbjörn Gildå – Technical development.

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variables of design found within. This revealed spot would then provide a guidance and reference point to other explorers and in doing so, hinting towards the feasible prospects adjoining it. When conducting additional examples, new areas of light appear, revealing further design variables of the space. Some of these variables will have similarities with others, found in the surrounding areas and together they can form a graspable pattern. With this pattern, more general assumptions of the design space can be made, shedding light even to the unexplored regions. The pattern will then serve as a platform of knowledge, providing methods, guidelines and examples, to facilitate future design work in the area. It will also provide the springboard to reach even further and utilize the synergy of the design space. This thesis defines an initial attempt to explore the design space of Free Play and computer technology, stating a guiding and informative example of design, inspiring and supporting future design explorations. Moreover it is also to be considered an argument or a declaration. Buchanan [1989] argues that design has to be viewed as something more than the pure development of products, systems and artefacts. It also has to be considered an important tool of communication. Naturally, this aspect is central to the art disciplines where communication of feelings, impressions, perspectives and political statements are the main parameters of design. The communicational aspect is also more obvious in objects designed to express a social value or status to the owner or person who carries it. Buchanan, [1989], however also argues for the rhetorical importance in the design of everyday objects. Rhetoric defines the way a speaker discover arguments and present them in a suitable manner to persuade an audience. The speaker seeks to provide the audience with reasons for changing their behaviour or adopting new attitudes. Rhetoric can in this sense be considered a craft for shaping people, communities and society. Also in the design of everyday objects a rhetorical aspect is present though not that obvious. When newly developed products and artifacts are accepted and brought into use of everyday life, they also influence and change behavioural patterns. Take for instance the mobile phone. Since it became commonly accepted it has changed the social behaviours of millions of people for better or worse. Such can the influence of accepted new technological products be. The rhetorical argument of this thesis is to present a fun alternative to modern computer games and interactive toys in supporting children in their everyday play activities. Not by limiting them to follow our predefined patterns but by supporting them in their strive for creative, active and spontaneous play situations where many children can play together. To be useful as a design example, the project will be presented according to the common three-stage process of design; analysis, synthesis and evaluation. As the constitution of this model varies a bit between different design disciplines, a proposal provided by Jones [1992] will be used as a general framework. Jones [1992] chooses to define the process in the three stages of Divergence, Transformation and Convergence (see Design Approach for

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further description). His model is intended to support modern design disciplines such as systems engineering and is highly useful to approaches like mine, of interaction design. By using this model to present my design example, all stages of exploring this new design space will be included.

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METHODS Since the content of this thesis mainly is written to an audience of interaction designers, general design methods and approaches will not be discussed here. Instead only methods central to my design will be described and evaluated in order to facilitate reuse of my approach.

DESIGN METHODS USED

PROTOTYPING

Prototyping can be considered a key activity in designing interactive artefacts and systems. Prototypes are representations of a design made before final artefacts exist. They allow the designer to explore and communicate ideas as well as testing them in different user situations [Buchenau and Suri, 2000]. Prototypes are usually produced in various forms and materials during different stages of the design process. They range from simple sketches or paper figures to technically advanced implementations depending on what feature of the design they mean to highlight. In order to design an interactive artefact many aspects have to be considered. For instance, what the artefact should look like, feel like or how it should work and behave in different situations. More importantly, the designer has to consider the role an artefact will play, either in a usage situation or extendedly, in the users’ everyday life [Redström, 2001]. According to Preece et al [2002] Prototyping gains popularity as a modern design approach in the field of software engineering. Within this organizational culture, prototypes have traditionally only been developed in order to test and evaluate the system with users and not been a part of the initial design process. Instead prototypes are developed at the last stage of the development cycle. This is still the reality within lager companies where the development of new products mainly is driven by written specification documents. However, smaller entrepreneur companies have adapted to a prototype-driven development process using prototyping as a main tool of design. This approach also finds support in the business culture where prototyping often is considered a key element to innovation [Preece et al, 2002]. Preece [2002] presents the following two aspects of prototype development:

• Fidelity – addresses the level of similarity to the final product. A low-fidelity prototype of a software system could be created using paper sketches and drawings. A high-fidelity prototype of the same system might be developed as an interactive software demo highlighting the main features of the product. High and low fidelity prototypes are both useful

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METHODS

tools to the design process and can beneficially be combined with each other. Low-fidelity prototypes are simple and quick to produce and modify. They can particularly be useful at an initial stage of the design process to explore alternative ideas of concept. High-fidelity prototypes take considerably more time to build. Usually they are very similar to the final product and can be used to explore the functionality, interaction and “look and feel “ aspects in a realistic usage situation.

• Functionality – addresses the level of functionality that is exposed through the prototype. Two common compromises that often have to be traded against each other are the width and depth of functionality. Horizontal prototyping provides a wide range of functionality at a low level of performance. These prototypes can be used to study the entirety of the product showing how different parts relate to each other. Vertical prototypes provide only one or a few parts of the system at a fully functional level. These prototypes can be used to study the details of a function.

To sum up, prototyping represents a useful instrument to explore various aspects of design and can in this notion be considered a tool, a tool of communication but also a primary tool of design [Tscheligi, 1995].

EXTREME CHARACTERS

In contradiction to traditional usability design methods, design for Extreme Characters [Djajadiningrat el at, 2000] focuses on the use of fictional users, with exaggerated emotional attitudes, as a way of expanding the design space. Using the method, the designer tries to expose, as opposed to foresee, extreme character traits that are antisocial and politically incorrect. Initially, the design team tries to come up with several extreme personalities, using for instance brainstorming as a method. These characters are then more thoroughly explored by writing down short backgrounds describing traits, attitudes, driving forces, and relations. Next, the designer tries to target his product design toward the separate characters to explore alternative solutions. Another way of using the method is by combining two or more extreme characters in various scenario settings, hereby using an ordinary method for scenario writing. The main benefit by doing this is to further explore how the product could support different, or extreme, situations and actions. This method provides a helpful support to expand the design space by breaking conventional ideas about users and interaction, letting the designer think of the richness of forms an electronic product can assume, allowing him to find alternative functionalities. However, it is easy to be carried away using this method, giving the characters a greater influence on the design than intended. The characters should inspire, not form the design process.

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METHODS

INFORMANCE DESIGN

Informance Design [Burns et al, 1994] is a method that promotes the use of performance techniques as improvisation to support design work in both experimental and reflective ways. The method encourages the design team to work with scenarios as plays and interactive environments. The designers should act or role-play as users in different scenarios using simple prototypes. By performing in a play and by trying to act out individual character traits, the design team achieves a deeper understanding of the design issues raised. In comparison to the somewhat similar technique storyboarding, Informance Design can be looked upon as an enriching alternative for dynamic scenarios. The performance can allow for better imagination and creativity by making a stronger connection between the designer and a character. It is also a good method for communicating the idea to other designers and users. Still, Informance Design can be a difficult method to use by the design team alone. The method depends upon playing a character by improvisation that might be difficult without any previous training in acting. An alternative way is to use professional actors that are better trained for this task.

BRAINSTORMING

Brainstorming defines a classic method used to generate a large number of ideas in a relatively short period of time. As described by Jones [1992], Brainstorming is a helpful method at various stages of the design process. It can be used in the initial phase to generate a new application or product but is also useful in later stages to solve unforeseen problems or to expand a product concept. The focus lies in quantity not quality, enabling six people to come up with 150 ideas in 30 minutes. By not paying attention to quality and enforcing the number one rule of not criticising any ideas, a Brainstorming session can generative a positive atmosphere of creative and wild ideas. The method can be used to instantly find new solutions or ideas but can also be seen as a way of mapping out an unexplored area. This map can then be used as a material to analyse and work with to find unseen patterns and solutions. To be able to use the material in this way it is important to document the Brainstorming session. This could easily be done by using post-it notes or by making one of the participants a secretary. A common problem with using Brainstorming is that the practitioners do not fully engage in using the method. Instead the Brainstorming-session becomes more of a reasoning conversation than a generative method.

STATING OBJECTIVES

According to Jones [1992], Stating Objectives is a valuable method to use in the initial phase of the design process to identify external conditions with which the design must be compatible. In this, Stating Objectives is a way of outlining visible and hidden design goals as well as restrictions. These objectives will then be used as guidelines through the entire design process. To State Objectives the designer initially has to identify the situation in which

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the design is to operate. This can be done by studying the situation in terms of use, period of time and location. The study might also include other methods like literature review or interviewing users. Second, the designer should identify what features of this situation that must be fulfilled to be accepted by sponsors, the ones who have ordered or financially support the project. These features include the sponsors’ expectations, the resources available and the essential objectives. At last, the designer has to ensure that the objectives stated do not contradict with each other or with new information received during the design process. Stating Objectives is important as well as difficult. It is a helpful method to use in all extensive design projects where design objectives are more complex. The major difficulties lie in predicting what outcome and value each objective will have in the final design.

HEURISTIC WALKTHROUGH

Heuristic walkthrough is a common method in the HCI-community for conducting fast and efficient evaluations [Nielsen, 1994a]. By repeatedly walking stepwise through the different features of design considering one heuristic at a time, usability problems within a system or product can be identified. To ensure the result of this method it can be used repeatedly. These are the common heuristics to be used [Nielsen, 1994b]:

• Visibility of system status • Match between system and the real world

• User control and freedom

• Consistency and standards • Error prevention

• Recognition rather than recall • Flexibility and efficiency of use

• Aesthetic and minimalist design

• Help users recognize, diagnose, and recover from errors • Help and documentation

Heuristic walkthrough can be a useful method as it is fast to perform to get a general overview of the usability status of a system. More complex patterns of interaction can however me missed.

EXPERIENCE PROTOTYPING

Experience prototyping describes an attitude less than a method towards how the use of prototyping could be expanded in the design of interactive artefacts and systems. Prototyping is already a key activity within the design of interactive systems, used to explore and communicate different aspects of exterior design, function, technology, interaction surfaces and more generally the role an artefact will play in respect to its user. Buchenau and Suri [2000]

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METHODS

argue that this form of prototyping can be improved by letting users, client and designers more actively interact with the prototypes in order to experience the artefact and situation themselves. This allows them to better understand different aspects of the artefact or system and be of better support to the design process. According to Buchenau and Suri [2000] an Experience Prototype might be any kind of representation, in any medium, that is designed to understand, explore or communicate what it could be like to engage and interact with the final product or system being designed. Experience Prototyping then includes the use of all paperboard sketches, scenarios, video or computer based prototypes that allow interaction. Experience Prototyping can be a valuable source of information and inspiration to the design process. By letting designers and users have personal informative experiences with the artefact or system, they could more easily grasp the important issues and feel greater empathy with the people affected by the design.

SCENARIOS

Scenarios discussed by Grudin and Pruitt [2002] represent an alternative method to user-centred approaches. User testing and studies of user situation, knowledge and attitudes are all traditional methods within the HCI community [Faulkner, 2000]. Though user involvement is desirable, these conventional methods tend to fall short in several respects: designers and users are not truly engaged; social and political aspects are filtered out; and complexity of product and situation prove difficult to represent [Grudin and Pruitt, 2002]. Scenarios have long been used by designers to organize and evaluate ideas. Mostly they do not include user involvement but focuses on engaging team members in the design process. Scenarios are fictional stories with environment settings, characters and some sort of task described by a plot or script. They are quick and fairly easy to use and can be both evaluative and inspiring. They also promote reflection and discussion among design team members. A common problem using scenarios is that they are used as a way of justifying design features or technology. Knowing the desired result, it is easy for the design team to, unintentionally, shape the scenario to support that result. Doing so by ignoring aspects of setting or character. Thus, realism is an important issue to develop reliable scenarios.

