Inspiring design: the use of photo elicitation and lomography in gaining the child’s perspectiveLynne Hall, Susan Jones, Marc Hall, Joanne Richardson & John Hodgson

Overview

Designing with children in eCIRCUS Photography as design input Lomography and photo elicitation Design Context: Water Safety Gaining inspiration – our experience

Designing with children in eCIRCUS eCIRCUS: FP6 project – technology

enhanced personal, social and emotional learning

Aims to provide a classroom-based,

curriculum-focused participatory design approach

Increase and improve involvement of primary users and stakeholders

eCIRCUS approach

Participatory, child-centred, aims to reflect children’s interests and activities

Range of methods and techniques Child as informant Aims to reflect adult-child dynamic in

classroom context Takes into account curricular needs of

teachers and pupils Small group activities (best practice key

stage 2 and 3) Covers aspects of national curriculum

Photography

Powerful medium for documenting human experience Used to mark key events and remember the past Can generate concepts and ideas with visual methods

increasingly gaining attention Photography offers potential for analysis and dialogue

stimulation Photographic content can be fed into design process Use of photography matches increasing visual (digital)

communication approach Successfully used in cultural probes and diary

methods

Using photography for design input Typically structured experience with

photos required of specific artefacts or events

Our approach More in common with “probing”FlexibleChild chooses what to record and

presentLomography

Method

Using photography to support design with children Children keen to use personal technology Cameras high availability and increasing

sites and software aimed at supporting children’s sharing of photos

Provide a focal point rather than child themselves

Photographer has guaranteed knowledge about the photo

Helps children to express themselves and offer information

Lomography

Photography technique developed as a response to over arty and stylistic photographic approaches

Name and initial approach based on a small Russian camera Multiple frames of same photo Flexible, quick, unstructured photography

Nearly lost, but rediscovered by a group of students

Now very popular approach to photography

“Doing” Lomography

Meant to be fun Freedom - photo anything you want,

anytime, anywhere Aims to capture everyday experience Personal and free form of photography Ideally suited to the digital age Camera is always there and aims to

enhance the user experience

Photo Elicitation

Lomography used as basis for photo elicitation

Using photos as talking points stimulates discussion, memories and ideas (e.g. autodriving, photo voice)

Limited use but has been successful for stimulating dialogue with adults and children

Design Context

11-13 year olds Enhance “Water Safety Roadshow” held in

Sunderland schools Web-based application Serious issue - one of most common

causes of death for age group Children NOT aware of intended design

context No structure / focus pre-provided for photos

Approach

Ten 11-12 year olds Disposable cameras provided for one

school week Group based discussion,

categorisation and annotation of photos

Occurred in the classroom but after school

Results: main images

Technology, phones, computers Animals and pets Outdoor scenery, areas and activities People – friends, family

Lomo examples

Results: categorisation and discussion Children engaged with process Readily discussed own and other’s photo

contents Collaborative activity with turn taking and

happy dialogue Considerable agreement about allocation of

photos to categories and in annotation Provision of emotional and personal

information about photos

Results and design context

Children unaware of intended context BUT

Significant number of images with water (beach, fountains, pools, fish ponds, etc.)

Water images positively described Children strong fascination with water

and play near it

Design Inspiration from photos

Water movement• Waves which splash• Water rippling in

fountains / ponds Local landmarks and

scenery Fish in water Fun and engaging

aspects of water

Lomo used in design

Design Inspiration

Using lomography and photo elicitation with children Care-free style retains fun and excitement of taking

photos Photos ideal vehicles for discussion Small group, class-based activity that is fun and

enjoyable for all Links well to National Curriculum (Art & Design, ICT,

Literacy, etc.) Unplanned nature still produced valuable information

We had forgotten the fascination that water holds for children, but on reflection can all remember!

Summary

Lomography combined with photo elicitation and categorisation effective for gaining useful data from children

Fun, interesting and stimulating Can be used in the classroom and

links to curriculum Valuable and effective input for

designing with children