Digital Kids on

Branding, Privacy

and Technology Bias

Girl Geeks Toronto 2015

@andrewsmyk

#digitalkids #digitalfirstkids

Andrew SmykSheridan College

Program Coordinator

#digitalkids #digitalfirstkids

Girl Geeks Toronto 2015

@andrewsmyk

“People two, three or four years apart

are having completely different

experiences with technology,”

Lee Rainie, director of the Pew Research Center’s Internet and American Life Project.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tocaboca/5523596357/

10 - 6 - 3

13 - 8 - 6

the research

the research

64 interviews

12 birthday parties

3 girls soccer teams

2 girls hockey teams

4 class room visits

6 online surveys

Updated Nov 2014

the research

historical view

the research

the research

technology clusters

We preselect the technology

we give to kids

Kids select the technology

with the lowest level of

abstraction

the research

“They have their own brand new one.”- Goldstone

“My daughter had her own iPad since

she was 1 years old.”- gary2kool

“Kids hand me down went to the

grandparents.”- themiss

methods

A/B Testing

A/B with Tablets

3 iPads(I & II, Mini)

4 Android Tablets(Nexus 7, Thrive, Galaxy Tab)

same apps installed

outcome

children ages 3 to 5 years old,

know which logo and products

correspond with which brand.

variation

iPad Only

A/B with Web Sites

Two versions of a site created

(desktop vs. responsive)

90%abandon rate

content

content

technology

Technology is neither good nor bad;

nor is it neutral. Kranzberg’s six laws of technology.

“This is my iPad.”

Hands on. Minds on. Authentic.

kids

“Why is there a phone in your camera?”

•Folding Chalk Board+

•Face Time

•Folding Chalk Board+

•Face Time

Technology associations

phone = camera, Kindle = book

“digital” is disappearing

“download” is disappearing

“play” terminology is changing

If it looks like a button, it better be a button.

the research

https://www.flickr.com/photos/28478778@N05/5728485497/

Kids prefer eReaders over

traditional print books

Except when reading is done

with a parent

Adapting Technologies to

their needs

Kids 2 to 6 are task focused,

not necessarily goal focused.

analog and digital

worlds

“The movement between digital and traditional analog

tools as means of expression and creation comes

naturally to kids. Their movement is seamless and

effortless; we’ve lost this skill as adults.”

- Andrew Smyk

www.andrewsmyk.com/research/kids-and-robots/

Prototyping

Collaborative drawing

Final Version

adults vs. children

branding

name some search engines?

Google

the internet

There are other search

engines.

“Really? Why?”

genericTM

privacy

16 girls

16 iPods

16 girls

16 iPods

16 girls

16 iPods

16 girls

16 iPods

Within the peer group,

there was no privacy

bias

Touch over type

adaptive/responsive content

mobile over desktop

Google SEO

- Josh Clark (@globalmoxie)

“Every Desktop Design Has To Go Finger-Friendly"

http://bit.ly/digitalfirstkids

Design Considerations for Little FingersDesigning UI and UX for Children

my details

• twitter: @andrewsmyk

• blog: andrewsmyk.com/research

• Feel free to tweet, write, etc.

• Kids twitter:

– @i_am_oriana

– @iamruslan

Thank You!