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DESIGN APPROACH The aim of this thesis is to explore how to design toys to support Free Play with the use of embedded computing. As this objective will be addressed through realising a design example, evolving Spyballs into the Free Play toy Spookies, the practical approach of design will here be presented and motivated.

PREPARATIONS Initially, a lot of information was gathered to explore the related research area. This information was then used to lay the theoretical foundation of the project, influencing the choices of method and approach. The material was also to provide an important source of inspiration to later design proposals. Primarily, this information exploration was made using traditional methods of information search and literature studies. These methods are not further explained in this thesis but are described in Design Methods [Jones, 1992]. Additionally, experts in the area such as colleagues and my supervisor were consulted for guidance in this search as well as for recommendations of material. Electronic article databases were used as the prime source of material along with the University Library of Gothenburg. In connection to this initial work, the method of Stating Objectives [Jones, 1992] was used to identify external condition and goals with which the design must be compatible. Stating Objectives proves a helpful method in most design projects and was in this case necessary to identify the commercial objectives connected to the product and design process. Along with Stating Objectives a basic analysis of the original concept, Spyballs, was made. Although being very familiar with the concept already, it was important to view it from a new perspective and see to its potentials of becoming a Free Play toy. Together with the other initial work, this analysis helped to set the design objectives and outline the direction of this project. The analysis was attended through the method of Heuristic Walkthrough [Nielsen, 1994a], a useful method for quick and efficient evaluation. The result of using these two methods is presented below.

STATED OBJECTIVES

To include all external product objectives in this design work the method of Stating objectives [Jones, 1982] was used. The following objectives were identified. Thesis objectives:

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• To be useful as a design example of Free Play the design should focus on and support the arguments stated; Pretending, Spontaneity and Improvisation, Physical activity and Social interaction.

Commercial product objectives:

• The design of the product should be in line with the original concept, keeping and evolving its strengths.

• The design must keep and strengthen the conceptual product uniqueness, as this will be the material of a patent application.

• The design must be realistic in terms of technology and costs. The technology needed to implement the functionality stated by design should not have to be developed by further or future research but be technology available today that also could be manufactured at a reasonable low cost.

CONCEPT ANALYSIS

The concept analysis was carried through to study the Spyballs concept from a new perspective, seeing to the potentials of becoming a Free Play toy. The study was to be used for inspiration but also to help forming a foundation and direction of action for the project. To not be intimidated by the use of a static method of analysis, the study was conducted with an open approach based on the method of Heuristic walkthrough [Nielsen, 1994a]. In this case the heuristics were replaced by the Free Play parameters: Pretending, Spontaneity and Improvisation, Physical activity and Social interaction. These were then related to different characteristics of the original design. The result can be summarised to three different areas of interest; theme, active play and puzzle play. THEME The original concept was clearly outlined to support a specific theme of play behaviour, spying. Spying is a timeless play activity, appreciated by children of all ages and a common aspect of natural play situations. Spying might also be considered universal in not limiting the play behaviour to a specific gender. Instead, the play can be attended and appreciated by both boys and girls. Though spying and spy games prove good examples of natural Free Play activities, supporting pretend play, improvisation, physical activity and social interaction, the theme might still constrain both users and the design process. By specifying the context of play the child will be limited to the boundaries of this context. Hence, contradicting the freedom of use, if but only in thought. The theme also limits the designer to operate within a given frameset. Thus, making it difficult to provide new ideas to how Spookies beneficially can be evolved into a Free Play toy.

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ACTIVE PLAY Two, not necessarily separated, but different kinds of Free Play situations was found analysing the original concept. The first might be defined as Active Play, addressing physically active Free Play situations. The Active Play behaviour could be found within spying games and play situations where several children use separate Spyballs as tools of play and communication. Spyballs would then be supporting a natural play situation, like spying on a neighbour, just like a walkie-talkie or a telescope would. Such play situations are in line with all Free Play parameters stated and utilise Spyballs’ potential as a Free Play toy. However, the original concept proves a somewhat insufficient support for these kinds of activities. This, as the concept was primarily designed to attend static play situations, as where the children initially distributed the Spyballs and then passively waited for feedback. In order to change this play behaviour, the interaction pattern between toy and user has to be redesigned. More importantly, several new units have to be developed replacing or complementing the original ones. These units should specifically address activity in Free Play behaviour. PUZZLE PLAY The second interesting Free Play situation found can be defined as Puzzle Play. Puzzle Play addresses situations where children try to combine several Spyball units to create new behaviours. By connecting different Spyballs as bricks or building blocks entirely new patterns of functionality can be created, generating new play situations. As all units are adaptable to each other, children are not limited to previously invented and pre-programmed functions but are free to explore different possibilities. This is an important feature to Free Play behaviour, supporting imagination, creativity and spontaneous play. Investigating this feature of combinability further, a critical problem was discovered. Given the vast number of different combinations possible, using the eight units included in the original concept, very few proved at all useful. Disregarding a few inventive and generative combinations, most set-ups did not benefit or improve the functionality of the single Spyball unit. Since Puzzle Play defines an important feature, first in supporting Free Play behaviour and secondly to the commercial identity of Spyballs, this problem has to be addressed. Adding new units to the concept, further expanding the space of possible combinations, could partially solve the problem. However, a new model of combination also has to be considered.

DESIGN OBJECTIVES As previously stated, the aim of this thesis is to explore how to design toys to support Free Play with the use of embedded computing. This will be done by conducting a design example evolving the concept of Spyballs into the Free Play toy Spookies. As the primary objectives of design the four parameters of Free Play will be used:

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• Pretending – Pretending is an essential feature to Free Play

that lets children use their imagination, act and be creative. • Spontaneity and Improvisation – Spontaneity and

Improvisation distinguishes the Free Play activity from other activities like games or sports by letting the children change the play spontaneously.

• Physical activity – Physical activity provides a richer, more interactive and engaging experience in Free Play behaviour.

• Social interaction – Social interaction defines a central aspect of Free Play utilizing the joy of being with friends.

As this design project will be attended as a part of the overarching ambition of making Spookies into a commercial product the external objectives stated also has to be considered:

• The design of the product should be in line with the original concept, keeping and evolving its strengths.

• The design must keep and strengthen the conceptual product uniqueness, as this will be the material of a patent application.

• The design must be realistic in terms of technology and costs. The technology needed to implement the functionality stated by design should not have to be developed by further or future research but be technology available today that also could be manufactured at a reasonable low cost.

Through the concept analysis made, it was found that the original concept has the potential of being developed into a Free Play toy. However, the concept needs to be thoroughly worked through, expanded and redesigned. The primary three areas in focus is stated as:

• Theme

• Active Play

• Puzzle Play All design objectives stated above will be considered in this development of a Free Play toy.

DESIGN PROCESS The design process can be compared to an exploration of an unknown territory or a search for a lost treasure [Jones, 1992]. As islands of unknown extent, new problems and opportunities arise along the journey changing the initial conditions and sought solutions. To cope with these conditions the traveller has to search in a network of expeditions revealing the land as he goes. As no map or network exists before he undertakes the travel the

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directions and nature of these expeditions have to be carefully outlined to not spend a lifetime on the search. Design methods provide tools to make those decisions as well as tools to help along the journey. The central approach chosen for this design project is the development of prototypes to be used and experienced in Free Play situations. Prototyping defines a well-known method for demonstrating concepts but can also be used in the product development to generate new ideas and solutions by highlighting product possibilities and constraints that cannot be foreseen from the drawing board. Further, prototypes constitute an important tool in exploring the role an artefact will play in a usage situation and extendedly, in the users everyday life [Buchenau and Suri, 2000]. As the contents of this thesis are limited to the initial phase of the product development where a new concept is to be found and formed, no room for end-user involvement is left. Although user studies and user testing is an essential part in all design related to interactive products and systems [Faulkner, 2000], involvement of children at this stage is clearly out of scope of this thesis. Instead methods of Informance Design [Burns et al, 1994] and Experience Prototyping [Djajadingrat et al, 2000] will help members of the design team to explore usage situations by acting out play scenarios with the use of simple props and prototypes, as described by Brant and Grunnet [2000]. This approach will be applied through several workshops planned in order to support the design work in both experimental and reflective ways. To coordinate the use of these different tools into a graspable structure, Jones’ [1992] three-stage model of design will define a framework. This model of Divergence, Transformation and Convergence, is intended to support modern design disciplines such as systems engineering and is highly useful to approaches like this, of interaction design. The Divergence defines the initial uncertain phase where the area of design must be expanded and explored, breaking prior conceptual constraints. The Transformation describes the creative stage of pattern making where new various proposals of design can be formed from the scattered inspiration of the previous phase. Convergence defines the final stage where proposals are weighted against each other and evaluated to find the most fitting solution. This model will however just provide a structure of plan and will not be strictly followed. During a design process there is always a need to move within these phases of exploration, puzzling and evaluation in stepwise refinement towards a more defined product. What D. A. Schön presents as Reflection-In-Action [Schön, 1983] is clearly in line with these thoughts. Reflection-In-Action defines design as a dialog between the designer and the material of a design situation. A dialog where the designer asks questions through experimenting and forming the design material and is answered by the resulting outcome of the design. Through the dialog the designer can reflect upon actions made and keep or redesign them to bring the process forward. The element of reflection is of uttermost importance since all design choices made in a

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process might influence a greater scope than intended, contradicting other aspects of the designed product. In line with this design approach described, several prototypes will be made to explore and evaluate different aspects of the toy to be developed. These diverse kinds of prototypes will be developed in parallel to support the current needs of the process. As an ongoing project a number of technical prototypes will be developed to better communicate the concept, evaluate functionality and to design a technical platform. I intend to complement the regular design work with several workshops. These workshops will contribute the main source of material and inspiration to my design and hopefully constitute stimulation and fuel to the overall development process.

WORKSHOPS

Workshops constitute a good complement and fuel to the entire design process by being events where the design team can unite and work towards a common goal. Most of the time, the members of the team work with separate tasks. Workshops also contribute a lot of material or information in a relatively short amount of time compared to regular design work. When structuring the work according to my design objectives, the three different areas of improvement stated had to be a central part of the process. To attend these areas three workshops was planned, sequentially addressing the objectives. However, since the areas only represent an arbitrary division of a single product the workshops would not to be restricted to the single objective alone but would cover a larger scope of design. CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP To initiate the practical design process of this project I mean to organize a two-day workshop focused on concept, theme and functionality. A main purpose is to enter the divergent phase of the design process [Jones, 1992] and expand our thoughts and imaginations by breaking old conceptual constraints. I hope to receive a wide range of unpolished inputs that could inspire and shape a few new design proposals. My intention is not to come up with distinctive proposals within the workshop itself but to use the result as a source of inspiration. Another important purpose of having this workshop is to unite the design team and the teams’ vision of the product. ACTIVE PLAY WORKSHOP The Active Play workshop is an attempt to explore how new features proposed will inflict active play situations. The workshop is intended as a playground to try out design proposals and to bring out new inspiration and ideas to the design process. Experts and members of the design team will try to explore this issue by acting out play scenarios with the use of simple props and prototypes, as described by Brant and Grunnet [2000]. Informance design is a useful method to support design work in both reflective and

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experimental ways. The performance allows improvisation and creativity but also enriches the actors’ understanding of the product and situation. PUZZLE PLAY WORKSHOP The Puzzle Play workshop is intended to explore and test how new ways of combining units could benefit and aid the Puzzle Play experience. Several different programming or combination techniques will be tried out in order to understand how they affect the field of possible applications. It will also be important to consider the complexity of the task. The techniques proposed might be too abstract or difficult to prove useful. Hopefully this workshop also will contribute new inspiration and material to the general aspects of the product design. The Puzzle Play workshop is planned as a hands-on experimental exercise strongly connected to the idea of Experience Prototyping described by Buchanau and Suri [2000].

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DIVERGENCE

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP To initiate the active design work with Spookies, I organized a two-day workshop focused on functionality and concept. All six members of the design team, including myself, were to participate. In initiating the divergent phase of the design process [Jones, 1992], an important purpose was to break old conceptual constraints and expand our thoughts and ideas of Spookies as a Free Play toy. Through this activity, I was hoping to receive a lot of inspiration and material in the form of unpolished inputs that could work as a foundation for later design proposals. No final proposals were to come during this two-day session since this would be a too short a time to both be able to expand the concept wide enough and then pull it back together. It was more important to focus on the expansion and divergence as most of us had a fixed understanding of the original concept, not seeing beyond its borders. Another important purpose of having the workshop was to unite the design team and the team’s vision of the product.

EXPLORING THEMES

The first day of the workshop was mainly devoted to exploring new themes. As the theme of spying highly had influenced the original design and was stated as a design objective, it was important to address this area in the workshop to open up new perspectives and see the possibilities within them. To warm up and get comfortable with the method of brainstorming that was used, a short initial session was held targeting strengths, flaws and key characteristics of the original concept. This worked well in refreshing the teams vision and relation to Spookies. The result covered the substance of the original concept as well as hinted to areas of improvement. Following the warming-up, the theme session begun. The first session was focused on finding different alternative themes to the original spy-theme. By exploring them further the concept and functionality could be viewed in other perspectives, which hopefully would inspire to new use and functionality. All members of the design team were to work in one group, using brainstorming with post-it notes as a method. The session resulted in a number of different themes that could be applied to Spookies and used in further development work. The result was then worked through, getting rid of duplicates and uniting themes that were closely related. Based upon the results of this first session the second part of the workshop was assumed. The participants were divided into two groups, containing three persons each, myself included. Each of the groups now had to choose three different themes from the former session for further exploration. More thoroughly exploring and understanding the benefits of new different themes

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could loosen the boundaries of the original concept. The groups were not allowed to choose too similar themes, since this would restrain the purpose of expanding the design space. The participants were now to evolve and explore the themes in more detail in terms of artefacts, environments, persons, creatures, movies, literature etc. The participants were also encouraged to draw or cut out paper-illustrations for stronger associations and a more creative, inspiring and fun session. Forming two groups, six different themes were chosen; Pirates, Space, Magic, Ghosts, Thief & Police and Olympics. The more thoroughly exploration of these themes resulted in a widespread interesting collection of material. Especially drawings contributed in creating an inspirational result. Although not intended, some participants could not help themselves from immediately connect some ideas to Spookies, resulting in fascinating new units as the “Demon-Spookie”.

EXPLORING PLAY

In order to use the result as a material of inspiration to later design proposals, the area of play was most important exploringing. Spookies, as a Free Play toy should support and inspire natural Free Play behaviour in various play situations. An essential issue in designing the functionality and pattern of interaction would be the Free Play situations themselves. Primarily through finding and reflecting upon these play situations I could discover the necessary means to support them. Hence, exploring Free Play situations was the area addressed during the remaining sessions of the workshop. First, the participants were to discover and invent games, play situations and scenarios within the previously explored themes. During this session the participants were to stay in their groups and start off by brainstorming through possible play situations unique to their three themes. When this was done they were to choose two or three play-scenarios to evolve further by text, images and main events. The initial results turned out well. A lot of different fun situations that could contribute to the future design work were discovered. Evolving the play scenarios further proved more difficult. A general problem was to create play without creating a lot of rules and end up with a game. Three play situations or games were evolved in total: “Treasure Map”, a pirate game; “Ghost Hunt”, a ghost game and “Bomb Sweeper”, a thief and police-inspired game. All games had features that could be improved by embedded technology. This was however not at all a demand but maybe a predictable result, due to the circumstances. Secondly, the area would be approached by the use of extreme characters and scenario methods. This approach would be more demanding and time consuming but could prove very useful. Thus, the second day of the workshop was devoted to this task. The combination of extreme characters and scenarios was supposed to strengthen the experience of the play situation. As stated earlier, realism is an important issue of getting reliable

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results using scenarios. One way of improving the realism and covering more aspects of the scenario situation is by using Personas [Grudin and Pruitt, 2002], or as in this case Extreme Characters [Djajadingrat et al, 2000)]. Well-defined characters help the designer to concern and connect to the script. The participants were again to be separated in two different groups, although not the same as the day before. They were then to brainstorm on different character traits and put together a few different extreme children characters. Next, they should choose two or three characters and create a more thoroughly developed background description. The brainstorming brought out a number of character traits that was used to outline a few extreme children characters. These were developed into more specific characters with extreme traits. Altogether five characters were described with a page each. Most of the characters had real-life equivalences from the designers own experiences, although taken to the extreme. The last part of this session aimed to develop Free Play scenarios, in which Spookies could be applied to support and improve the fun of the play. The scenarios should use the extreme characters invented. In this task the participants had more freedom to choose their own approach and were allowed to work from different perspectives. The strategy I mainly encouraged was to first construct one or a few Free Play scenarios with one or several extreme characters involved. The scenarios could be based on the games and play situations found during the previous sessions but did not have to be. Then, when the scenario was outlined, try to find ways that Spookies or other information technology could be used to support and improve the play. Since I primarily was interested in finding inspiring play situations, this was a good approach. Spookies and computer technology would by this approach also have a supportive part to the play rather than having a game made up to support the use of Spookies. However, this strategy was also the most time consuming and one could argue that the play scenarios made up would be influenced by the fact that the designer knew which goals lay ahead. Therefore the participants were also allowed to create games and play situations with Spookies already included, but then focus on finding new kinds of usage. The participants were also allowed to create scenarios concentrated to the extreme characters and their relation to Spookies and play. The results were unexpected and thereby very successful. A number of sophisticated scenarios were developed highlighting different aspects of play. Naturally, a more free form of work led to more varied results. Three scenarios could be concerned as the main contribution and will be described in short. The first scenario addresses a complex line of events where a group of children sneaks out from kindergarten to steal apples from the “angry man’s” tree. This scenario was least unexpected but highly useful, in describing several different situations of natural Free Play that beneficially could be supported by computer technology. Aspects addressed were: surveillance, distraction and communication in dynamic active situations. The

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second scenario is more of a fairy tale than scenario. The story of Spookies tells the tale of the Spookies origin and how they got their different abilities. The story is useful in contributing unexpected material to how the complex functionalities of a computer embedded Free Play toy might be explained to children. This is a critical aspect of design, though not in focus to the design approach of this thesis. The last scenario introduces a cancer sick girl in a children’s hospital. Addressing a sad and serious situation, this scenario contributes ideas to how sick or disabled children might use computer technology as support. The girl uses Spookies as her tool of communication to play and interact with other children.

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INITIAL IDEAS Considering the new material and knowledge achieved through the concept development workshop, the basic analysis of the original concept and the study of related research, I started to sketch out new design ideas. Since all material from the workshop had been documented on paper, it was a great help to work through it over and over to find new inspiration. I also tried to use other sources of inspiration as children’s literature and film describing Free Play situations. I especially took interest in the series of Mästerdetektiven Blomkvist, including both books and films, produced by the famous Swedish author Astrid Lindgren. The series describes a group of children growing up early in the last century, attending the kind of natural Free Play situations I was looking for. The series also presents the game of the red-white-rose, commonly played by Swedish children when growing up, supporting all necessary Free Play parameters. Another source of inspiration was electronics catalogues, covering all sorts or useful and useless sensors, actuators and electronics. Using this unpolished material as fuel to the design process, I outlined twenty to thirty new units [Appendix 1] that might fit and complement the original concept. Initially, all ideas were welcome. I found it better to include all ideas and use them to stake out this new design space. Though most of these sketches would never be used they might contribute important issues, features or aspects to the final design. Amongst the more interesting ones not included in the later design proposal were: Bug Spookies, Speed Spookie, Memory Spookie, Decoy Spookies and Action Spookies. Some of these will be described in a bit more detail below.

A bug network

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Speed Spookie Decoy Spookies

The Bug Spookies visualised above emerged from the idea of playing together in competing teams. This does not necessarily have to include a rule-based game but just address a natural play situation between two rivalry groups of children. The Bug Spookies can then be used to intercept the radio transmissions between other Spookies and forward them to a parallel receiver. This new network has to be initiated by a physical connection between the target and bugger, making the play more interesting. The Speed Spookie originated in an attempt to support physically active Free Play behaviour. By being able to sense acceleration in movement using a accelerometer, the Speed Spookie would measure speed when running, climbing, riding a bicycle or being thrown. The Speed Spookie could in this way certainly be a fun toy, inspiring active Free Play situations. In one of the resulting scenarios of the concept development workshop distraction was a key element of play. From this notion the Decoy Spookies were outlined. The Decoy Spookie would be much smaller than a regular Spookie, more easily hidden or attached to surfaces. Additionally, they would come in larger numbers controllable from a single triggering unit. Each of the Decoy Spookies should give intense output using light, audio or maybe smell.

Combination models

I also sketched out new models of combinations to find a better support for the important feature of Puzzle Play. New units did not provide a sufficient solution to this problem. Inspired by the material found in related research I chose to address this problem by adding another dimension. This would evolve the model from one to two dimensions, allowing both vertical and horizontal connections, strongly increasing the number of possible combinations. Still, the more difficult part of finding a creative model of functionality when combined remained. The important issue was to find usefulness without adding too much complexity undermining the simplicity of the original concept.

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Further, I reintegrated the units of the original concept in the design process. Most of them showed good potential for inspiring and supporting Free Play situations when placed and used in other contexts. The Audio Spookies proves an illustrative example of this. As originally designed for spying, they only support one-way communication to enable eavesdropping. But to be used in a Free Play context there was a need for two-way communication. This could however easily be solved without redesigning the units by simply using two pairs. By switching the output units one could have something similar to a traditional walkie-talkie, an excellent support to Free Play situations.

Audio Spookie “walkie-talkie”

To reach a somewhat more defined design proposal, two more workshops were planned as a part of the transformation phase. One to address new units supporting Active Play behaviour and one to address the combination model of Puzzle Play situations. These two transformational workshops could be considered playgrounds to try out and evaluate different design suggestions. They also meant to bring out new inspiration and ideas to the design process.

ACTIVE PLAY WORKSHOP The Active Play workshop was an attempt to explore how new units and features proposed would influence what was previously defined as Active Play situations. During the workshop, I planned to use some of the promising units of my initial design in a natural context in order to receive confirmation as well as inspiration. The result would be used as a foundation for the final design proposals. Approaching this study, it was essential to create an inspiring, playful atmosphere. The study had to resemble natural Free Play situations in order to get a relevant result. Considering these criteria the methods of Informance Design [Burns et al, 1994] and Experience Prototyping [Buchenau and Suri, 2000] were used. This approach would expose the key issues, without being too time-consuming in terms of plan and preparation. The study was conducted during a single day workshop involving three members of the design team, including myself. As we all had a somewhat different approach to the design process, the workshop was planned in collaboration to support our different perspectives. Except exploring how new units and features would influence Active Play situations the workshop would be used as a pilot study for later user participation. Another aim was to

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explore how the complex functionality of Spookies could be communicated to children.

SET UP

A brainstorming session addressing active play activities initialised the workshop. To not start all over again we tried to use as much material as possible from the previous workshop. This worked well to refresh our minds but also worked as a springboard for finding new inspiration. The initial design ideas and sketches provided another source of inspiration and had been presented to the design team with the rest of the collected material. Our intent with this session was to come up with a few play situations or activities involving Spookies that could later be acted out. A basic criterion was to find at least three situations highlighting different aspects of play. In this way, we hoped to cover a larger target area. Eventually, we ended up with several fun and interesting play scenarios and chose to work further with three of them. The ones picked described play activities that we found representative to situations that might be supported by Spookies.

ACTING

The three scenarios chosen were to be set up as open structured, dynamic play situations, acted out by us using the environment and other available material as props. To facilitate the use of several different Spookie units in our play settings we used previously made prototypes [see Prototyping/Textile Prototypes and Cardboard Prototypes]. It could otherwise have been difficult identifying and remembering them throughout the play. This would be more convenient but primarily more fun and inspiring than for instance using regular post-it notes. Besides identifying interesting play situations the central part in getting a relevant result from this study relied on performance. It was important to maintain a creative and openhearted atmosphere during the workshop. Although none of us had any previous experience of acting we tried to improvise all events being as spontaneous as possible. Knowing each other on a personal level positively affected this situation. To be able to keep good documentation of our work, a fourth member of the design team was asked to record the workshop with a digital video camera. THE DARK ROOM The Dark Room describes a play situation that naturally could take place at home or at a kindergarten involving several children. A room is “set up” with multiple Spookie units and eventually lit down. Children could take turns doing this or play the game in different teams. One or a few of the remaining children will then enter the room with a flashlight just trying to cross it or try to find and bring back some item. The trick of the game is to do this without triggering any of the Spookies’ alarms previously set up. This turned out to be a fun and challenging game where several kinds of Spookie units could be

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used in a creative manner. During the first play, I was to enter the room and try to cross it. As we only used paper prototypes one of the team members had to act out the actual alarm system. To do this we could not have the room completely dark, instead I had to pretend the darkness to make the scenario realistic. This worked rather well. In crossing different sectors of the room I primarily had to watch out for Spookies with enabled movement sensors. We imagined that these could work like laser beams only covering a single straight line. I would then be able to cross them by crawling under them or leaping over them. However, as the beams were not visible I first had to find these Spookie units in the darkness using my flashlight. This proved tricky, as the person setting up the room also had placed out light sensitive units triggering the alarm if directly pointed at with the flashlight. Another interesting unit used was a Spookie (enhanced with accelerometers) measuring tilt angle. If tipped over, the Spookie would set off the alarm. This unit could be placed on objects blocking the way and would then have to be moved very carefully. Two persons playing together added more features to the play. The players now had to communicate with each other, though silently to not alert any sound sensitive Spookies. Overall, the Dark Room scenario proved very successful highlighting the main issues of the workshop contributing new material to the design process. THE KITCHEN SPY The Kitchen Spy scenario is very similar to the play situations described and supported by the original concept. A child is here using the surveillance functionality of Spookies to keep watch over a certain area, in this case the kitchen. Another child will then enter the kitchen and secretly be observed. Though not as interesting in exploring Active play situations, this scenario was picked for performance, predicting that this might be a common way of playing with Spookies and therefore important to evaluate. As in the previous scenario, setting-up defined an important aspect of the play. Here the preparations were even more central to the Free Play activities involved since the rest of the play might turn out fairly static. Based on this notion we started the performance at the set-up. A colleague and I begun to rig the kitchen with Spookies, pretending to prepare a trap letting us spy on our brother. Choosing between different made up targets we decided to focus on the cookie jar. Several Spookies that would give appropriate information were set up. As the spies had to monitor the events themselves they could not really leave the room but pretended to. The last team member then entered, acting out the brother. A number of different Spookie units proved useful in the scenario. Naturally, Spookies with movement sensors were included but combined with Spookies that could take pictures to present visual feedback. Further, Spookies supporting audio were applied backwards with a concealed speaker to scare the brother instead of spying on him. This scenario worked out well in exploring how Spookies could be used for spying, a general Free Play activity. Although the play situation chosen was a bit too static to contribute any significant information on how Spookies

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could support Active Play situations, the scenario provided useful information in exposing a Puzzle Play situation. TRACKING The last scenario, Tracking, defines an illustrative example on how Active Play behaviour could be supported by Spookies. The situation described is similar to traditional child games like hide-and-seek or chase but also utilises the benefits of Spookies in Free Play situations. In the scenario, three children play a modified version of hide-and-seek, one child playing seeker and the other two playing hiders. Given a time advance, the hiders have to run and hide and then make it back to the starting point without being seen. The seeker will have to find and catch them before they do so. Spookies could be of good assistance to this game, supporting the natural play behaviour. In the scenario performed, all three players carried tracker units that let them perceive the distance to each other. Additionally, the hiders also used audio units to communicate with each other. I acted the seeker while my colleagues acted hiders. During this scenario it was rather hard to simulate the functionality of our Spookies in a realistic way. Instead we had to use our imagination and perform as trustworthy as possible. Pretending that our sight and hearing were just approximate feedback from our trackers we stalked each other using zigzag walking to make out directions. Shouting conveniently simulated the audio units. This proved to be a fun and inspiring game to play. At one point of the play, the hiders made a decoy move, leaving a tracker unit behind and tricking the seeker to find it while circling back to the starting point. Although an easy trick all improvisation was essential to the outcome of the workshop. Additional units could have been used to extend the support of the play, as decoy units, surveillance units or discrete messaging units. The Tracker scenario was valuable to explore Active Play behaviour and contributed both verification and inspiration to the design process. The overall result of the workshop was positive and inspiring. In a short time we had come up with, and performed, interesting Active Play situations that beneficially had been supported by the initial design sketches made. The new Spookie units had been evaluated resulting in additional material and ideas to the final design proposals. Performing proved an excellent method to experience and the scenarios defined. By experimenting with real objects in the real world a stronger connection and better understanding of the product and the users can be achieved.

PUZZLE PLAY WORKSHOP To explore Puzzle Play situations and how this feature could be better supported, I organized a single day workshop addressing the subject. The Puzzle Play describes, as mentioned, situations where children try to connect several Spookie units to create new behaviours. By connecting different Spookies as bricks or building blocks entirely new patterns of functionality

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can be created, generating new play situations. As all units are adaptable to each other, children are not limited to previously invented and pre-programmed functions but are free to explore different possibilities. A critical problem found during the concept analysis was that given the large number of different combinations possible, very few proved at all useful. To solve this problem, new models of combinations had to be explored. Planning the workshop, I judged it too time consuming to both come up with new models of combination and then evaluate them. Further, the models used had to be thoroughly thought through to be useful in a Puzzle Play situation. This process was too complex to be addressed in a single workshop. Hence, I chose to first design a number of suitable combination models and focus the workshop on exploring them in practise. Based on the initial idea of adding another dimension to the combination model, I started to sketch out new possible patterns. As a source of inspiration, I used rules of logic and general programming. These rules proved resourceful and contributed a scope of logical operators working as a foundation to my design. The problem faced was quite similar to a general programming problem and could be addressed with the same set of tools. However, the combinational models designed had to keep the simplicity and structure of the original concept. The models had to be consistent in function, always responding the same way neglecting unique unit character traits. The functionality of the model should also be limited to the physical position of different units. In this way the immediate visual feedback of units connected would be consistent in reflecting the functionality of the combination. Due to these requirements it proved difficult to find flexible, creative patterns supporting the Puzzle Play activity. Five different combination models were outlined: Imperative, Reflexive, Or, All and Not. Each model contributed a specific feature that hopefully would improve the support of Puzzle Play situations. As planned, these models were then more thoroughly explored in the Puzzle Play workshop. The workshop was conducted within a single day involving five members of the design team. As the tasks performed would be quite complex, I chose to step back from actively participating myself and instead have a supportive role to the design team. This could also be motivated by not wanting to influence the outcome with my own ideas. It would be more interesting to see how the team members with a somewhat less profound understanding of the combinational models presented could benefit from them in finding new, fun applications. Having a less central role, I also handled the documentation of the workshop using a digital video camera. The four active participants were to sequentially explore the combinational patterns designed through hands-on exercises with the simple paper prototypes [see Prototypes/Cardboard Prototypes]. Using a practical approach where participants could use the prototypes to puzzle and construct combinational functions decreased the level of complexity. Combinations could easily be

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made up and redesigned by moving the prototypes around. The prototypes should also inspire the participants by being there and representing a useful feature to their combined function. This method of Experience prototyping [Buchenau and Suri, 2000] is additionally helpful in getting a better understanding and connection with the end user situation. The four participants were initially divided into two groups working with parallel tasks. The idea was to have two tables exploring related but different combination techniques at the same time. I also encouraged the team members to move around the tables to create a dynamic atmosphere where the two groups would influence each other. All participants had to work actively with each of the combinational patterns. The first four patterns: Imperative, Reflective, Or and All would be explored in parallel leaving the last one Not to be studied by both groups at the same time. This was motivated by the similarities of Imperative and Reflective, Or and All as well as the more complex pattern of Not. The specific task given was to come up with as many new useful functions as possible using combinations of Spookies according to the specifications of each combinational model. During the workshop the participants could choose their own approach for achieving this. For instance, they could base their design in games and play situations previously explored but could also just use the paper prototypes to experiment and puzzle. I was hoping to receive as much feedback as possible on how the model designed could be used in practice. Most interesting was how they would differentiate from each other in terms of use. I already knew some of the benefits of each technique but found it hard to estimate how they would be applied in practice. Other input and material to the design process not strictly related to combinational patterns were also welcome.

MODELS OF COMBINATION

Imperative model

IMPERATIVE The Imperative model is similar to the original technique of combination. The Spookie on top controls the behaviour of all units connected underneath. The underlying units are locked and cannot be activated until receiving a start command from the unit above. This command is imperative meaning that the receiving unit is activated independent of its own input or signal sent by the other unit of the Spookie couple. As the top Spookie is

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activated, a chain reaction is set off as it sends the start command to the unit underneath it. Although this combinational model already existed, it was important to test it in respect to the other patterns to obtain a better understanding of its value.

Reflexive model

REFLEXIVE This model differentiates from the previous pattern by not being imperative but reflexive. The underlying units are locked until receiving a start command but are not being forced into activation by the command alone. Instead the start command only unlocks the unit. The unlocked Spookie can then only be activated by its own sensor input or an activation signal from the other unit of the couple. If activated the Spookie forwards the start command to the unit underneath. Using a reflexive model, combinations taking several inputs into account can be made, creating a more defined percept. The reflexive technique might also be used as an obstacle to units too easily activated letting the user design more task specific combinations. This combinational pattern was tested in parallel with the imperative one to expose the differences in use between them.

Or model

OR The Or model introduces combinations in two dimensions. In contrast to the reflexive technique where activation of a combined function is restrained the Or model facilitates such use. Using the Or technique any of the combined units can activate the others. This signal will be imperative forcing the other units to activate. This model supports highly sensitive functions that might trigger on various kinds of input. The technique will not be used singularly but will complement a previous one-dimensional pattern like Imperative or Reflexive. In the workshop session the participant would focus on using the Or model in combination with the Reflexive model as these two techniques were more separate.

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All model

ALL This model defines an opposite to the Or technique not allowing any activation until all units are ready to be activated by their own inputs. As in the previous example the technique is to be complementary to a previous one-dimensional technique. The All model have strong similarities with the Reflexive model, though not obvious to the user. The functional difference lies in that a single unit never can be activated prior to another one connected, as might be the case in the Reflexive model. The more interesting difference resides on a conceptual level. Though having almost the same functionality the usage will be interpreted in dissimilar ways depending on the physical placement. By placing them beside each other the All function is more easily seen where as the reflexive obstacle function is more obvious when putting them in a vertical row. The All pattern was explored in parallel with the Or model to study what usage functions the would cause. As the Reflexive model was quite similar to the All technique, the workshop participants would primarily use the All model in combination with the Imperative model.

Not model

NOT The most complex but also most valuable technique designed was the Not model. The Not model allows connections that might trigger if a unit is inactive instead of active. This functionality opens up for completely new combinations as the user can include the opposite of what is being measured, as light if measuring darkness. To unite this pattern with the previous one-dimensional model, I chose to design four different ports to the units. By using two separated input ports both Imperative and Reflexive behaviour could be included in the model. The negative output port was placed at the right side whereas the positive remained at the underside. Although highly beneficial to the number of useful combinations possible, the Not model might prove hard to comprehend for the end user. In gaining flexibility Spookies also lose some of their previous simplicity. The Not model was explored in the last session by all team members. The experience from

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previous sessions would facilitate the comprehension of the model as it includes both Imperative and Reflexive operators. The result proved inspiring and widespread. Multiple useful combinations were created by using the different models. Though supported by the cardboard prototypes this workshop proved difficult, not in coming up with new patterns or ideas to how units or combinations could be used, but in calculating the outcome of a pattern made. One reason for this problem was probably that switching between using different models stirred some confusion. As anticipated, the Not model proved most problematic. It showed conceptually hard to in practise grasp the placement and function of different ports. However, disregarding that several patterns were incorrectly put together the number of different usage situations increased. A better understanding of how these models actually work in practice can found when technically functional prototypes are developed.

PROTOTYPING Prototypes and prototyping have constituted a central part of this design process. The prototypes have provided a useful aid to communicate and evaluate ideas as well as in supporting the more critical creative part of invention, mainly through the transformational workshops described above. As a design tool, prototyping has proved useful in clarifying design issues at the various levels of development approached. The activity of building prototypes has also encouraged and facilitated the important aspect of reflection in design [Schön, 1983]. During the iterations of the design process, the focal point of design has varied in cause and level of abstraction. To support this evolving design process from Spyballs to Spookies, several different prototypes were needed. This, as just a single prototype is hard to use in order to highlight all emerging design issues. Hence, various kinds of prototypes were developed ranging from paper-based sketches to technical implementations addressing different levels of fidelity and functionality [Preece et al, 2002]. The prototypes developed and used so far are presented within the four categories described below.

DESIGN SKETCHES

The most basic prototypes used consist of the many design sketches [Appendix 1] and paper-based storyboards created during all stages of the design process. The design sketches have primarily been used to explore the conceptual area of Spookies as a computer supported Free Play toy and to outline new possible applications. Working at a high level of abstraction, paper-based sketches were useful to identify a general framework of design. Sketched visualisations also proved helpful in communicating ideas to other team members but proved equally important to the creative design work. The

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simplicity in creation and modification made this prototype technique especially useful in the early phases of the design process.

CARDBOARD PROTOTYPES

The cardboard prototypes were developed as instruments to explore how the new Spookie concept designed would work in Free Play situations. Forming simple physical representations of different units, the cardboard models constituted valuable tools in this task. During the Transformation workshops they were frequently used as a support. Though being simple the prototypes added a lot feeling insight and realism to what we were doing. All together, over forty units were created with different cover images to be easily identified and separated.

Cardboard prototypes

TEXTILE PROTOTYPES

The textile prototypes were developed by our textile designer9 in order to explore the look and feel of the product. Mainly what materials to use for filling and texture, the size, shape and weight of a Spookie along with the interface design were explored. These prototypes were also used as props to support the Active Play workshop.

Textile Prototypes

9 Textile designer: Lena Berglin

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TECHNICAL PROTOTYPES

The technical prototypes were developed by our computer technicians10 to create prototypes with a higher level of fidelity and evolved functionality [Preece et al, 2002]. They were also to be used to demonstrate and communicate the concept as well as define a technical platform for further product development. As these prototypes took a considerably longer amount of time to develop they could not be used functionally in this early phase of the design process, for instance to support the transformation workshops. However, they were of great importance as tools to the design process in order to consider and evaluate the conceptual design, in a Reflection-in-Action manner [Schön, 1983]. In the development of the prototypes I was mainly interested and involved with identifying suitable technology and suitable technical solutions to support the functionality designed. This process cannot simply be described as a dialog between what was wanted and what was possible as it also worked the other way around. Computer technology as being the design material also inspired the design process by its own characteristics. To utilise computer technology as material in a product these characteristics have to be merged into a symbiosis with the concept of design. Based on the results of the initial sketches six technical prototypes [see Convergence/Spookies/Audio Spookies, Light Spookies and Move Spookies] were developed in parallel. These were picked to evaluate a broad aspect of the concept and see how a technical platform could be developed to support the different features. Initially, the most interesting aspect to the conceptual design was at this phase of prototyping to identify a suitable general platform defining the communicational and combinational model of all Spookies. This platform would set the functionality and characteristics of the general concept. Some things had already changed since leaving the concept of Spyballs. For instance, during the Active Play workshop it was found that the needed range of radio-transmission had considerable been increased. This as the toy had evolved from being of indoor use when spying to being of outdoor use when playing in the woods. Range and efficacy would in Spookies be of higher priority than bandwidth, as being two opposite poles when working with wireless local networks. Besides radio qualities, a central issue to this phase was to find a good technical support to combining several units. The largest problem faced was to find a solution that was not visible from the outside influencing the interface of the toy. After disregarding several suggestions, a satisfying technique was designed. The technique chosen used magnets hidden under the texture to connect the units and keep them in place. This was acquired to make the units useful in practise. By adding a magnetically sensitive reed, connections could immediately be noticed. Further, two diodes using IR-light were used to send and receive signals as this light could be sent straight through the texture and still be invisible. As a part of the prototyping process the initial work with the technical prototypes was greatly valuable to the design process. 10 Computer technicians: Andreas Svensson and Torbjörn Gildå

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Technical prototypes



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CONVERGENCE This chapter presents my final design proposal. However, this proposal cannot be looked upon as a final design specification but mere as a general sketch outlining the main features of a final product. Still, there are many things left to be done. In designing such a widely scoped product as Spookies have come to be, some issues and features have been left unattended in priority to the critical ones. Though trying to leave as few loose ends as possible, units and features judged most important to Free Play situations have been put in focus. Additionally, many features need further evaluation to more specifically identify how and why they will be used. With that information available a more beneficial way of assembly has to be considered. This is the nature of iterative design and the very same approach that has led to this design proposal. My hope is that this document will serve well as a foundation to the continuous design process. The original concept of Spyballs has worked as a platform to this design example providing the basic features of a new kind of interactive toy. Though a lot of things have been changed and added during the design process, many features can be traced back to the original concept. In this matter it is important to see that Spyballs and Spookies essentially are the same product at different stages of the development cycle. Spyballs could of course been developed into something else, closer to the initial ideas of spying and detective games. The design proposal presented here is the result of using Spyballs as a design example in developing a computer embedded toy supporting Free Play activities. The new concept have been designed and weighted against the design objectives previously stated. Spookies have been developed to set an example of the new kind of toys that can be developed to support Free Play activates. Unlike most other Free Play toys, Spookies are interactive, augmented by embedded computer technology. Clearly important to the aspects of Free Play is the use of Spookies as a communicational platform when playing together in a group. Another strength lies in the users possibility of creating more complex functions by physically assembling several units into a pattern, easily reprogrammed by the end user. To be able to follow and understand this design proposal a short functional summary of the concept might be needed. The communicational model of all Spookie units is set to predefined couples. These couples communicate with each other through a wireless network transmitting the specified sensory input of the particular units. Along with the data an activation signal is sent. This signal changes the state of a unit from passive to active. When in a passive state no output is given. The state of a unit is originally set from the

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sensory input received. If receiving input reaching a predefined threshold a unit is activated passing on the signal to the second unit of the couple, thus activating it. All units can also be physically connected to each other in order to create more complex functions or percepts. When connected, the state of a unit is important. Active units can then force or permit the activation of other physically connected units depending on the pattern of assembly [see Model of Combination]. To more clearly explain the design proposed and discussed, a few scenarios can be found at the end of this chapter [see Scenarios].

THEME OF CONCEPT Considering the theme in relation to Free Play activities, as this was found to be an issue of interest and potential area of redesign in the concept analysis made, several new options were available. During the Concept development workshop at least twenty new themes were suggested. However, in replacing one theme with another little could be won. The original spy theme proved as supporting of natural Free Play activities as any other theme suggested. The problem exposed, of limiting a child to a preset context of use, was clearly more connected to the impact of any theme at all than the spy theme in specific. In supporting Free Play situations a theme might be considered a two-edged knife. A theme can be a highly useful source of inspiration to various games and play situation but also encourages the child to use the artefact within a given framework. Worse, it can also limit the potential users to special interest groups or a specific gender. In respect to the Free Play spirit sought, the spy theme was therefore removed from the concept, not to be replaced. Instead children have to make up their own theme from using the toy in different situations, leaving Spookies as a boundless Free Play toy.

SPOOKIES Designing the separate Spookie units constituted a central part of this design work. As previously stated, the units of the original concept could not fully support the natural Free Play behaviour strived for. To find a better support to Active Play situations was especially important, as this previously was found be inhibited by the current concept and functionality. New units were clearly needed to improve the flexibility of play situations and leave the somewhat static object-observer model behind. This need has been given priority in the design of new units to evolve the concept. Below, a design specification of all units included in the concept will follow. As previously mentioned, the design specification are not final but mere a support to the ongoing design process. All functions and interface solutions still have to be further evaluated and tested in real word situations. The units are referred to using their working titles defined by use and functionality.

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AUDIO SPOOKIES

The Audio Spookies represent a central part of the Spookie concept, vital in supporting active Free Play situations. During the design process these two units have evolved from a basic spy tool used to eavesdrop and overhear conversations into a general tool of communication. The functional design has been changed in order to support this. The Audio Spookies defines a Spookie couple specialized on transferring sound. The input and output devises are however divided between the two separate units creating a Listener and a Speaker. The Speaker basically reproduces all sounds received from the Listener in real time. The Listener unit is equipped with a standard microphone, hidden within the ear, in order to pick up sounds. As in the original concept the sound input have to reach a set threshold to be passed on to the speaker, much as a regular baby-watcher works. This threshold is important as it also defines if an activation signal is sent, influencing the use in Puzzle Play situations. During the Transformation workshops it was shown that this threshold had to be tuneable by the user to be useful in various play situations. If used to create a specific percept in a Puzzle Play situation, the level of threshold has to be carefully matched to the specific sound searched for. Additionally, if used as a com-radio in an Active Play situation the user should be able to only send messages when wanted. To support these features, a threshold button was added to the Listener interface. By pressing the button the user is able to adjust the sound threshold to the required level. When pressed and held, the sound threshold is changed to the current level of sound picked up from the environment, and thereby tuneable, for instance, by the users own voice. Using sound as input seemed to be a natural way of solving the threshold interface. The Speaker unit is equipped with a speaker hidden within the mouth that returns all sound data received from the Listener. This makes the Speaker quite static, only responding to the directives given by the Listener. To be of more active use in play situations an additional feature to the unit was included. My intent was to let the speaker remotely control when to receive a sound stream from the Listener to make it less passive and more supportive to Free Play situations. Though this could be done in various ways, a simple approach is suggested. By adding a hidden button to the side of the mouth the sound stream would be forced open if pressed. The function was mapped to the idea of “opening” the mouth by pressing both sides of it.

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TRACKER SPOOKIES

To better support what was defined as Active Play situations, two new somewhat different Spookie couples were designed. In contrast to the original Spookies, these couples did not consist in separate input and output entities. Instead, both units could receive and display information, always reflecting the state of the other unit. The Tracker Spookies define the first of the two new couples. They were mainly designed to further support Active Play situations in natural outdoor environments. The Tracker Spookies measure the range to one another by using the signal strength of the radio transmitters. Though depending on what transmitters are being used fairly good estimations can be made. The signal strength will however always be sensitive to environmental obstacles. Moving in a building or sitting behind a closed door will significantly reduce the signal. This is however not judged as a serious problem, but mere a condition to the percept measured. The output was deigned to be discreet using eight diodes hid underneath the texture. The distance or more precisely the closeness to the other unit is directly related to the number of lit diodes giving the user a good comprehension of the other unit’s location. During the Transformation workshops the need of manually being able to adjust the distance of activation was discovered. At first, the units were to send activation signals as soon as they were in signal range of each other but this solution showed too inaccurate. A new feature to adjust the range of activation had to be designed. A nice solution to this problem would have been to hide buttons underneath all eight diodes letting the user press them in order to regulate the distance of activation. However this solution was found to be rather complicated constructing and therefore discarded. Instead a single button was added to the interface. By pressing and holding it the diodes will sequentially lit up letting the user set the distance of activation when releasing the button.

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CODE SPOOKIES

The Code Spookies define the second new couple combining input and output in a single unit, similar to the Trackers. The Code Spookies were deigned to strengthen the communicational role of Spookies in Active Play situations. As a complement to the Audio Spookies, a more discreet channel of communication could be both fun and useful. Founded in the idea of children’s interest in secret signs, codes and languages the Code Spookies were designed. Their main feature would be to send short coded messages in a discreet secret way. My intention was to design a completely tactile interface without requiring any visual or audio feedback. To do this, the angle of the units was to be used as input. By leaning a Code Spookie forward, backward or sideways a different message would be sent. The angle of a unit could easily be identified using accelerometers. A main difficulty has been to find a suitable way of displaying the output. In line with the idea of a tactile interface a vibrator has preliminary been chosen. There are however still two proposals to how this might be solved. In the first, multiple small vibrators connected to all sides of the unit are to be used to give directed output of the state of the other unit. This might thus lead to that the receiving person might miss a message if not holding his hand towards the side activated. The other proposal suggests a single larger vibrator that could be felt from all sides of the unit.

Code activation

To send a message the user has to put the unit into the appropriate angle and press a button hidden within a horn on top. During the workshops it was found that some sort of triggering was necessary to not constantly be sending irrelevant information. When receiving a message the receiver unit quickly vibrates to inform the user that a message is currently being transferred. To receive, the user has to find the very same angle as the sending unit, though limited to six different states; up, down, left, right, forward and backward. If found within the time the sender still presses the horn a confirmation signal of receiving is displayed in both units through vibrating. Along with the confirmation signal an activation signal is sent temporarily changing the state of the units to active. What solution to use still has to be further evaluated by using technically functional prototypes.

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LIGHT SPOOKIES

The Light Spookies define a third new couple designed, intended to be of good support to both Active and Puzzle Play situations. During the Concept Development Workshop the importance of light and darkness to children was noticed and eventually further explored in the Active Play workshop through a real-world scenario setting. The scenario [see Transformation/Active Play Workshop/Acting/The Dark Room] proved that light could be an exiting parameter when playing together in Free Play situations. Using the scenario as source of inspiration this simple but useful couple was designed. Light Spookies use light and darkness as their theme of concept measuring and returning light. As in most Spookie couples the input and output are separated into different units, Darkie and Lighter. The Darkie defines the input unit, equipped with a light sensor to measure various degrees of light. However, only two states are of importance; light or darkness. When sensing a state of darkness an activation signal is sent to the Lighter. Though the work with prototyping has shown that the threshold that separates the to states has to be adjustable by the user, no solution to the problem is included in this proposal. An idea is to hide the light sensor within one of the eyes and use some sort of eyelid to physically tune the sensitivity. This would also support the natural act of covering the eyes of the Darkie to trigger the output unit. As a strict output unit the Lighter only responds to the input received from the Darkie. When receiving an activation signal the unit lights up, by several embedded diodes. In contrast to other Spookies these diodes are fastened on the outside of the texture also illuminating a small area surrounding the Lighter.

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MOVE SPOOKIES

Kept from the original concept, the Move Spookies provide a central support to Puzzle Play situations. Being part of the technical prototypes developed, some features have been further evaluated though not fundamentally redesigned. The Move Spookies measures and responds movement through separated input and output units; the Motion Spookie and the Vibrator Spookie. The Motion Spookie defines the input unit equipped with a motion detector to recognise moving objects in front of it. During the Transformation workshops the range and angle of this sensor showed to be of great importance in Free Play situations. In the play situations identified during the workshops a narrower angle was preferred. The Motion Spookie could then be used to more specific purposes and provide a better support to the Active Play situations recognised. For instance, the unit could be placed high in a doorway to only sense adults or be carefully avoided by crawling or jumping when playing a game like the Dark Room [see Transformation/Active Play Workshop/Acting/The Dark Room]. It would also make the act of placing it somewhere more interesting as this would have to be more carefully thought through. When sensing a moving object an activation signal is sent to the Vibrator Spookie. As being an output unit the Vibrator only responds to signals received from the Motion Spookie. When activated the unit vibrates vigorously by an embedded vibrator, alerting the user of the input received.

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PICTURE SPOOKIES

The Picture Spookies constitute another couple kept from the original concept. In providing the play with the fun use of visual imagery the Picture Spookies offers an interesting support to various Free Play situations. By attending imagery in letting the user take and show photos, these Spookies define a conceptually simple, yet technically advanced couple. Pictures of high quality clearly raise the need of more advanced equipment. Still the equipment has to be robust enough to be useful in Active Play situations also affecting the financial costs. To define what level of image quality really was needed in Free Play situations this issue was addressed in the Transformation workshops. The most important requirement found was the ability of recognition. The user should, by using the Picture Spookies, be able to recognise an area or an object and be able to identify one person from another. The Photo Spookie, being the input unit, is equipped with a digital camera to take pictures and send them to the Image Spookie. As the quality of the photo taken is of minor importance to most Free Play situations, no adjustments of light or distance is available. In keeping the units simple the Picture Spookies cannot either handle any video sequences. The Image Spookie, being the output unit, shows all pictures taken by the input unit on an embedded display. As the primary use is recognition, robustness of the screen is valued higher than the quality of the image. When used in the Active and Puzzle Play workshops an idea was to not let the user take pictures with the Photo Spookie singularly. Instead the Photo Spookie had to be activated through the Image Spookie or another physically attached unit. This makes interaction with the Picture Spookies more fun and interesting from a play perspective. Hence, a function to control the input unit was needed in the Image Spookie. Evolving the idea of an eyelid from the original concept, this simple solution was designed. The screen on the Image Spookie is covered with an eyelid. When opened, an activation signal is sent to the Photo Spookie taking a picture. This picture is then displayed on the Image Spookie until the user closes the eyelid. As no pictures are saved, the image is then erased. To take a new photo the user simply reopens the eyelid. The eyelid will also protect the screen and is kept in place by a magnet. Technically, a reed is used in order to check if the magnet is in place.

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TIME SPOOKIES

Time Spookies, the last couple presented in this proposal also originate from the Spyballs concept. To Free Play, the Time Spookies are primarily useful in Puzzle Play situations but can be used to support more active play in combination with other units. When exploring the Time Spookies during the Transformation workshops, possible usage situations were better understood, thereby highlighting issues of potential redesign. As other Spookies, the Time Spookies consist of a separate input and output unit; the Timer and the Whistler. The Timer defines the input unit mainly measuring and handling time. This unit could basically be considered a stopwatch with four different action modes; Alarm, Timer, Timekeeping and Counter. The Alarm function activates the unit at a certain point of time sending an activation signal to the output unit. The Timer function keeps the unit active during the time set if combined with the Alarm function. The Timekeeping function works the other way around measuring the time between two states of activation. The user could set of these activations manually, by the Alarm function or by another physically attached Spookie unit. Additionally a Counter function was included in the design though not being strictly connected to the time theme. The Counter function was however proved both fun and useful in the Puzzle Play situations explored during the Transformation workshops. As it was clearly not conflicting with the other features of the unit or considerably increasing the level of complexity it was integrated as a part of the design. The Counter function merely counts the number of activation states. If not used strictly as an alarm clock or stopwatch the features of the Timer mainly contributes to Puzzle Play situations where they can be used in combination with other units. The interface of the Timer was designed to resemble a traditional stopwatch with angular buttons attached at the top and a small display placed in the centre as a mouth. The buttons are pressure sensitive and can lightly be pressed to active the intended function. To give additional feedback to what function currently is active four diodes have been added to the interface. The Whistler, being the output unit, plays melodies when activated. During the Transformation workshops it was found that the Whistler, in contrast to the Timer, proved a good support to various active Free Play situations. The Whistler was then mainly used as an alarm or distraction devise in combination with other units. To increase the usability of the unit the possibility of changing the tune was added to the conceptual design. This would especially improve the distraction use in Free Play situations. How this

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feature would be implemented is yet to decide, one solution would be to use an additional port to connect it to a regular computer, another would be by letting the unit record and imitate external sounds.

SELECTING THE UNITS I initially intended to replace most of the Spyball units with completely new ones that better fitted the active and social situations strived for. Particularly the Timer and Motion units were considered static and dull. However, I soon discovered that replacing these units weakened other aspects of the product. In deciding what units would be a part of Spookies both Active and Puzzle Play activities had to be considered, as these were stated the most central areas of improvement. Though to support these two situations, essentially different units were needed. Active Play situations required efficient tools of communication and sensory data adapted to a mobile condition. On the other hand Puzzle Play situations required more static sensors and computational units to create interesting functions and precepts. Finding a good balance between the two proved to be both important and difficult. The Audio Spookies together with Trackers and Code Spookies can be considered the main support to active Free Play behaviour. They can be used individually or collectively in various outdoor play situations to support traditional games like for instance hide-and-seek, chase, or the red-white-rose. They however also encourage children to invent new games and play behaviours where running, sneaking, hiding, seeking, exploring, and communicating with other children are central parameters. Nevertheless, in many of these situations other units will prove an additional support, a Timer Spookie might be a vanishing treasure, an Image Spookie might provide visual hints of a secret hiding or a Lighter Spookie might have to be used to enter a dark dungeon. When supporting Puzzle Play situations this relationship is suddenly the opposite. Here Trackers and Code Spookies are of limited use whereas Move, Time, Light and Picture Spookies provide an efficient support. These units can be used to create both complex and fun simple patterns. For instance, a Darkie with Timer Spookies can make a light sensitive alarm clock, a Motion Spookie with a Timer can measure the time when running around the house or a Photo Spookie can be used with a Motion Spookie to take pictures of people passing a doorway. When trying to outline a well working concept as many as 14 units were included. The units picked all showed a high potential and flexibility in supporting Free Play activities and contributed in creating a balance between Active and Puzzle Play behaviour. Though other new units invented, as the Speed Spookies, Decoy Spookies, Heat Spookies, Emotion Spookies, Bug Spookies and Memory Spookies [see Appendix 1] showed strong potentials supporting Free Play behaviour they could not replace any of the units

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selected or additionally be included without disrupting the harmony of the concept.

MODEL OF COMMUNICATION The communicational model inherited from the original concept unites all Spookie units into conceptually set couples. The two units of a couple are constantly connected to each other through a peer-to-peer radio network. This couple relationship arose from physically separating input and output units and constitutes a central element to the conceptual design of the product. It also defines a vital feature in supporting Free Play situations by encouraging activity, communication and socialisation. When playing together the radio communication allows children to send each other audio, visual and tactile messages or interpret received sensory input depending of what kind of units are being used. Combined with other special features of the Spookie concept, the possible Free Play situations are numerous.

Original network

During the Transformation workshops a possible flaw of this model was identified. When playing in a group, communication gets very complicated by the fact that no more than two units can communicate with each other through the same network. Though this problem had previously been regarded during the initial phase of concept analysis, it was not judged critical enough. As the set couple defined a fundamental building block to how the original concept worked, redesigning it was not considered at that time. When acting out play scenarios in a group or creating complex multi-user puzzles the problem became more obvious. The communicational model that worked well in the original spy context met serious problems in the Free Play situations strived for. Consider this simple but illustrative scenario. Five children are playing together in the woods. They are playing a made up version of hide-and-seek where four players try to find or chase the fifth one that is currently hiding. In doing so, they use Spookies as a support to the play. To stay in touch, without walking beside each other the four seekers want to use Spookies for speaking to each other over the radio. As the input and output units are separated, two units are needed for this communication. Two units are, however, only sufficient to support the communication between two children as different units not can be connected to the same network. In order to support communication between all four children each child has to carry and use six separate Spookie units. This is not only unpractical but also close to a failure in trying to support these kinds of activities. Using trackers or code Spookies to a similar task would only

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require three units each but still be inconvenient in respect to the outcome achieved. Clearly, this model of communication might restrain the important Free Play parameter of social interaction and the joy of playing together in larger groups.

Still, the model of using Spookies in couples is fundamental to the Spookie concept and connected to other aspects of the design. If all units for instance could be directly connected to one another through an ad hoc network, the need and joy of combining them into more complex functions would be reduced. The natural simplicity of the concept would also be lost, as the user suddenly had to be concerned with what units are connected to each other and how to communicate to a specific unit. Additionally, the commercial objective of strengthening the product uniqueness would be contradicted. To solve this conceptual dilemma, the following proposal to a new communicational model was designed. All Spookie units are united in conceptually set couples. A radio-link network connects the units of a couple at all times, except when turned of or out of range. To improve the practical usability of this model in Free Play situations, additional units can be connected to the same network. A unit will then be able to receive information from multiple sources at the same time. However, only units of a similar kind as the original one are permitted. For instance, additional speaker units might be connected to a listener but not to a timer or another speaker. This restriction preserves the logical simplicity of the concept and maintains the value of creating combinations in Puzzle Play situations. An enhanced network is illustrated in the pictures below.

Enhanced network

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Enhanced network

Several methods could be used to identify and add new units to a network. Consider for instance the shaking technique used in Smart-Its Friends [Holmquist et al, 2001]. The method proposed here uses an IR-port attached to the back of the Spookie unit, as shown in the picture below. By attaching two units back-to-back, in a manner similar to ordinary combination of units, a shared network will be initiated. Being in line with how Spookies otherwise are connected to each other motivated the choice of this method. The network created will not exclude the ordinary unit of the couple and exist until one of the units is switched of. Naturally, this solution is not flawless. It will not be possible for a user to determine from which unit a message is received. This might cause problems or inconvenience but is a part of the compromise between functional complexity and ease of use. To verify which unit a message is received from some sort of display has to be added to the interface. Another problem raised is how units displaying continuous sensory data will work. If they will present an average of all received input or switch between information of different sources is yet to decide. To determine the extent of these problems and design a sufficient solution, further evaluations in real-life Free Play situations will be needed.

MODEL OF COMBINATION The combinational model inherited from the original concept is what makes it possible to combine several Spookie units by physical assembly, creating more complex functions then what is possible with the units alone. This is a central feature of the product that makes it unique in comparison to other related products and essential in supporting the Free Play area, previously defined as Puzzle Play. However, during the concept analysis a problem with this model was identified and later confirmed during the Transformation workshops. The combinational model of the original concept is too simple, limiting the number of possible useful combinations into a handful. As the problem was addressed during the phases of divergence, transformation and particularly through the Puzzle Play workshop a lot of new material, ideas and knowledge were obtained to how a solution to the problem could be designed.

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The Not-model

During the Puzzle Play workshop the most valuable but also the most conceptually complex model of combination found was the Not model. This model combines the strengths of both Imperative and Reflexive behaviour [see Transformation/Puzzle Play Workshop/Models of Combination/Not] with negativity as a logical operator. The Negative behaviour of the model is of essential importance as it opens up completely new functions previously not possible. All Spookie units measuring an input of some sort can with a negative operator also sense the opposite of what is perceived. A Listener Spookie can detect silence, a Darkie light, a Tracker distance, a Motion Spookie the absence of movement and a Code Spookie a dissimilar angle. This is very valuable to the flexibility of use and thereby Free Play activities. However the model suggested during the Puzzle Play workshop is not without flaws. Though defining a useful tool to create flexible combinations the Not model combining Imperative, Reflexive and Not behaviour is highly complex and conceptually difficult to grasp. A central part of the problem is that both physical position; (as being placed above, below, left or right of a unit), as well as angle; (what side of the unit that is connected when being placed), matters to the outcome. This was found confusing during the Puzzle Play workshop when tried out by other team members. Trying to avoid the problem, another way of implementing the Not function was considered. The function could instead be designed as a part of the separate unit, as a simple button switching the state of the Spookie from positive to negative. A two-coloured diode could for instance be used to visualise the state. Such a solution would leave the combinational model with only two behaviours decreasing the level of complexity. Another positive port would then replace the negative one as shown in the picture below.

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The Reflexive, Imperative model

Still, three possible problems could be anticipated in this model. The first problem is that the changing of states not only would affect the single unit but also the behaviour of the other unit in the couple. From using the opposite unit it would be impossible to tell whether a positive or negative output is received, making the communicational model somewhat inconsistent. The second problem is that two positive ports would make the combinational model redundant. It would not matter if a unit would be placed to the right or below another unit as long as it is connecting through the same input port. This redundancy might cause confusion to the user. The third problem anticipated would be that the visual feedback of a combination created might not be as easy interpreted as before. To see what function a combination have, the user can not only rely on the pattern of physical assembly but also have to consider the colour of the state indicating diodes to tell if a unit is positive or negative. Additionally, it would be impossible to tell if a combined Spookie will be activated by a positive or negative signal from the other unit of the couple as explained above. Motivated by these problems, a new solution similar to the Not model where the negative operator is included in the model of combination was tried to be found. The main issue was to design a pattern where all functions seemed natural in relation to the physical assembly of the units. This was for instance the case in the All model [see Transformation/Puzzle Play Workshop/Models of Combination/All] where all units connected sideways had to be activated simultaneously to forward an activation signal. Finding such a solution to support all three operators of Imperative, Reflexive and Not proved difficult and various assembly patterns were evaluated. Here, a technical issue played an important role. During the development of the technical prototypes a highly satisfactory solution to how the units physically could be connected to each other had been designed [see Transformation/Prototyping/Technical Prototypes]. This solution depended on the use of magnets and had to be considered in the design of the new model. Strengths of using magnets as connectors are that they keep the units connected and also create a physical framework to how units might be combined. However this physical barrier now also proved a limitation to how a new model might be designed. The magnets for instance inflicts with inverting a pattern by turning a unit upside down to make it negative. Considering these restraints the following model is proposed.

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The Final model

This final proposal to a model of combination is quite similar to the previous Not model and only differentiates by the switch of the output ports. During the Puzzle Play workshop, it was found that the Reflexive operator forms a better support to Free Play activities compared with the original Imperative operator. The Reflexive operator can be used to create specialised percepts where several different input parameters can be considered to evaluate the nature of what is being perceived. If for instance a bedroom is both quiet, dark and without movement this could indicate that a person is sleeping whereas quiet, light and without movement might suggest that a person is reading. As this operator is most naturally mapped to a physical side-by-side assembly, this is also how Spookies mainly will be used. The side-by-side pattern puts the Reflexive input port to the left and the Positive output port to the right creating a natural left to right process. Based on this suggestion the Imperative port is put on top and the Not port at the bottom. Although this solution feels more naturally mapped it is hard to anticipate how well it will be understood when used in real-life play situations. Hopefully, future end user testing with technically functional prototypes will provide a better answer to this question.

SCENARIOS To more plainly explain the functionality proposed and discussed, a few guiding examples will be used. These examples have not been tested or evaluated in real-life situations and are not to illustrate typical Free play activities. Instead they are mainly meant to communicate the functionality of Spookies in different play situations.

TREASURE HUNT

This scenario describes a play situation where the children playing are searching for a hidden treasure. The treasure has previously been hid by another child or a grownup and is defined by three Spookies: Photo Spookie; Timer Spookie and Tracker Spookie. The child/children trying to find the treasure are equipped with an Image Spookie and a Tracker Spookie, as illustrated below.

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Treasure Hunt Spookies

When the play begins the children searching opens the Image Spookie to receive a picture. The picture is their clue to what the environment surrounding the treasure looks like. When the Photo Spookie is activated it triggers the Timer Spookie connected to it. The timer then starts to count down a preset period of time and activates the Tracker Spookie next to it. During this period the children searching also are able to use the Tracker to see how their distance to the treasure changes. This is a good support, as the Tracker will notice if they are going in the wrong direction. If this makes the play too easy the following treasure set-up might be used.

Treasure Hunt Spookies

By placing the Tracker underneath the Timer Spookie the functionality will change. Now, the Tracker will not be activated until the Timer turns negative, when the set time period has elapsed. In this scenario, the children searching will have to rely on the image presented at their Image Spookie. The Tracker will be a final support if they cannot find the treasure within the time given.

THE SECRET CODE

The Secret Code describes a play situation where children are using Spookies to create and solve codes or puzzles. A few children first try to come up with a difficult code that one or several children have to solve. The set-up is an important part of the play activity.

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The Secret Code

In this particular set-up the sought goal is to activate the Photo Spookie and have a picture taken of oneself. This is however not so easily done, as the complete chain of Spookies has to be activated first. When I child enters the play area, this is noticed by the first Motion Spookie in the sequence, activating the Timer underneath. The Timer starts to countdown a preset time period that the puzzle must be solved within. Next follows: a Darkie; a Listener; a Motion Spookie; another Darkie (attached to the negative port of the Motion Spookie); and a Code Spookie that finally will activate the other Code and Photo Spookie. To solve this tricky puzzle a child have to cover the eyes of the Darkies, as these will activate on darkness. The child also has to sing or whistle to activate the Listener. Since the second Darkie is attached on the negative side of the Motion Spookie the child additionally has to keep very still to unlock the Darkie and finally activate the Code Spookie.

THE SPOOKIE ROOM

This scenario is quite similar to the previously presented Dark Room [see Transformation/Active Play Workshop/Acting/The Dark Room]. A room is initially rigged with several Motion Spookies and Listeners forming a steeplechase course. This course is then to be crossed by the children playing.

The Spookie Room Course

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At this part of the play, the trick is to cross the room without setting of the alarm. To do this, the child have to quietly crawl, jump or climb, passing all Motion Spookies without being noticed. When the child reaches the other end of the room he enters the next part of the play. Now, the child have to get a picture taken, by using the Spookies on a table.

The Spookie Room Table

The Photo Spookie is activated though a Code Spookie, but one first has to guess the right angle. The child might have to guess the answer or could get a clue by solving a riddle. The other Code Spookie is hidden within a box beneath the table at a secret angle. If the child tries a false angle a Whistler Spookie sets of the alarm.

The Spookie Room Box

If the child chooses the correct angle, the Code Spookie will activate the Motion Spookie, the Vibrator Spookie and finally the Photo Spookie.

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SPOOKIES AS A DESIGN EXAMPLE Used as a design example, I believe that Spookies fulfil the expectations set in this thesis. Spookies utilise a broad aspect of Free Play and contributes a resourceful computer-embedded support to natural play situations, old and new. Compared to the other Free Play toys previously mentioned, like the tennis ball or the binoculars, Spookies are designed in a similar manner. They don’t limit or restrict the play by some predestined structure or context of use. Instead they provide a flexible support to creative usage. As the tennis ball the Spookies have a few main characteristics given by the general concept and the individual units. Given these abilities they can be used for many different things, supporting various play situations, making them excellent Free Play toys. I also believe that they have succeeded in initiating the exploration of the new design space arisen where computer technology meets Free Play. Computer technology as a material defines the essence of these toys and is applied in a new way that utilises the synergism of concept and material. In relation to Smart Toys, Spookies provide a useful example to how essentially different computer embedded toys might be designed, disregarding the traditional approach of intelligent pets. Finally, I believe that Spookies define a strong argument to the importance and potential within this field, motivating further research and exploration. Then, can this project be considered as Ubicomp? Can Spookies be defined as a Ubicomp toy? During this design project, a lot of inspiration to how computer technology can be applied in new ways has been found in the visions and research of the Ubicomp field. Some of these ideas have been attended in the practical design work, some have not. A central issue to Ubicomp that is reflected in the design proposal made is to avoid overwhelming the user with information that needs constant attention. The technology should be discreet and peripheral as a channel of communication. This idea have been met in the design of Spookies as tools of communication where the focus is set on the play and the interaction with other children and not on the toy itself, as with most other Smart Toys. Further, the idea of natural tangible interfaces has been of high priority to both functionality and interface design (though the latter not have been centrally attended in this design example). Tangibility has for instance been addressed in the design of combinational models, completely depending on the pattern of physical assembly. Also the thought of context awareness have in some way been regarded in the design. Through connecting several sensory inputs by combining Spookie units through reflexive operators, the user can receive a more detailed percept of the present context. Finally, an idea common in the Ubicomp research field is that of end-user programming. The user should

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easily be able to reprogram or change the functionally according to the situation of use. This issue is clearly attended and met in the design of Spookies. Spookies are adaptable to multiple situations due to their model of combination and communication and can efficiently be reprogrammed by changing the pattern of physical assembly. Considering all these aspects of Ubicomp addressed in the design of Spookies one could draw the conclusion that Spookies could be defined as a Ubicomp toy. However, there would be something inaccurate with such a definition. Although Spookies attend central areas of Ubiquitous Computing they are not ubiquitous, they can not be distributed everywhere as part of the environment and they can not recognise and communicate with unknown peers through ad hoc networks or adapt their information to support present everyday life situations. Spookies can clearly be acknowledged as a research project within the field of Ubicomp but not as a Ubiquitous Computing toy.

SPOOKIES AS A PRODUCT Since the work achieved in this design project has had a considerable effect on the development of Spookies as a product, this issue will here be further discussed and evaluated. In evolving the concept from merely supporting spy-games into supporting the more widespread area of Free Play activities the concept has had to be changed on many levels, for good and for bad. As the concept has been expanded with new units and new features, it could be argued that some of the initial simplicity of Spyballs has been lost. Especially the new communicational model along with the new model of combination has increased the level of complexity of the product. This was not a deliberative target of design but, as I see it, a natural cause in evolving the product to support Free Play. When evaluated and explored during the Transformation workshops it became clear that the original features could not provide the support to Free Play sought for. There is obviously a significant difference between the need of communication in the more static spy-games previously supported and the need of communication in the Free Play scenarios explored. In spy-game situations, a two-way communication was usually sufficient to transmit information from the object or area observed back to the observers. However, this model could not meet the desired situations of Free Play where several children should be able to communicate with each other. Hence, it had to be redesigned in order to not restrain the usage of Spookies outside the original concept. Considering the model of combination, this also had to be evolved. What was anticipated in the concept analysis became clear during the Transformation workshops. The model of combination used in the original concept could not live up to its own promises. Although numerous different combinations could be made, very few proved at all useful. When trying to enhance this feature in order to support Puzzle Play, the most valuable operator identified was the negative one, Not. The Not operator contributed something completely new that could not be achieved with singular units. By being able to include the

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opposite result of what was being measured in the final proposal made, new patterns of functionality could be created, strengthening the flexibility of Spookies in Free Play situations. Have the approach of development then been too wide? Was it necessary to include both Active and Puzzle Play situations in evolving Spookies into a Free Play toy? Could the complexity of the product otherwise been withhold? In the concept analysis, three areas of potential development were identified; Theme, Active Play and Puzzle Play. When exploring how to enhance Spookies into a Free Play toy all these areas were addressed and have been of great importance to the result. The theme, though not as thoroughly discussed as the other objectives, and certainly the easiest to redesign, have contributed the most general achievement. By leaving the original theme without replacing it, a new unlimited theme has set the course to how old and new Spookie units could be used. The Active Play situations have been central when developing this toy. They represent a large amount of the Free Play situations strived for in this project and could not have been discarded without changing the direction of development into something else. The Puzzle Play behaviour proves a good support to these situations and complements them in Free Play activities. Yet, the same objective of development could have been maintained without addressing Puzzle Play behaviour. This would have affected the product in many ways, several units as the Time Spookies, Move Spookies and maybe the Light and Picture Spookies might have been removed or replaced by others. The possibility of combination might also have been discarded further reducing the level of complexity. Such a product consisting of maybe three or four different couples would have been less complex, more specialised but would also provide a significantly thinner support to Free Play. Unfortunately, the price of flexibility and broad support must in this case be paid with increased complexity. To the Spookies of today, the Puzzle Play defines an important support to flexible Free Play and is additionally central to the product uniqueness and should not be put aside. One can also argue that the complexity added not necessarily affects the usage as it does not conflict with the original functionality but can be ignored. Again, one must remember that the results presented here is not final but mere a foundation to the continuous design process. All these issues will have to be further explored in real-life Free Play situations. Have then the design project been approached in suitable manner? Could another approach improved the design? Is not user participation vital to a design project as this? To this design example, the answer to the latter question would be no. User participatory design was clearly out of scope to the exploration attended in this thesis of how to design a computer embedded toy to support Free Play. Though, to this product, developed through the design example, the answer would be yes. End-user involvement for evaluation and inspiration is a key element to the future development of Spookies. User evaluations and real-world experiencing will be attended to

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set the course of the proceeding design process. Though, regarding this initial phase of design, other methods of Extreme Characters [Djajadiningrat el at, 2000], Scenarios [Grudin and Pruitt, 2002], Experience Prototyping [Buchenau and Suri, 2000] and Informance Design [Burns et al, 1994] have proved a resourceful support so far. Considering the approach to this design project, some things could have been changed or done differently. For instance, when planning how to address and support the two objectives of Active Play and Puzzle play, identified in the concept analysis, I believed that new units and a better combinational model were needed. Active Play was mainly to be improved by new units whereas an enhanced model of combination would support Puzzle Play. This, as new units would not be able to solve the problem of Puzzle Play alone. However, other units more specifically designed for Puzzle Play activities could have improved the concept further, combined with a strengthened model of combination. Now, most proposals sketched out in the phase of transformation mainly supported Active Play. With a more equally distributed focus other new Puzzle Play units might have been designed. How this would have balanced the concept or influenced the general design is hard to anticipate. What then, makes Spookies a better product than Spyballs? Spookies and Spyballs define the same product at different stages of the development cycle. Spookies represent one way of evolving and refining the concept of Spyballs, not necessarily the best. Spyballs have a strong concept along with a potential functionality adapted to the theme of spying. By having a limited usage area a product can be more specific and defined. Hence, Spyballs could have been developed along the initial theme of spying into a sophisticated toy to support spy-games. However, the Free Play toy Spookies has several advantages. By not restricting the children to a specific model or area of usage they are free to use the toy as they please, adapting it to various play situations and using it to make up new ones. This prolongs the life length of the product as it increases flexibility and usability. There is also an ethical motivation. Instead of encouraging more suspicious activities as spying, overhearing conversations and secretly taking pictures, Spookies can now be considered a needed support and stimulation to children’s development. As previously stated, Free Play let children develop physically, cognitively, emotionally, socially and culturally. Above all, evolved as a Free Play toy, Spookies can provide fun and enjoyment attending all natural play situations supporting active, creative play amongst friends.

FUTURE WORK Regarding Spookies, this future work is currently about to be approached. The Spookies concept will then be further refined, though other important aspects of the product such as interface design, technical design and construction also will prove more central to the design process. Primarily, the Spookies will be further experienced and evaluated through real-life play

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situations. Spookies will through this process be evolved into a commercial Free Play toy, providing children with a fun and inspiring alternative to the Smart Toys of today. This thesis will constitute a foundation to the proceeding course of this project. Hopefully, the design example presented in this thesis will inspire, guide and motivate further research in this area. Further research is needed to provide children with fun alternatives to computer games and interactive toys, utilizing the new upcoming role of computer technology. Not by creating artificial friends but by giving children a tool for Free Play to use as they see fit, a tool that let them be creative, spontaneous and active within a social playground. Children don’t want to be restricted to predefined structures and frameworks, they want to be free to use their bodies and minds to explore the world that lies before them.

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REFERENCES

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APPENDIX 1

DESIGN SKETCHES

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APPENDIX 1

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APPENDIX 1

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APPENDIX 1

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Documents

Design for Free Play - Chalmers · 2003. 8. 1. · designed to support Free Play. Free Play is defined as creative, active and spontaneous everyday play activities where several children